Phase Transfer for children with an Education, Health and Care Plan
Phase transfer is the process of updating an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) before a child moves to a new stage of education, such as from primary school to secondary school.
As part of this process, the school will hold an annual review meeting. Information from the review will be used to update the EHCP.
A final amended EHCP must be issued by 15 February in the year your child moves to secondary school.
Year 5 phase transfer annual review
To give families enough time to prepare for secondary school, we start the phase transfer process during Year 5.
If your child is due an annual review in the summer term of 2026, the school will arrange a phase transfer annual review meeting with you.
The meeting will look at whether your child's EHCP still reflects their needs and the support they require.
Section A: views, wishes and feelings
Your child will be asked about:
- their views
- their wishes and feelings
- their future goals
- their likes and dislikes
You can share your views during the review meeting.
We have an article about completing Section A: How to complete Section A of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
Section B: special educational needs
The review will consider whether this section still accurately describes your child's special educational needs.
Any new needs will be recorded in the annual review report.
Section C: health needs
The review will consider whether your child has received any new diagnoses or has health needs that are not already included in the EHCP.
Section E: outcomes
The review will consider:
- progress towards current outcomes
- outcomes for Key Stage 3
Outcomes should support your child's future goals and aspirations.
Section F: provision
The review will consider whether:
- any support is no longer needed
- any new support should be added
The support in this section should help your child achieve their outcomes.
Choosing a secondary school
You may already know which secondary school you would like your child to attend.
If you do, this should be recorded in the annual review report.
If you are unsure at this stage, you can provide your preference later in the process.
After we receive the annual review report, we will write to you to explain that the EHCP will be amended.
An amended EHCP will be sent to you during the autumn term 2026. You will have the opportunity to:
- review the proposed changes
- provide comments
- tell us your preferred secondary school
At the same time, the SEND team will consult:
- the nearest or catchment secondary school
- your preferred school, if known
During September and October, the SEND team will contact you to confirm your school preference and complete any consultations needed.
Apply for a secondary school place
You should also apply for a secondary school place through the normal admissions process.
Children with EHCPs are not allocated places through the admissions process. However, submitting an application helps us understand parental preferences when reviewing school places and capacity.
Final amended EHCP
The SEND team will name your child's secondary school in Section I of the final amended EHCP by 15 February 2027.
Year 6 annual review
If your child's phase transfer annual review takes place during the summer term of Year 5, their next annual review will usually take place during the summer term of Year 6.
The primary school should invite the secondary school's Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) to the meeting. This helps schools plan for a smooth transition and share important information about your child's needs.
School transport
If you choose a school that is not the nearest suitable school to your home, both schools will be consulted.
If there is a nearer school that can meet your child's special educational needs, you may need to make your own transport arrangements.
Any entitlement to school transport will be assessed in line with the Westmorland and Furness School Transport Policy.