The EHCP annual review is one of the most significant processes an alternative provision setting undertakes for its pupils. For many AP pupils, the EHCP is the document that shapes the provision they receive, the outcomes they work towards, and the transition planning that determines what happens at the end of their time in AP. Getting annual reviews right matters enormously.
Yet annual reviews in AP are often conducted under significant pressure. Staff time is stretched, evidence is not always captured systematically during the year, and the administrative demands of the review process add to already high workloads. This guide sets out what a good EHCP annual review looks like and how to build the processes that make it achievable.
The Legal Framework
The EHCP annual review is a statutory requirement under the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice. Every child or young person with an EHCP must have their plan formally reviewed at least once a year. The review must consider whether the plan remains appropriate, whether the outcomes are being met, and whether any amendments are required.
For pupils in AP, the commissioning school or local authority typically retains responsibility for the EHCP, but the AP setting has a duty to contribute to and support the review process. In practice, this often means the AP setting is the primary provider of evidence about the pupil's progress and needs.
Gathering Evidence Throughout the Year
The most common source of difficulty in EHCP annual reviews is the retrospective scramble to gather evidence. When progress towards EHCP targets is not recorded systematically during the year, the review preparation process becomes laborious and the resulting evidence base is weaker than it should be.
Best practice is to treat EHCP targets as part of day-to-day record-keeping, not as a separate exercise undertaken at review time. Every time a pupil demonstrates progress against a target, that evidence should be logged. When it comes to the review, the evidence is already there.
Digital systems that integrate EHCP targets with wider pupil records make this practical. Staff can note evidence of progress as part of their normal record-keeping, and the EHCP evidence log builds up naturally over the course of the year.
The Review Meeting
A well-run annual review meeting brings together the pupil, their parents or carers, the AP setting, the commissioning school or local authority, and any other agencies involved in the young person's support. The meeting should feel collaborative rather than administrative.
Effective preparation for the review meeting includes:
- A written report from the AP setting summarising progress against each EHCP outcome
- Attendance data and trend information
- Behaviour and wellbeing information
- The pupil's own views on their progress and the support they receive
- Contribution from any external professionals working with the pupil
- A clear recommendation on whether the plan should be maintained, amended or discontinued
The Pupil's Voice
The SEND Code of Practice is emphatic that the pupil's own views must be central to the annual review. For many AP pupils, articulating their views about their education and support in a formal meeting context is challenging. Good AP settings invest in preparing pupils for this conversation, using keyworker relationships to help young people identify what is working, what is not, and what they want to happen next.
The voice of the pupil should be present in the written paperwork, not just noted briefly at the start of a meeting and then set aside while adults discuss provision.
Transition Planning
For pupils approaching key transition points, the annual review takes on additional significance. For Year 9 pupils and above, the SEND Code of Practice requires that reviews begin to address preparation for adulthood across four outcome areas: employment, independent living, community participation, and health.
In AP settings, where many pupils are approaching the end of compulsory schooling with uncertain post-16 destinations, this transition planning function is particularly important. The annual review is an opportunity to ensure that every stakeholder is working towards a realistic and ambitious plan for the young person's future.
Post-Review Actions
The review meeting is the beginning of a process, not its conclusion. Following the meeting, the local authority has a statutory obligation to make any agreed amendments to the EHCP within a specific timeframe. The AP setting's responsibility is to implement any changes in provision promptly and to ensure that updated targets are incorporated into day-to-day practice.
Maintaining a clear record of post-review actions, with dates and outcomes, provides the audit trail needed for subsequent reviews and demonstrates to Ofsted that the annual review process is genuinely driving improvement in provision.