SEN support request letter — prepare it with support | EHCP Clarity
SEN support letter

SEN support request letter — get it ready with support

Before applying for an EHCP, a clear written request to the SENDCO triggers the school's graduated-approach duties and creates the paper trail you may need later. Send what you have. A case professional prepares the document. You review it. You send it.

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What is your EHCP situation?

Tell us where you are. We match the document you need to send, then an assigned case professional prepares it. You review it. You send it.

What we prepare for this

Request letter · £249

The letter you send to the council to ask for an EHC needs assessment.

  • The document you send
  • How to send it, and what to attach
  • One revision round of factual corrections

One case professional prepares and checks it. You review it. You send it.

Typically 5 working days after we have what we need.

Other documents: request letter £249 · appeal grounds £349 · challenge to the plan £449

Sample of a request letter · mock names
The most recent school assessment data from March 2025 shows that [CHILD] is working at a level approximately three years below his chronological age in reading and writing, and at least two years below in spoken language and verbal comprehension.

Read the full examples · What each price includes

Case preparation support only · Not legal advice or tribunal representation

Quick answer

Write to the SENDCO (copy the headteacher), describe the difficulty, ask the school to begin the assess, plan, do, review cycle under Chapter 6 of the SEND Code of Practice 2015, and request a written response within 15 school days. You do not need a diagnosis. If the school refuses or progress is too slow, you can apply to the local authority directly for an EHC needs assessment under section 36 CFA 2014.

Why a written request matters

SEN support is the graduated approach mainstream schools must use for pupils with SEN. It does not require an EHCP and is funded from the school's notional SEN budget (the school's notional SEN budget). A written request:

  • Creates a clear, dated record that you raised concerns
  • Triggers the SENDCO's responsibility to formally consider whether your child has SEN
  • Provides evidence later if you apply for an EHC needs assessment
  • Forces a written response — useful if the school later disputes what was agreed
  • Helps if you need to escalate to the local authority, the LGSCO, or the SEND Tribunal

The legal framework

Section 20 of the Children and Families Act 2014 defines a child as having SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability that calls for special educational provision to be made. Chapter 6 of the SEND Code of Practice 2015 sets out the school's duty to identify and respond to SEN through a four-stage cycle: assess, plan, do, review. Regulation 51 of the SEND Regulations 2014 requires every mainstream school to publish an SEN information report describing how it identifies and supports pupils with SEN. Schools also have a duty under section 20 of the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils.

What strong cases do next

  1. 1

    Gather what you already have

    Collect any reports, school progress data, diagnosis letters, and your own observations. Note specific examples of where your child is struggling — academically, socially, emotionally, or with attendance.

  2. 2

    Read the school's SEN information report

    Every mainstream school must publish one (regulation 51, SEND Regulations 2014). It tells you who the SENDCO is and what SEN support the school normally provides. Reference it in your letter.

  3. 3

    Address the letter to the SENDCO

    Copy in the headteacher and (if relevant) the class teacher. Use a clear subject line such as 'Request for SEN support — [child's name, class]'.

3 further steps when you submit or appeal — Requesting, appealing, and negotiating Section F are where most parents need help — that is what we prepare for you.

This guide shows what strong cases look like. We prepare the request letter, appeal grounds, or plan letter for your route.

Match my situation →Get yours prepared — From £249

Sample structure

You can adapt the structure below. Keep it factual, polite, and specific.

Subject: Request for SEN support — [child's name, class/year]

To: [SENDCO name]
Cc: [Headteacher name]

Dear [SENDCO name],

I am writing to request that the school identifies my child, [name], as having special educational needs under section 20 of the Children and Families Act 2014, and begins the 'assess, plan, do, review' cycle described in Chapter 6 of the SEND Code of Practice 2015.

The difficulties I have observed include: [3–5 specific examples — academic, social, emotional, sensory, attendance].

The professional evidence I have so far is: [list reports, diagnoses, letters].

Please confirm in writing within 15 school days: (1) whether the school agrees that my child has SEN, (2) what assessment the school will carry out, (3) the date of our planning meeting, and (4) the SEN provision the school will put in place.

I have attached [list documents] for your reference. I would also be grateful if you could share the school's SEN information report and confirm what is normally available within your notional SEN budget.

