When must my child's EHCP name a secondary school?

For a child transferring from primary to secondary school, the local authority must issue the amended final Education, Health and Care Plan naming the secondary placement by 15 February in the year of transfer. This is a legal deadline set out in the SEND Regulations 2014, and it applies to the transfer into Year 7.

When does the transition process start?

The transfer is usually considered at the Year 5 annual review, with the formal decision-making happening through the autumn term of Year 6. Starting to think about secondary placement in Year 5 gives time to visit schools, gather evidence and request specific provision before the 15 February deadline in Year 6.

Can I name the secondary school I want for my child?

Yes. As a parent you can express a preference for a particular school, including a mainstream, special or independent setting, and the local authority must name it unless it is unsuitable for the child's age, ability, aptitude or needs, the placement would be incompatible with the efficient education of others, or it would be an inefficient use of resources. The bar for refusing your preference is specific and you can challenge a refusal at the SEND Tribunal.

What if the council misses the 15 February deadline?

If the local authority misses the 15 February deadline you can complain and, if the delay continues, escalate to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. If the final amended plan names a school you disagree with or refuses your preference, you have a right of appeal to the SEND Tribunal, usually within two months of the decision.

EHCP Transition to Secondary School: The 15 February Deadline (UK)

Moving from primary to secondary school is a big step for any child. For a child with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) it is also a formal legal process, called a phase transfer, with its own timetable and a hard deadline. Getting it right means your child starts Year 7 at a school that has been named in their plan and that is ready for them. Getting it wrong, or leaving it too late, can mean an uncertain summer and a difficult start. Last updated June 2026.

This guide explains how the phase transfer works, the legal deadlines, how to name the secondary school you want, and what to do if the local authority slips or refuses your preference.

The Key Deadline: 15 February

For a child transferring from primary to secondary school, the Local Authority (LA) must issue the amended final EHCP, naming the secondary placement, by 15 February in the year your child is due to move up. This is a statutory deadline set out in the SEND Regulations 2014. It exists so that families have certainty about where their child is going before the school year ends, and so the receiving school has time to prepare.

This is different from the deadline for children without a plan, who apply through the normal secondary admissions round. Children with an EHCP go through a separate, plan-led process, and the 15 February date is the one to diarise.

The Phase Transfer Timeline

Year 5 review

Start thinking about secondary. The transfer is usually first considered at the Year 5 annual review. Use it to begin discussing what kind of setting will suit your child and to start visiting schools.

Year 6 autumn

Annual review and preferences. The Year 6 annual review is held, normally in the autumn term. You state your school preferences. The local authority consults the schools you have named.

By 15 Feb

Final amended plan issued. The local authority must issue the amended final EHCP naming the secondary school by 15 February in the year of transfer.

Spring/summer

Transition planning. Visits, transition days and handover between the primary and secondary settings, so the new school understands the provision in Section F before September.

Because the formal timetable runs through Year 6, the groundwork has to happen in Year 5. The annual review is the engine of the whole process. Our EHCP annual review checklist walks through how to make the review work for you rather than something that simply happens to you.

Naming the Secondary School You Want

As a parent you have the right to express a preference for the secondary school your child attends. This can be a mainstream school, a special school, or in some cases an independent or non-maintained special school. The local authority must name the school you prefer unless one of a small number of specific grounds applies: the school is unsuitable for the child's age, ability, aptitude or Special Educational Needs (SEN); placing the child there would be incompatible with the efficient education of others; or it would be an inefficient use of resources.

The bar for refusing your preference is specific, and the council has to justify it, not simply assert it. If you are pushing for a particular setting, the strength of your case usually comes down to how well the plan describes your child's needs and the provision they require. The clearer Section F is about what your child needs, the easier it is to argue that only a particular school can deliver it. See our guide on Section F specificity for why this matters so much.

Make the Review Count

The Year 6 annual review is the moment to update the plan for the realities of secondary school. Secondary is a very different environment from primary: multiple teachers instead of one, frequent room changes, a larger and busier site, more independent organisation, and homework that ramps up quickly. Provision that worked in a small primary classroom may need to be rewritten for this new context.

Ask for the plan to reflect the secondary setting specifically. That might mean provision for navigating the timetable and the building, support during transitions between lessons, a named key adult, arrangements for unstructured time, and adapted homework expectations. If the existing provision is vague, this is the time to fix it, because once the plan is finalised it is much harder to change.

A phase transfer is a deadline-driven legal process. Track every date and get the right provision named before 15 February.

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If the Council Slips or Refuses Your Preference

If the local authority misses the 15 February deadline, do not let it drift. Complain in writing, citing the statutory date, and if the delay continues you can escalate to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. Delay is one of the most common failures in phase transfer, and it leaves families in limbo over the summer.

If the final amended plan names a school you do not agree with, or refuses the school you asked for, you have a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability), usually called the SEND Tribunal. The deadline to appeal is normally two months from the decision. Our guide on the SEND Tribunal appeal process explains how that works and how strong the odds are for well-evidenced cases.

How EHCP Expert Helps

EHCP Expert tracks the phase transfer timetable for your child, flags the 15 February deadline and warns you if the council is heading towards missing it. It helps you prepare for the Year 6 annual review, frame the case for the secondary school you want, and rewrite vague provision so Section F reflects the demands of secondary school. If the local authority slips or refuses your preference, it helps you generate the right complaint or appeal evidence.

Give your child a secondary start that has been planned, not improvised. Begin your transition early.

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Important. This guide is general information about Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) law in England and is not legal advice. Every child's situation is different. For free, independent advice on your own case, contact the Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (IPSEA) at ipsea.org.uk, your local SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS), or SOSSEN. Official guidance is published at gov.uk, and your Local Authority (LA) must publish its SEND Local Offer.