The Panel is chaired by the Senior Officer from Access to Education, Employment and Training and attended by officers from Access to Education, Employment and Training (including School Travel Support), Finance and Special Educational Needs. 

Meetings are held on a fortnightly basis.

All decisions of the Panel will be made based on evidence produced by the parent/carer or local authority representative acting on behalf of the parent/carer. A parent/carer can provide input from an external third party, but this must be submitted in writing along with the application. For example, if health issues are cited as a factor, then the parent/carer should submit written medical evidence from health practitioners with their application. 

At the Panel, the following questions will be asked: 

1. Has the policy been correctly applied? 
2. If the policy has been correctly applied is the support being offered, or the fact that no support is being offered, appropriate for the child and family’s needs?

3. If not, what is the cheapest way in which the child and family’s needs can be appropriately met? 

   All relevant information and evidence relating to each case must be submitted at the time an Alternative/SEN application is made. If insufficient information is provided, the case will be postponed until a future Panel meeting.

Decisions reached by the Panel will be notified to parents/carers by email within 5 working days (may take longer to arrive if no email address is provided) of the Panel meeting and a clear reason will be given about the rationale for the decision, alternatively applicants can call 01908 252526 to be updated of the panel outcome. 

If support for travel is agreed or altered, it can then take the School Travel Support Team approximately 15 working days from the date of the Panel’s decision to put the operational arrangement into place.

The outcome of the panel is final. 

A new application will only be accepted if key information was omitted from the original application; any further application will need to provide new and detailed information regarding family’s circumstances/needs. 

Only is the case where you believe that policy or procedure outlined in this document have not been followed can you consider making a complaint. This option is available out the council’s website. 

If you feel that the support offered does not meet need or is unsuitable then you can appeal this decision within 20 working days by submitting a written request for the decision to be reviewed. Once this is received an independent panel will have up to 40 working days to review and reach a decision.