In short
- Section F lists the special educational support your child must get. The council has a legal duty to make sure it happens.
- It must be specific: what the support is, who gives it, how often and for how long.
- Vague words like “access to” or “opportunities for” can’t be enforced. Ask for them to be changed.
Section F of an EHCP lists the special educational support your child must get. It must be specific about what the support is, who gives it, how often and for how long, and the council has a legal duty to make sure it happens.
Why Section F matters most
Section F is the only part of the plan that creates a legal duty to provide education support. Under section 42 of the Children and Families Act 2014, the council must secure it. If the school can’t afford it, that is the council’s problem, not yours.
What specific means
The SEND Code of Practice says provision must be “detailed and specific” and should normally be quantified, for example in hours (paragraph 9.69). In practice, each piece of support should answer four questions:
- What is the support?
- Who will give it, and what training or qualifications do they need?
- How often, and for how long each time?
- Is it one to one, in a small group or in class?
Vague and specific wording compared
| Vague (hard to enforce) | Specific (enforceable) |
|---|---|
| Sam will have access to speech and language therapy. | Sam will have 1 hour a week of direct speech and language therapy from a qualified therapist, one to one, in term time. |
| Sam will have opportunities to work in a small group. | Sam will work in a group of no more than 4 children for 30 minutes daily on reading, led by a trained teaching assistant. |
| Adult support as appropriate. | Sam will have 25 hours a week of support from a trained teaching assistant across the school day, including break and lunch. |
Words to watch for
- “access to”
- “opportunities for”
- “as appropriate”, “as required” or “regularly”
- “up to” (for example “up to 3 hours”)
- “should” or “could” instead of “will”
If you see these in a draft, ask for them to be replaced with exact amounts when you send your comments.
Every need in B should have support in F
Go through Section B one need at a time. For each need, find the support in F that meets it. If something is missing, say so in your response to the draft.
If you have a final plan with vague wording, you can appeal Section F to the SEND Tribunal. The deadline is 2 months from the date of the final plan, or 1 month after a mediation certificate, whichever is later.
What if the support isn’t being given?
- Ask the school’s SENCO which support is not happening, and why.
- Write to the council’s SEN team. Say which part of Section F is not being delivered and ask them to put it right.
- If nothing changes, make a formal complaint, then get advice from IPSEA or your local SENDIASS.
Questions parents ask
What does quantified mean?
Stated in amounts, such as hours, sessions or group sizes. For example, two 30-minute sessions a week with a trained teaching assistant.
Can Section F say “up to” or “as appropriate”?
Wording like this is vague and hard to enforce. Ask for it to be replaced with exact amounts.
What if the support in Section F isn’t being given?
Write to the council, which has the legal duty. If that doesn’t work, make a formal complaint. In serious cases, get legal advice.
