Getting your child’s school place, whether primary or secondary, can be a very exciting time for both parents and children alike. However, it is not uncommon for some families to experience extreme disappointment and distress when the decisions are not what they were hoping for.

This guide is intended to provide families with useful information as to steps they can take to challenge a decision if their child is not allocated a place at a suitable or preferred school.

Although the phrase ‘phase transfer’ technically applies to all children in education, the law sets out specific requirements for those children with an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) for when they transfer.

Autism is a disability which impacts a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. More than one in 100 people are considered to be on the autism spectrum and there are around 700,000 diagnosed autistic adults and children in the UK.

Having your child excluded from school is stressful. Unfortunately, it can often come as a surprise and parents can understandably be daunted by the prospect of having to either challenge an exclusion or secure a new school place for their child.