Key Stage Transfers (frequently asked questions)

Key Stage Transfers (KST) can be stressful period of transition for children, young people and families. To help during this period, we have answered some frequently asked questions that arise.

Frequently asked questions: School age children

How will I know which schools are being consulted with for my child's Key Stage Transfer?

The SEND Admissions Team are responsible for undertaking consultations to schools throughout the key stage transfer process. During this process, the SEND Admissions Team will approach a specific setting and also may consult with other provisions alongside this.

Your SEND Case Officer will have the consultation information available to them and will be able to give you the information on any school consultations taking place.

What happens if parental preferences are not being consulted with, or saying they have not received papers?

If a family makes a request for a certain provision, the SEND Admissions Team will consult with your preference. In some circumstances, we may not consult with a provider that is not Section 41 registered in line with the SEND Code of Practice.

'Section 41 registered' refers to independent special schools and post-16 institutions that are on the approved list published by the Secretary of State for Education, which are compliant with certain duties under the Children and Families Act 2014.

Please contact your SEND Case Officer if you have any queries regarding consultations or if you have concerns that a consultation has not been undertaken in line with parental preference.

When will I receive the outcomes of these consultations?

There are over 3,000 pupils who go through the Key Stage Transfer process each year. Currently we do not automatically share consultation responses with families. However, your SEND Case Officer will have the consultation information available to them and will be able to give you the information on any school consultations taking place.

What happens to families who geographically live on a border? Will schools outside of Surrey be consulted with if they are closer to the family's home than a Surrey school?

Our aim is to place children in Surrey whenever possible and appropriate. We can, and do, place in out of county schools; however, understandably the home local authority (the local authority in which the school requested is situated) will often seek to secure these places for their own residents.

Where families live on the border and there is an appropriate out of county school nearby offering a space, we have no objection to placing in recognition that reducing journey times for transport and ensuring a good school life balance is also an important consideration for families. The home local authority confirming the places they need can be a delay in Surrey County Council naming those schools. We work with the other local authorities to understand the facts around their schools to ensure it is a suitable placement before communicating this to the families.

Why are SEN Key Stage transfers passed over to Admissions who know very little about individual cases?

Surrey County Council is one of the largest local authorities in the country with over 12,000 pupils with an EHC plan and approximately 3,000 pupils who go through the Key Stage Transfer process each year. To manage and coordinate that number of consultations and responses there is a requirement for a dedicated team; this team is called SEND Admissions.

We work very closely with our SEND colleagues and the placement that is secured by the SEND Admissions Team is based on the recommendation of a Governance Board who confirm the appropriate type of SEND provision each child requires. There is a dedicated SEND Admissions Officer for each quadrant to streamline communication and to allow the SEND Admissions Officer to build up knowledge around each case through internal discussions with colleagues and schools. All placements are discussed with the appropriate SEND Teams.

When will I receive the outcome of my child's Key Stage Transfer? Will it be before 15 February if the school place has been agreed?

Every child who is identified as going through the key stage transfer process this year should have either a specific school or a type of school named by 15 February. This can be before 15 February where the school place has been agreed.

What happens if I haven't received my child's final plan by 15 February?

Every child who is identified as going through the key stage transfer process this year should have either a specific school or a type of school named by the 15 February.

This is the statutory deadline as per the SEND Code of Practice, but if you haven't received an EHC plan by 15 February, please contact the SEND Support Hub team on 0208 213 2861 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays) or alternatively L-SPA on 0300 200 1015 (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays).

Where a child does not have a named school place by 15 February we prioritise the identification of a school/setting and aim to resolve this as soon as possible. Most children will be placed this term. It can take longer to find the right school/setting for children who have very complex or specific needs and this may take longer but families will be updated where this is the case.

From 19 February SEND Case Officers will make contact with parents/carers if their child does not have a named school/setting. They will continue to provide regular updates at least every two weeks until a place is found.

If my child has not received a named school place by 15 February deadline what happens next? Can a timeline be provided to place children in suitable schools?

Before the 15 February, we aim for the majority of children and their families to receive a finalised plan with a named school in their EHCP, but in some circumstances we may have to name "type" of provision.

The reasons for this are varied and dependent on the individual's circumstances, but the Send Support Hub team will keep you updated with the reasons why and the timeline for naming a school.

What happens if my child's EHCP is new and issued after the key stage transfer deadline?

