15 February: The Statutory EHC Deadline Most Schools Track Too Late

15 February — the statutory deadline for completing an EHC plan's phase-transfer review, straight from the 2015 Code of Practice, and still unaffected by the SEND reform proposals. A SENCo and a receiving-phase class teacher work out where the deadline actually comes from, the "four clocks" that build up to it, and why the real cost of missing it isn't a fine — it's a new pupil arriving in September to provision nobody's confirmed.

Printable one-pager for this episode, free: https://theeducationcommute.co.uk/#newsletter-staff

Two free newsletters, one for staff and one for parents and carers, same evidence written for the person reading it.

Sources:

• SEND Code of Practice 2015 (statutory), paras 9.166–9.180, gov.uk
• Full fact-check: fact-check.md (this folder / Project)

What's covered:

• The Number: 15 February, the statutory phase-transfer review deadline
• Where the deadline comes from: the annual review cycle and the "four clocks" (notice, papers, report, decision)
• Which transfers it covers (early years to school, infant to junior, primary to middle, primary to secondary, middle to secondary) vs the separate post-16 31 March deadline
• Why there's no written penalty for missing it, and what the real practical cost looks like instead
• Confirmed unaffected by the SEND reform proposals (see Ep16, Ep41)

Actions for consideration:

• Work backwards from 15 February using the four clocks now, not in January, the meeting itself needs to land well before Christmas.
• If you're a receiving secondary SENCo, email feeder primaries directly to ask which incoming pupils have a review due this cycle, rather than waiting for paperwork to arrive.
• Build a list of every transferring pupil's EHC plan review status that you could hand a governor on request, today.
• Double-check which of this year's transfers actually count as phase transfers under the Code, it's not always obvious, and a missed one won't announce itself until September.

Disclosure: Both voices on this show are synthesised (NotebookLM, Google); the research, reading and editorial judgement are done by a serving practitioner.

Strand: Leaders