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Would I have grounds to appeal to SENDIST for daughter not passing kent test?
My daughter is about to transition to secondary in Sep 2026, she has a diagnosis of autism. Schooling has been on off with part time time -tables, strong EBSA history, missed almost all year 5 due to anxiety, she did not engage with learning. This year complete turn around forged friendships, great teacher super high attendance. likely to be either the top student in her class for sats or in the cohort that excel. senco believes she would have passed the kent test this year if taken now. I did not apply for extra time for the kent test (was not sure, and did not want to approach her school as she was out of school at that time) the score that lowered her was maths which she is has now caught up with and is excelling, since re-engaging with learning. I believe her score does not reflect her academic ability (senco agrees) can I appeal? is there scope for an appeal on medical/mental health grounds? (SEMH significant) previous CAMHS involvement. she is heartbroken she is not going there due to not passing. LA have named sen provision in mainstream she does not want that, she wants to be in an academic environment her current school are willing to back me but do I have a case or am I clutching at straws and what should I do please? I read I can only appeal a school place if she passed but think (not sure) it may be different if you have an EHCP? I don't know my options or if I have none or some? appreciate any advice please, thank you.
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Can an academy refuse to refer a disabled child for 14–16 Youth College/AP because she cannot first attend the same school she is unable to access?
My 14-year-old daughter is on roll at an academy but has been unable to access school consistently since October 2025 due to SEND/dyspraxia, anxiety/sensory difficulties and recently diagnosed Overt Hashimoto’s/hypothyroidism.
The LA has agreed Section 19 medical tuition on Feb, but no provision has started yet. We still have no confirmed start date, hours, tutor/provider or venue.LA don't always respond to emails or answer all questions.
The academy Principal originally suggested South Tyneside Youth College / 14–16 college as a good fit. However, he is now refusing to progress the referral unless my daughter first reintegrates into the academy on a limited basis. The difficulty is that the academy is the setting she cannot currently access.
Youth College is school-led referral/SLA route where the child remains on the school roll, so parents cannot self-refer. The LA says Youth College questions are for the school because it is school-arranged AP. The school has also said further correspondence will not be acknowledged until my daughter attends school.I requested a sar after the pa told me she had ran my complaint letter through chat gpt and would not accept it as it was 100% ai generated. They refused the sar. I will raise an I C complaint
I have submitted a Stage 2 complaint about the head refusal but that process is too slow because the Youth College window is time-sensitive they have trials in June and it's 1st come 1 served.
I am not asking for a guaranteed Youth College place. I am asking whether she can lawfully be blocked from even being considered because she cannot first attend the setting she is currently unable to access.
My main questions are:
1. If the Youth College route is school-commissioned, does the LA still have to act under Section 19 if the school’s refusal leaves the child without suitable education?
2. Could this be an Equality Act reasonable adjustments/disability discrimination issue if the school is applying an attendance precondition my daughter cannot meet because of disability-related needs?
3. What is the quickest route to challenge this, given the LA says Section 19 is being arranged but the school controls the Youth College referral
4. Will she be classed as disabled due to long term condition Hashimotos and ongoing anxiety she is awaiting Cyps appointment.
ThanksLisa Purvis
10 May 2026
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Should I file for discrimination and victimisation? Given how the school is now trying to remove my child after i made a complaint.
School failed to follow complaint procedure and concluded my complaint without sending me an outcome letter. I have requested the complaint be reviewed at stage 2 which they are obstructing. I have sent the stage 2 escalation to the school admin team to foward to the Clerk to the governing body as the Clerk contact details are not publicly available, but the admin have refused to forward my stage 2 request. Should I escalate to DFE since the chair of governor has been inbolved and concluded my complaint without sending me an outcome of the investigation and denying me access to stage 2 process
Should i file for discrimination and victimisation?
Suddenly, they called an ehcp review last week and said they cant meet my childd needs on the basis pf limited progress and lack of engagement. They said my child requires a provision for children with severe learning needs. I disagreed because my daughter does not have severe learning needs. She has made some progress at her own pace. Limited progress is not a valid reason to say a school cannot meet needs. The techer said my daughter does not respond to her name. I disagreed because my daughter responds to her name all the time
The teacher then tried to argue that my daughter doesnt transfer her abilities/skill across a range of different setting even though she is able to perform the task. As an autistic child. I feel that she learns differently and as long as she is able to perform a specific task in one setting, that should count as an achievement . She needs to build confidence to be able to transfer that skill to another setting
During one meeting i had with the head teacher last year when i raised concerns a obout recurring injuries, she mentioned that staff find me difficult and they are worried that i might accuse them of harming my child despite i have never accussed anyone.