For children where the EHCP is issued after the key stage transfer deadline they do not fall within the statutory key stage transfer process and the 15 February deadline does not apply. However, identifying a school place is still a priority and we will continue work on identifying places for all children with an EHCP as a priority. We aim for the majority of children to have a confirmed place with plenty of time to plan for the transition.

My child has no identified school/ setting named in their plan can we apply for transport?

We would encourage you to submit an application for travel assistance as soon as your school/ setting has been confirmed and an EHCP naming the school/ setting has been issued. If you would like to contact the Surrey School Travel and Assessment Team please submit an online enquiry form located here: Online Enquiry Form. Further information regarding travel assistance is available here: Travel Assistance .

Why have some people heard that their child has a place but I haven't?

Unlike mainstream admission school places for children with an EHCP are confirmed as soon as we are able. This is done on a case by case basis. This means that some families are notified earlier than others. If you have not received notification of a confirmed place, it does not mean your child does not have a place as we will be confirming places and issuing final EHCP's right up to the 15 February deadline. We will also contact all families where a child does not have a named school place by 15 February.

Who can I contact for more information? Who is calling families about the key stage transfers?

We have expanded or service to include a SEND Support Hub team which is in additional to our Contact Centre. The Support Hub staff are calling all parents/carers where a place has not been named. Whilst Case Officers are working at pace to send final EHCP's before the 15 February they may not be available to take calls, however the Contact Centre staff are available to answer any queries you may have.

What is the Local Authority doing to prevent the Key Stage Transfer process going over the statutory deadline?

The SEND guidance states that for the 15 February deadline an appropriate type of placement should be confirmed and ordinarily that will also state the name of the school.

Although the Code of Practice allows the Local Authority to name a type of provision, we recognise this is not ideal and can leave children, young people and families feeling anxious about their next placement. We are therefore working extremely hard with colleagues to bring on more provision to meet demand, improve inclusion services within our existing schools and build on communications around key statutory deadlines. As we are increasing our SEND Placements across the County which will reduce the number of EHCPs with type named instead of a specific school.

The process for transition is prioritised by Local Authority at the Annual Review in the year proceeding transfer. We have revised the SEND Admissions process for this year to improve and streamline the process, which will have a big impact on further reducing this issue for September 2024.

Frequently asked questions: Children and Young People who are age 16+

When will I know which school, college, further education or training provider has been agreed?

Every young person identified as going through the key stage transfer process this year should have either a specific post-16 institution or type of provision named by the 31 March. This can be before the 31 March if the place has been agreed.

What happens if I haven't received a final EHCP by the 31 March?

Every young person who is identified as going through the key stage transfer process this year should have either a specific post-16 institution or type of provision named by the 31 March. This is the statutory deadline as set out in the SEND Code of Practice, but if you haven't received an EHC Plan by the deadline, please contact your SEND Case Officer.

If I haven't received an EHCP with a named placement by the 31 March deadline what happens next? Can a timeline be provided to place young people in suitable Post-16 Providers?

Before the 31 March, we aim for the majority of young people to receive a finalised plan with a named placement in their EHCP, but in some circumstances we may have to name "type" of provision. The reasons for this are varied and dependent on the individual's circumstances, but your SEND Case Officer will keep you updated with the reasons why and the timeline for naming a Post-16 Provider where appropriate.

In some instances, Further Education (FE) may be named in Section I of the EHCP as the type of provision the young person will be attending. This is usually to allow the young person some flexibility. Often there are multiple offers from FE colleges and a young person may take additional time to make a final decision. Some young people wait for their GCSE results before making a final decision on their placement or course.

What is the Local Authority doing to prevent the KST process going over the statutory deadline?

The SEND guidance states that for the 31 March deadline an appropriate type of placement should be confirmed and ordinarily that will also state the name of the educational provider. Although the Code of Practice allows the Local Authority to name a type of provision, we recognise this is not ideal and can leave some young people and families feeling anxious about their next placement. We are therefore working extremely hard with colleagues to meet demand and improve inclusion services within our existing Post-16 Providers and build on communications around key statutory deadlines.

How will I know which Post-16 settings are being consulted with at Key Stage Transfer?

If a young person requires a specialist placement for Post 16 the SEND Admissions will carry out the consultations to appropriate settings/providers throughout the key stage transfer process. During this process, the SEND Admissions Team will approach a specific setting/provider by request from the young person/parent or carer (parental preference) as well as other appropriate provisions.

