How to apply for a school place if your child has SEND

How to apply for school

If your child has Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and does not have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, you can apply for a place at any mainstream school in Brighton & Hove.

The SEN team will contact you if your child may need to attend a special school or a specialist unit at a mainstream school.

Find out how schools and colleges in Brighton & Hove support children with special educational needs and disabilities.

How to tell us which school you would like your child to go to if they have an EHC plan

If your child has SEND and they have (or are about to have) an EHC plan, you can say which school you would like them to attend.

Learn more about EHC plans on the Amaze Sussex website.

How to ask for an EHC assessment

You cannot ask for an assessment over the phone. Please write to us and give some examples of your child's needs. Your child doesn’t need to have a diagnosis.

Parent carers can use the template letter on the Amaze website to request an EHC assessment.

We’ll send a copy of the EHC plan to your child's school, so the school can decide if they can meet your child’s needs.

We’ll listen to what the school has to say when deciding which school is best for your child to attend.

We'll agree with your preferred school, unless:

• it wouldn't be suitable for the child's age, ability, skills or their SEN
• it would negatively affect the education of the other children at the school too much
• it doesn't give the council value for money in spending its budget