Yours sincerely,
[Your name]

Documents and evidence to gather

  • Any diagnosis letters or clinical reports
  • School progress data, attendance records, behaviour logs
  • Reports from professionals (EP, SALT, OT, paediatrician, CAMHS)
  • Examples of work showing the difficulty
  • A list of the specific concerns you want addressed
  • The school's SEN information report (download from the school website)

Before you send the letter

  • You have read the school's SEN information report
  • You have identified the SENDCO by name
  • You have specific examples of difficulty, not just general concerns
  • You have referenced section 20 CFA 2014 and Chapter 6 of the Code of Practice
  • You have asked for a written response within 15 school days

1 more item depending on your case. Plus turning this evidence into one coherent pack an LA or tribunal takes seriously.

This guide shows what strong cases look like. We prepare the request letter, appeal grounds, or plan letter for your route.

Match my situation →Get yours prepared — From £249

Common problems and how to handle them

  1. School says 'we'll keep an eye on it' — ask for the assess phase to start formally and a date for it
  2. School says 'no diagnosis, no SEN' — quote Chapter 6 of the Code of Practice; SEN is needs-led, not diagnosis-led
  3. School delays — send a chaser after 15 school days and copy in the headteacher
  4. School says budget will not cover what is needed — that may itself be evidence the EHCP threshold is met
  5. Repeated SEN support cycles with no progress — apply for an EHC needs assessment yourself under section 36 CFA 2014

This guide shows what strong cases look like. We prepare the request letter, appeal grounds, or plan letter for your route.

Match my situation →Get yours prepared — From £249

What your pack includes

  • Editable letter template tailored to your child's profile
  • Difficulties tracker — turning daily observations into Tribunal-ready evidence
  • Graduated approach (assess, plan, do, review) framework
  • Escalation pack if SEN support is refused or insufficient
  • Direct route into an EHC needs assessment request letter if needed

Frequently asked questions

England · SEND

What is SEN support?
SEN support is the graduated approach a mainstream school must put in place for any pupil identified as having special educational needs. It does not require an EHCP. It is described in Chapter 6 of the SEND Code of Practice 2015 and uses the 'assess, plan, do, review' cycle. Schools are expected to fund SEN support from their notional SEN budget (the school's notional SEN budget).
Do I have to ask in writing?
There is no legal requirement to ask in writing, but a written request creates a paper trail, makes it easier to escalate to the local authority later, and forces the school to respond formally. If you later need to apply for an EHC needs assessment, evidence that SEN support has been tried (or refused) is very useful.
Who do I send the letter to?
Address it to the SENDCO (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator) and copy in the headteacher. Every mainstream school in England must have a SENDCO and a published SEN information report (regulation 51 of the SEND Regulations 2014).
What if the school says my child does not have SEN?
You can disagree. Section 20 of the Children and Families Act 2014 defines SEN as a learning difficulty or disability that calls for special educational provision. If your child has documented difficulties (a diagnosis, school progress data, professional reports), the school should at minimum carry out an 'assess' phase under the graduated approach. If they refuse, you can escalate by applying directly to the local authority for an EHC needs assessment under section 36 CFA 2014.
Does my child need a diagnosis to get SEN support?
No. SEN support is needs-led, not diagnosis-led. The Code of Practice is explicit that a diagnosis is not required to identify SEN. The school must look at how your child is progressing relative to peers, what is preventing progress, and what reasonable adjustments and provision would help.
What should the school provide as part of SEN support?
Typical SEN support includes targeted small-group or 1:1 interventions, differentiated teaching, visual supports, regular SENDCO oversight, an individual support plan, parent meetings (at least three a year), and reasonable adjustments such as movement breaks or quiet spaces. The exact provision depends on need.
What if SEN support is not enough?
If your child has had SEN support but is still not making expected progress, that is strong evidence the threshold for an EHC needs assessment may be met. You can apply to the local authority yourself under section 36 CFA 2014 — you do not need the school's permission.
Can I ask for a meeting instead of writing?
You can, but always follow up the meeting in writing summarising what was agreed and the timescales. A written record protects you if the school later does not deliver what was agreed.

Related guides

Sources and further reading

  1. Children and Families Act 2014 — section 20 (definition of SEN) — Statutory definition of special educational needs
  2. SEND Code of Practice 2015 — Chapter 6 (schools) — Graduated approach and SEN support duties
  3. SEND Regulations 2014 — regulation 51 (SEN information report) — School's duty to publish SEN information
  4. IPSEA — SEN support in mainstream schools — Free specialist guidance from IPSEA