EOTAS: education otherwise than at school with an EHCP

EOTAS stands for education otherwise than at school. It is when a council in England arranges some or all of the special educational provision in a child’s EHCP somewhere other than a school, college or nursery, because a school setting would be inappropriate for them. It is allowed by section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

What does EOTAS mean in practice?

An EOTAS package is a set of education and support built around your child, instead of a school place. It might include:

• specialist teaching or tutoring, at home or in a community setting
• therapies, such as speech and language therapy or occupational therapy
• mentoring or emotional support
• structured activities, such as forest school, sport or vocational sessions
• online lessons from an approved provider

In the plan, Section I usually says EOTAS instead of naming a school. Section F sets out the provision in detail, just like it would for a child in school. You may also see it called EOTIS, education otherwise than in school.

What the law says

Section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014 lets a council arrange any of the special educational provision in a child’s EHCP otherwise than in a school, college or early years setting. It can only do this if it is satisfied that it would be inappropriate for the provision to be made in one of those settings.

Once the EOTAS provision is written into Section F, the council has the same legal duty to secure it as any other provision in the plan, under section 42 of the Act. If you disagree with the council’s decision about EOTAS, you can appeal Sections F and I, and the SEND Tribunal can decide what the right arrangement is.

Who might need EOTAS?

EOTAS is for children whose needs can’t appropriately be met in any school or college setting. Examples include children who:

• have severe anxiety or emotionally based school avoidance, where attending has broken down despite good support. Read school avoidance and your rights.
• have experienced trauma linked to school
• have medical or sensory needs that a school environment can’t meet
• have had several school placements break down

Every case depends on the evidence about your child. Councils often see EOTAS as a short-term step back towards school, but the law doesn’t set a time limit. The question is whether a school setting is inappropriate for your child now.

EOTAS, home education and Section 19: the difference

	EOTAS	Elective home education	Section 19 education
Who arranges it	The council	You	The council
Who pays	The council	You	The council
Needs an EHCP	Yes	No	No
The law	Section 61, Children and Families Act 2014	Section 7, Education Act 1996 (your duty as a parent)	Section 19, Education Act 1996
Usually used when	School is inappropriate for your child’s needs	You choose to educate your child yourself	A child can’t attend because of illness, exclusion or another reason
Appeal to the SEND Tribunal	Yes, through Sections F and I	No	No. Complain to the council, then the Ombudsman

How to ask for EOTAS

1. Choose the right moment. You can ask when you get a draft plan, at an annual review, or by asking for an early review if things have changed.
2. Gather evidence that school is inappropriate. Reports from professionals such as an educational psychologist, CAMHS or a paediatrician are important. So is a record of what has been tried in school and what happened.
3. Include your child’s views. What they say about school, and about learning outside it, matters.
4. Describe the package your child needs. Say what provision should be in Section F, who should give it and how often.
5. Ask the council to decide under section 61 and to confirm its decision in writing. If it refuses, you can appeal once the plan is issued or amended.

Read EHCP annual reviews and use our free letter to ask for an early review.

How EOTAS is funded

The council pays for the provision in Section F, usually from its high needs budget. Some families get it as a personal budget, including direct payments, so they can arrange some providers themselves. Others have it arranged directly by the council. Either way, you should not have to pay for provision written in Section F.

Section F still has to be specific: what the provision is, who gives it, how often and for how long. Read why Section F must be specific. EOTAS arrangements are reviewed at least once a year at the annual review, like any EHCP.

Is EOTAS changing?

Possibly, in the future. In July 2026 the Department for Education opened a consultation on EOTAS, which closed on 18 September 2026. Its proposals include:

• linking every child on EOTAS to a named school or college, which would manage the arrangements
• letting most children of secondary age already on EOTAS keep their arrangements
• reassessing younger children’s arrangements, for example at the end of primary school
• national standards for EOTAS providers, and rules on online education
• changes to how decisions to change or end EOTAS could be challenged

These are proposals, not law. The government has not yet published its response. Until the law changes, section 61 applies as it does today. Read SEND reforms and the 2026 white paper.

Sources

• Children and Families Act 2014, section 61 and section 42
• Education Act 1996, section 19 and section 7
• Department for Education: SEND reform, education otherwise than at school consultation, July 2026
• IPSEA: education otherwise than in school