The Local Offer
Your local authority must publish a ‘Local Offer’ which makes it easy to find information on every college you could potentially attend. By law, this list must include specialist national colleges like RNC. You should be able to name RNC in your EHCP if you choose.
There are only limited grounds on which the local authority can refuse to name your preferred college. Some reasons may be:
- if it would be unsuitable for your age, ability, aptitude or needs, or
- your attendance would be incompatible with the effective education of others, or the efficient use of resources.
Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for students in England
An EHCP is a legal document that is designed to last from the age of 0 to 25 but can be requested at any point during this age range, for instance if you experience a deterioration in your sight. It will be reviewed regularly to ensure it is up to date.
Young people and their families (or a specific person acting on behalf of a school or post-16 institution) have a specific right to ask a local authority to conduct an Education, Health and Care assessment.
It can take up to 20 weeks from the initial request to the EHCP being finalised. It will then be reviewed at least annually to ensure it is up to date.
The key points are:
- Your views and wishes and feelings should be at the heart of the EHCP.
- It should cover your full education, health and care needs as well as your strengths and capabilities.
- It should emphasise outcomes, making sure you have what you need to achieve what you want.
- It should be written in a way that you can easily understand, using clear language rather than professional jargon.
You will be able to request that a particular college is named in your EHCP. If this is agreed, the local authority and the college will work together to make sure that all of your outcomes will be met.