Education & Schools questions
16 direct answers, each with the short version first and a link to the full guide. For the whole topic, see Education & Schools.
How do I appeal if my child does not get a school place?
You have a statutory right to appeal to an independent appeal panel, and you must lodge it within 20 school days of the refusal letter. The panel is independent of both the school and the council, and if it upholds your appeal the school must admit your child.
Can I be fined for taking my child on holiday in term time?
Yes. Headteachers can only authorise term-time absence in exceptional circumstances, so most holidays are recorded as unauthorised. Once your child reaches 10 sessions — five days — of unauthorised absence in any 10 school weeks, the council can issue each parent a £160 penalty notice per child.
What can I do if the council refuses to assess my child for an EHCP?
Appeal to the SEND Tribunal — refusal-to-assess appeals usually succeed. The legal test is only whether your child “has or may have” special educational needs and “may need” provision through a plan, which is a low bar. You have two months from the date of the refusal letter.
Can I challenge my child's permanent exclusion from school?
Yes — and many permanent exclusions are overturned. The governing body must review the decision within 15 school days, and if it declines to reinstate you can apply for an Independent Review Panel within another 15 school days. Disability discrimination claims go separately to the SEND Tribunal within six months.
Who qualifies for free school meals?
Every child in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 at a state school, automatically. From Year 3 it is means-tested: you qualify on Universal Credit if net earnings are £7,400 a year or less, or on Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, or asylum support.
How are school places allocated?
By published oversubscription criteria applied in strict order — looked-after children first, then medical or social need, siblings, catchment and distance. Secondary offers arrive on 1 March and primary offers on 16 April. Living in catchment does not guarantee a place.
What is SEN support and how do I get it for my child?
It is the help a mainstream school must provide from its own budget, using the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle in the SEND Code of Practice. No diagnosis is needed. Speak to the SENCO, ask for a written support plan, and expect a review at least termly.
How long does an EHCP take to be issued?
Twenty weeks from the request, if the council agrees to assess. It has six weeks to decide whether to assess, a further ten to gather evidence and draft, then you get fifteen days to comment before the final plan is issued at week twenty.
Do I have to tell the council if I home educate my child?
In England there is currently no duty to register, and no need for approval, qualifications or the National Curriculum. If your child is on a school roll you must de-register in writing, and if they have an EHCP naming a school you need the council’s agreement first.
How do I appeal to the SEND Tribunal?
Contact the council’s mediation provider first, then lodge online within two months of the decision letter — or one month after the mediation certificate, whichever is later. There is no fee. Hearings usually take place four to six months after lodging.
Is my child entitled to free school transport?
Yes if they live more than two miles from the nearest suitable school and are under eight, or more than three miles and are eight or over. Low-income families and children with SEND or disabilities have wider entitlements that ignore those distances.
How do I challenge a Student Finance decision?
Request an internal review within 28 days, in writing and with evidence. If that fails, ask for an Independent Review by a reviewer appointed by the Secretary of State, again within 28 days. There is no tribunal or ombudsman beyond that stage.
When do I start repaying a Plan 5 student loan?
From the April after you finish or leave your course, and only while you earn over £25,000. You repay 9% of income above that threshold, deducted automatically through PAYE, and anything left is written off 40 years after you first became eligible to repay.
Can I complain about my university to the OIA?
Yes, once you hold a Completion of Procedures letter, and within 12 months of it. The Office of the Independent Adjudicator covers England and Wales, is free, and can recommend up to £58,500 — but it cannot second-guess academic judgment on a mark.
What happens if my nursery or childminder closes?
Act on three fronts at once. Claim prepaid fees back through Section 75 or chargeback with your card provider, contact the council to transfer your funded hours — they belong to your child, not the setting — and use the Family Information Service to find a place.
Is a T Level equivalent to A Levels?
Yes in size — UCAS treats one T Level as equivalent to three A Levels, with a Distinction* worth 168 points. The difference is content: 80% classroom study plus a mandatory industry placement of at least 315 hours, which must be completed to pass.