Education consultants for EHCP support and school choices
Do you need help understanding EHCPs and finding the right school?
Many families contact us because they know their child is struggling but are unsure what support is available or how to access it.
They may be wondering if their child needs an EHCP, trying to understand what an EHCP is, navigating a difficult relationship with their current school, or feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of the system.
For many parents, the challenge is not simply obtaining support. It is understanding how that support translates into finding the right educational environment for their child.
Our SEN education consultants help families understand the options available, get to grips with the EHCP process, and identify schools where children are most likely to feel supported, understood and able to thrive.
Whether your child attends a mainstream school, requires specialist provision, or is approaching a key transition point, we help families make informed decisions with greater clarity and confidence.
Speak to a SEN education consultant
If you need expert guidance on choosing a school or understanding different pathways we are here to help.
How we support families
Every family's journey is different.
Some contact us before applying for an EHCP. Others already have an EHCP in place but need help finding the right school, preparing for a transition or talking through what to do if they are experiencing problems with their child's current school.
Our role is to help families feel informed, supported and confident throughout the process.
We tailor each service depending on your circumstances and many families continue to work with us as their child progresses through different educational stages and their needs evolve.
Some ways we can help
- Understanding what an EHCP is
- Advice on how to apply for EHCP
- Support with applying for an EHCP
- Discussing if a child needs an EHCP
- Guidance throughout the EHCP process
- Providing EHCP help and independent advice
- Supporting families seeking help with an EHCP
- Helping families find a school for a child with an EHCP
- Exploring mainstream schools and EHCP provision
- Exploring independent schools and EHCP provision
- Supporting senior school transitions with an EHCP
- Understanding school support what provision is available
Our heritage
The Good Schools Guide has spent four decades visiting and reviewing schools across the UK and internationally.
That experience gives us a unique perspective when advising families navigating EHCPs (and before EHCPs were introduced, Statements of Special Educational Needs) and additional needs.
We understand not only what schools say about their SEN provision, but how that support works in practice. We know that schools with similar resources, policies and inspection outcomes can offer very different experiences for children.
When helping families find the right school, we draw on decades of accumulated insights into mainstream and specialist provision across the UK.
Who are our SEN education consultants?
Our SEN education consultants are specialists in supporting families navigating additional needs, school support and EHCPs.
Families come to us when they feel uncertain about the next step, overwhelmed by the system, or concerned that their child's needs are not being fully understood or met.
Whether supporting a family through the EHCP process, helping them choose between schools, or advising on transitions and provision, our consultants provide practical, independent guidance based on years of experience.
We focus on helping families identify schools where children can be happy, make progress and thrive.
We provide:
Totally unbiased, independent advice — we don't receive payment or commission from schools
Deep expertise across state, independent and specialist SEN provision
Practical guidance on EHCPs, school support and transitions
Family-focused consultancy that starts with the child and what they need
Because our consultants are also reviewers and writers for The Good Schools Guide, families benefit from a breadth of first hand knowledge that extends far beyond any individual school search.
Talk to us about choosing a school
We can help you understand your options and find the right school for your child.
It is always a privilege to speak to families and help them to understand the EHCP process. We can signpost to other specialists – from specialist legal firms to educational psychologists – if they are considering embarking on the EHCP process. For other families, we might be talking through the pros and cons of getting an EHCP or helping them with the logistics – when exactly do you need to have schools to name on the EHCP and how do you know if they are a good fit? And what if there’s a problem with the school that’s supposed to be delivering the support outlined in the EHCP. We are always here to help.Charlotte Phillips, SEN consultancy manager
Some of our team
Charlotte Phillips
SEND consultancy manager
Before joining The Good Schools Guide, specialising in SEND, Charlotte wrote about education and family life for The Telegraph, Times and Guardian and more.
Grace Moody-Stuart
Consultancy director
Grace is director of The Good Schools Guide Education Consultants and has worked for The Guide for 20 years.
Selina Boyd
International director
An experienced education consultant with over a decade in international education, Selina Boyd has been with The Good Schools Guide since 2020.
Other services we offer
Supportive schools for autism consultancy
Our experienced SEN education consultants support families looking for the right school for a child with an autism diagnosis.
Education consultants for children with ADHD
Our experienced SEN education consultants support families looking for the right school for a child with ADHD.
Education consultants for dyslexia
Our experienced SEN education consultants support families looking for the right school for a child with dyslexia.
FAQs about EHCP consultancy
Does my child need an EHCP?
Legally, the bar is set quite low. The local authority must secure an EHC needs assessment for the child or young person if [...] the child or young person has or may have special educational needs, and [if] it may be necessary for special educational provision to be made for the child or young person in accordance with an EHC plan. Getting from this wording to the EHCP can, however, be quite a journey.
What is an EHCP and what does it provide?
An Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan) is a legal document. It sets out a child’s or young person’s special educational needs, the support they need and also includes the outcomes - what the child or young person will hopefully achieve in the short and long term. It also includes the name of a school.
How do I apply for an EHCP?
The starting point in the EHCP process is to apply to your local authority for an EHC Needs Assessment. Each local authority will have information on its website about how to do this and many organisations have template letters that parents can use at this stage.
Can you help us with applying for an EHCP?
We can talk the process through, advise on the pros and cons of having an EHCP and be there while you are navigating the process as well as suggesting specialist help (such as an SEN lawyer). Please get in touch.
Can mainstream schools support children with EHCPs?
Some mainstream schools offer excellent support for children with EHCPs. However, it all depends on that child’s particular needs. Our goal is to start with the child and find the school – whether mainstream or specialist – that comes as close as possible to what they need to flourish.
Can a child with an EHCP attend an independent mainstream school?
Some independent mainstream schools do have pupils who have an EHCP. Unlike some other schools, however, they do not have to agree to be named on an EHCP. We can liaise with the schools to identify whether what they are able to offer in terms of support will make them a good fit for a child with SEN, with or without an EHCP.
Can you help with a secondary school transition for a child with an EHCP?
We work with families whose children have an EHCP and who are at every transition point, from nursery to primary, primary to secondary and secondary to post 16.
Can you help if my child already has an EHCP but isn't thriving at school?
We regularly work with families who are finding that the school named on their EHCP isn’t providing the right level of support or has asked the family to remove their child, or where the child is miserable at school. Very often, this would result in identifying new schools for the child.
Do SEN children get priority school places?
A child with SEN will not automatically get priority when it comes to allocating a school place. However, having an EHCP can make it easier for families to be offered a place at some schools.
What type of school is best for child with EHCP?
There is no single ‘right’ school. Every child is different so what might suit one child with a particular profile could be very different from another child who, on paper, sounds very similar. Our research is bespoke for this very reason and our goal is always to find the school that comes as close as possible to each individual family.
Can my child go to any school with an EHCP?
Parents’ views are always taken into account. The vast majority of children with additional needs are educated at mainstream schools and this is often parents’ preference. However, the situation can be different depending on the type of school and the level of support it can provide. Talk to us to find out more.
Can you help us find a school for a child with an EHCP?
Yes. Our specialist consultants have years of experience in identifying the right school for a child with SEN, whether or not they have an EHCP. Families may be considering starting the EHCP process or already have an EHCP. Wherever they are on their journey, we can help. Please get in touch.
How do I choose the right school for a child with an EHCP?
Choosing the right school means identifying the school that is the best fit for where a child is right now. Our consultants bring years of experience to their work with families, helping them to pinpoint all the different factors that matter and then researching the schools that will help their child to flourish.