SEND Tribunal Appeals: What to Check Before You Start

Before beginning a SEND Tribunal appeal, start with the decision letter, check the current official process, and make a concise evidence-led issue list.

A local authority decision about an EHC needs assessment or plan can feel final when it arrives in the post. It is not the moment to rush into a long response. Begin by identifying the decision, the date and the part of it you disagree with, then use the current official guidance to understand the process that applies.

Start with the decision letter

The decision letter is the starting document. It should identify the decision and explain the next steps, including mediation information where relevant. Keep the original letter, record its date and check the current GOV.UK appeal guidance and SEND35 form rather than relying on an old timetable or an account of another family’s case.

Mediation and the current process

In most cases, parents and young people must consider mediation before appealing, with a different route for a Section I-only appeal. The current guidance and the decision letter explain what applies. If a deadline is approaching, check the live information promptly and seek suitable independent support rather than assuming a generic time period.

Make an evidence map

For each issue, write the current wording or decision, the change you are asking for, the evidence that supports it and why it matters for your child. This is usually more useful than trying to retell every difficult event. Keep reports, school information, parental views and relevant correspondence organised by issue.

Three practical steps

• •Read the decision letter and current official appeal information before making assumptions about deadlines or forms.
• •Contact the mediation adviser named in the letter where required and keep records of the guidance you receive.
• •Create a short working issue list that links each requested outcome to the relevant evidence.

What not to assume

• •Do not assume a hearing date, format or outcome from an older guide or another family’s experience.
• •Do not assume you need to include every document you have; focus on the evidence that relates to each issue.
• •Do not assume the Tribunal can give you legal advice; use independent information and appropriate professional support if you need advice about an individual case.

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