Annual Reviews are held every year for all pupils with a statement of special educational need.

The information below details the aims of the annual review, and about other types of review - Interim reviews, transfer reviews, and the annual review in Year 9 and in subsequent years. You can also read about the circumstances in which a statement might cease to be maintained by the Local Authority.
The Parent Partnership Service can offer support to parents during the annual review process.

Aims of the Annual Review

Annual Reviews are held annually for all pupils with a statement of special educational need.

The Annual Review should aim:

• to assess the child’s progress towards meeting the objectives specified in the statement and to collate and record information that the school and other professionals can use in planning their support for the child
• in the case of the first annual review, to assess the child’s progress towards meeting the targets agreed and recorded in the Individual Education Plan following the making of the statement; and in the case of all other reviews to assess progress towards the targets in the IEP set at the previous review
• to review the special provision made for the child, including the appropriateness of any special equipment provided, in the context of the National Curriculum and associated assessment and reporting arrangements. Where appropriate, the school should consider providing a profile of the child’s current levels of attainment in basic literacy, numeracy and life skills, and a summary of progress achieved in other areas of the curriculum, including the National Curriculum.
  Where the statement involves a modification or disapplication of the National Curriculum, the school should indicate what special arrangements have been made for the child.
• to consider the continuing appropriateness of the statement in the light of the child’s performance during the previous year, and any additional special educational needs which may have become apparent in that time, and thus to consider whether to cease to maintain the statement or whether to make any amendments, including any further modifications or disapplication of the National Curriculum, and if the statement is to be maintained, to set new targets for the coming year; progress towards those targets can be considered at the next review.
  

Interim Reviews, Transfer Reviews, and the Annual Review in Year 9 and subsequent years.

Interim Reviews:
Interim reviews (in addition to annual reviews) are often held where a school identifies a pupil with a statement of special educational needs who is at risk of disaffection or exclusion. It will then be possible to consider the pupil’s changing needs and recommend amendments to the statement, as an alternative to the pupil being excluded.

Transfer Reviews:
At certain stages in a pupil’s school career, a transfer review will be held. This review is intended to discuss the needs of the pupil on transfer from nursery to primary or from primary to secondary school, for example. In addition, transfer reviews must be held before a pupil can transfer within a school year (between mainstream primary schools for example). Again this is to ensure that all preparations needed have been discussed and put in place before the pupil transfers, to ensure that this process is as seamless as possible.

Annual Review in Year 9 and in Subsequent Years:
The aim of the Year 9 review, in addition to the above, is to draw up and subsequently review the Transition Plan (a coherent plan for the pupil’s transition to adult life, including Post 16 arrangements). This review and subsequent reviews must include a representative from the Connexions Service.

Ceasing to maintain the statement of special educational needs.

There should be no assumption that, once the Local Authority has made a statement, they should maintain that statement until they are no longer responsible for the young person.

Statements should only be maintained where necessary.

A statement is most likely to cease when a pupil’s needs can be met from the school’s own resources at School Action or School Action Plus. This is a positive step for the pupil concerned, and an opportunity to celebrate that pupil’s achievements and successes.