How long does an assessment of SEN take?

How long does a statutory assessment take?

The timetable from the proposal to carry out an assessment to the issue of a statement of special educational needs is usually 26 weeks. However, sometimes an assessment can take longer than 26 weeks.

WHY?

Everyone involved in the assessment process is expected to provide his or her information as quickly as possible. However, sometimes there may be delays, for a variety of very good reasons.

For example, delays might occur when:

• you ask for more time at any stage of the assessment
• your child's school is closed for more than four weeks, for example, during the summer holidays.
• your child misses an appointment
• we as a Borough need further advice or reports

We will let you know if there are any delays in the assessment process.

The timetable linked to this page gives a detailed breakdown of the statutory assessment process.