National Transfer timescales
The new system for children & young people (CYP) with SEN commenced on 1st September 2014. The national guidelines for transferring Statements of Special Educational Need (SSEN) into EHC Plans were updated in March and can be found at
This explains that all Local Authorities must convert all SSENs before April the 1st 2018.
For students who are supported in FE with an LDA statement (and who are continuing in education after September 1st 2016), their LDAs must be converted into an EHC Plan by that date.
Kent is ambitious about the converting all of its SSEN and LDAs and most pupils in mainstream are expected to be converted ahead of these nationally prescribed timescales wherever possible.
What are the priority groups for transfer?
An ‘R’ indicates that each of the following group is a requirementin the year indicated.
Groups of children/young people that are in a priority group / 2015/16 / 2016/17 / 2017/18 (by 1 April 2018)Children moving from an early years setting to a school / R / R / R
Children moving from primary to middle school / R / R / R
Children moving from primary to secondary school / R / R / R
Children moving from middle to secondary school / R / R / R
All other children with statements of SEN in year 6 (including those not moving institution) / R
Children in year 9 / R / R / R
Children/young people moving from school (including school sixth forms) to a post-16 institution or an apprenticeship / R / R / R
All other children/young people in year 11 (including those not moving institution) / R
Those moving from mainstream to special school or vice versa / R / R / R
Those moving between local authorities / R
Those leaving youth custody / R (on release) / R (on release / R (on release
Young people who receive support as a result of an LDA who intend to be in education beyond 31 August 2016 / R (on request) / N/A / N/A
All others who do not fall into the above categories / R
All Statements must be transferred by 1 April 2018 unless they are ceased because they are no longer necessary.
All LDAs must be converted before 1st September 2016 if the young person is planning to remain in education beyond that point