Very occasionally the SEND Tribunal may give a decision orally at a hearing, but generally it provides you with the decision in writing later. Either way, the SEND Tribunal must provide the parties with:

• a decision notice stating the SEND Tribunal’s decision
• written reasons for the decision
• notification of any rights of review or appeal against the decision, and
• the time within which an application must be lodged,

as soon as reasonably practicable after the hearing.

Generally, you will receive the decision and reasons in writing within ten working days of the SEND Tribunal considering your case.

SEND Tribunal orders

When the SEND Tribunal decides that the local authority (LA) needs to amend an EHC plan, it will often order the LA to issue an amended plan in the form of a working document enclosed with its decision. If there appears to be a mistake in the working document, you should write to the SEND Tribunal and ask it to correct this as an accidental slip or omission.

If the SEND Tribunal orders the LA to carry out an action (such as start an EHC needs assessment or issue an amended EHC plan), the LA must do so within the deadlines set out in Regulation 44 of the SEN and Disability Regulations 2014.

If the LA does not comply with these deadlines, you can use our template letter to complain.

Appealing decisions           

If you are unhappy with the outcome of your appeal, in certain limited circumstances you can appeal the decision of the SEND Tribunal.

Comments on LA practice and policy

Sometimes decisions will comment on the LA’s wider practice or policies, and may suggest that the LA should review, and improve, its ways of working. If this happens in your appeal decision, you can write to the Director of Children’s Services and let them know of any such issues the SEND Tribunal noted.