The following bullet points are a guide through the Statutory Assessment process:

• Only a few children with learning difficulties and disabilities require a Statutory Assessment
• It is not necessary to wait until a child is in school. A Statutory Assessment can be done from the age of two
• A number of people will be asked to write a report on your child
• To help you through the Statutory Assessment there will be a named officer from Children’s Services
• You can choose to have an Independent Parental Supporter who will be able to support you and offer guidance. You should contact the Parent Partnership about this (click here to visit their website www.ppsnotts.org.uk ). Their address and telephone number can be found in Links to Other Agencies.
• You will receive copies of all the reports when the Statutory Assessment is complete
• Children’s Services may decide to issue a Statement of Special Educational Needs which says what your child’s needs are, and how they should be met, including National Curriculum arrangements. It also names the school your child should attend
• You have a right to disagree with what the statement says or with a decision not to make a Statement. You can request mediation to help sort out any dispute and you can appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal if you cannot reach an agreement with Children’s Services
• Once you have agreed to a Statement, it then becomes a legal document and you must send your child to the school it names
• The law requires that all Statements be reviewed every twelve months in order to look at what has been achieved, to set new targets and to check that the Statement is still appropriate to your child
• You will be invited to annual review meetings and you may bring a friend or advisor. This could be your Independent Parental Supporter if you have one. People concerned with educating your child will also be invited
• Following the meeting Children’s Services might want to make some changes to the Statement, or may occasionally propose that the Statement is no longer needed if your child has made sufficiently good progress over the year. Children’s Services would fully consult with you before changing or withdrawing a Statement
• In Year 9 there is an extra part to the annual review called a Transition Plan. This is so that your child’s possible career options, further education or occupational training can be discussed. A Personal Advisor from the Connexions Service (click here to visit their website - www.connexions-direct.com/) would be invited to join the annual review meeting to help plan for your child

More detailed information on annual reviews and Transition Plans can be obtained from the school’s Special Education Needs Co-ordinator.