My concerns were regarding lack of supervision due to the frequency of injuries and school not being able to tell me how the child sustained the injuries.
During the same meeting with the head teacher last year, she suggested that i remove my child from the school i told her it was my childs first year in school and she should give her a chance and all i was asking was enhanced supervision.Zena Brown
02 May 2026
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Taking children out of school during term time
I will be taking my children out of school next month for our family holiday. 2 of my children have additional needs, one is diagnosed combined adhd and one awaiting assessment for adhd/asd. Neither of them cope well in overcrowded situations with one having social anxiety and the other being liable to wonder off etc. this is the main reason for going out of term time so it will not be as busy. Is there anything I can do in order to not receive an fine from my local authorities for doing this.
Mark Walker
16 Sep 2023
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Can a school refuse a child with an ehcp who previously attended the achool
School are refusing to admit due to relationships with peers
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Can university turn down appeal when they’ve failed to provide agreed exam adjustments
Daughter gets 25% extra time in her uni exams - she always uses this time. She sits exams in a room on her own as has severe anxiety. Recently sat an exam and we only realised a couple of days later when next exam was much longer that invigilator had not included her extra time in the finish time. Daughter had come out of the exam incredibly upset as for the first time had completely run out of time. Exam department admitted and apologised for the error, advised to put in for special consideration. This was turned down as the panel said exam result (74%) was similar to other results (79% and 93% in other modules) so extra time would have made no difference. The module that was affected previous exam and coursework in the high 90's.
On seeing her marked paper she lost 3/70 marks in the first 90 minutes, then when aware of only 30 minutes left (should have been 60) panicked and spiralled only got 7/30 marks left.
She has been told by Student Union only option is to appeal and if successful an uncapped resit. She has extreme exam anxiety and would have to give up weeks of holidays to study again. Seems incredibly unfair for unis error. Any advice would be appreciated please.Claire Mcdonald
24 Apr 2026
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Is it worth pursuing a refusal to assess for my autistic son's EHCP application
Obvious reasons why it might not be granted is that he is achieving well academically in school, good attendance and no behavioural concerns. However, he has to wear a significantly adapted uniform which takes a significant emotional toil on him to wear. He would be a school refuser were there to be a small shift in circumstances for example my husband works in the school and this may not always be the case, certainly not in secondary school and his current school have indicated that they may change the policy on his adapted uniform. We are considering getting an educational pscyhologist report (privately funded) now, would this be valuable and worth the investment for this process or to support ongoing adjustments during his remaining educational years. He is in a private school currently so we have also thought about requesting an EHCP (no funding) route. There is no local authority involvement in his care currently but he is likely to move into the state sector in secondary school. He is in year 5.
Sarah Crosby
31 Mar 2026
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Can the LA refuse to consult an Independent mainstream
My LA is refusing to consult a mainstream secondary independent unless I agree to pay the school fees, and they will pay any top up from the EHCP (very little support needed at the moment) my child is mainly SEMH does not want sen in a mainstream but wants to go to a small class size mainstream (independent) LA is refusing, I will appeal but is it lawful to refuse to consult the school? they seem to be using a loop hole by re stating they are not refusing to consult, they will consult if I agree to pay the fees is this lawful?
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Can a council move an EHCP (to a 'receiving authority') while the EHCP is going through appeal?
This is a complex situation explained to me by one of our members. The mother, while resident in Camden, applied for an EHCP and requested 3 secondary schools to consider her child (early 2025). The EHCP was so inaccurate (and included out of date information) that she believes this caused all 3 schools to say they can't meet need. She then appealed to have the EHCP updated but the appeal has been pushed back over and over again.
In the mean time, the parents divorced/separated. The Dad remains resident in Camden but due to cost of living, the Mother (around 18 months ago) moved to Hertfordshire, temporarily. The child was fully resident in Camden when the original EHCP application was made (and attended Primary school in borough). The child had to start secondary school (sept 2025) in Hertfordshire.
The EHCP appeal is ongoing. The Mother wants the outcome of appeal to name one of the 3 schools in Camden, then she can move back in Borough (can't move now as has to get child to school each day in Herts). Camden have just sent a letter asking for proof of residence in Camden by 10 April. If they don't get proof of residence they will pass the EHCP onto 'the receiving authority'. Is this allowed? (Note: Mother is a fire fighter, does this give her any special consideration as a key worker?) Thank you so much to anyone who can advise.
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Can my son take Functional Skills for Maths and English instead of GCSEs?
This is at a mainstream school with ARP (which covers Maths and English). He has an EHCP and school think he will struggle even with the Functional Skills, but they say as a mainstream school they cannot let him only do the FS, he has to do the GCSEs in both subjects as well.