Your SEND Case Officer will have the consultation information available to them and will be able to give you the information on any Post-16 Provider consultations taking place.

When would the parental preference not be consulted with? What if the provider says they have not received a consultation?

If a parent / carer or young person makes a request for a certain provision, approved under section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014 in England and Wales the SEND Admissions Team will consult with that preference. However, in some circumstances, we may not consult with a provider that is not Section 41 registered in line with the SEND Code of Practice 2014. Section 41 is a list of all independent schools and special post-16 institutions for children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) and we do not have to consult with settings that are not recorded on this list.

Please contact your SEND Case Officer if you have any queries regarding consultations or if you have concerns that a consultation has not been undertaken in line with parental preference.

When will I receive the outcomes of these consultations?

Due to the high numbers of young people going through this process we do not automatically share consultation responses with families. However, your SEND Case Officer will have the consultation information available to them and will be able to give you any information you may need about the responses

What can I do if I am not contacted, or I don't get a response from my case officer?

If you are unable to contact your Case Officer you can call the contact centre on 0300 200 1015 who will be able to arrange a call back for you at a convenient time. They can also answer questions on behalf of the Case Officer where relevant.

If your Case Officer does not make contact and you wish to escalate this you can contact their Senior case manager, the contact information for the Senior Case Manager can be obtained through the contact centre on 0300 200 1015.

When will I know which school, college or further education or training provider has been agreed?

Every young person identified as going through the key stage transfer process this year should have either a specific post-16 institution or type of provision named by the 31 March. This can be before the 31 March if the place has been agreed.

What happens if I haven't received a final plan by the 31 March.

Every young person who is identified as going through the key stage transfer process this year should have either a specific post-16 institution or type of provision named by the 31 March. This is the statutory deadline as per the SEND Code of Practice, but if you haven't received an EHC Plan, please contact your SEND Case Officer.

If I haven't received an EHCP with a named placement place by the 31 March deadline what happens next? Can a timeline be provided to place young people in suitable Post-16 Providers?

Before the 31 March, we aim for the majority of young people to receive a finalised plan with a named placement in their EHCP, but in some circumstances we may have to name "type" of provision. The reasons for this are varied and dependent on the individual's circumstances, but your SEND Case Officer will keep you updated with the reasons why and the timeline for naming a Post-16 Provider.

In some instances, FE may be named as a type of provision, and this could be due to Young people having multiple college offers, or whom are waiting for GCSE results in order to determine college courses and colleges.

Why are SEND Key Stage transfers passed over to and Admissions Team?

So that we can manage and coordinate the large volume of consultations and responses we have established a dedicated team to focus on this important area of work – SEND Admissions. SEND Admissions work very closely with the Area Teams, Case Officers and other colleagues. The placement secured by the SEND Admissions Team is based on the recommendation of a multi-professional Governance Board who confirm the appropriate type of educational provision each child or young person requires. There is a dedicated SEND Admissions Officer for Post 16 who has specific expertise in this area.

What do I do if the planned placement changes? For example, the young person decides to take a different offer or didn't meet the requirements of the course.

Sometimes it is not possible to identify the course a young person wants to do. Please contact your Case Officer if:

  • The college named does not offer the course as when the EHCP issued,
  • A young person does not meet the entry requirements following exam results, or
  • A young person changes their mind about what they want to do

Are young people entitled to travel assistance?

There is no duty for Local authorities to provide free or subsidised post-16 travel support. Some young people may qualify for travel assistance in certain circumstances but this is not an automatic entitlement.

The Council will only provide travel assistance for learners of sixth form age where it considers that travel assistance has been demonstrated as necessary to enable the young person to reasonably access their education or training provision.

For more information, including the relevant eligibility criteria, please see the Travel Assistance pages on Surrey's Website.

  • An application for travel assistance can be submitted on Surrey's website here. You will need to complete an application form so that we can assess your child/young persons eligibility.
  • Further information can be found by looking at the Authority's Post-16 Travel Policy Statement. It is important to note the policy differs from the Pre 16 travel assistance policy and assistance may be provided through different means.

If we agree that a young person is eligible for assistance, this will provide travel assistance in the form of a post-16 travel allowance (ITA). If there are exceptional circumstances where an ITA may not be appropriate, families can make representations to the Council via the travel assistance appeals process.