Phased transfers
What is a phased transfer?
A phased transfer is when a child is transferring from one phase of education to another, this includes:
- Nursery (year prior to reception) moving to Year 0 (reception)
- Year 2 (infant schools only) moving to Year 3 (junior school)
- Year 6 (primary school) moving to Year 7 (secondary school)
- Year 11 (secondary school) moving to Year 12 (post 16 setting/college)
For more information and advice on how to decide which setting is right for your child/young person, take a look at the how do I choose page on the local offer.
What happens to my child's/young person's education, health and care plan (EHCP)?
Section I of an EHCP names where the child/young person is placed (which setting they attend) so when a child moves phases at any of the times listed above section I of the EHCP will need to be amended to show your child/young person's new placement from the beginning of the next academic year.
What is the process if my preference is for a specialist setting?
Shropshire Council is an inclusive Authority therefore requests for specialist settings will only be considered, if appropriate to the young person’s needs. If you wish to consider a specialist placement for your child, please discuss this with your child's current school as part of the Annual Review process. Please ensure this preference is clearly documented in the Annual Review paperwork submitted by the school along with any appropriate supporting evidence such as professional reports. We would like to take this opportunity to advise that in recent years we have had significantly more preferences for special schools than we have available places. Therefore, whilst you can express a preference for a specialist placement for your child we cannot guarantee that one will be available. Please note if you are stating a preference for a placement within the one of the SEN resourced provisions (within a mainstream school) or a special setting you will not be able to use the online admissions process.
Phased transfer schedule for new placements starting September 2026 - Nursery (year prior to reception), Year 2 (infant school only) and Year 6
- Description
Parent carer to submit to the LA the school preferences for their child/young person
- Date due
Mid January 2026
- Description
Education settings to have completed the annual review and returned the annual review paperwork to the EHCP Team for phased transfer year groups - Nursery (year before reception), Year 2 (infant school only) and Year 6
- Date due
31 October 2025
- Description
The EHCP Team will send consultation papers (including EHCP, annual review and any professional reports) to the preference and catchment settings
- Date due
From September 2025
- Description
The EHCP Team will issue a final EHCP naming the new setting from September 2026
- Date due
15 February 2026
Phased transfer schedule for new placements starting September 2026 - Year 11
- Description
Attend open days at appropriate post 16 settings and apply directly to the setting
- Date due
From Summer Term 2025
- Description
Education settings to have completed the annual review and returned the annual review paperwork to the EHCP Team
- Date due
31 October 2025
- Description
The EHCP Team will send consultation papers (including EHCP, annual review and any professional reports) to the young person's preference and / or catchment settings
- Date due
From September 2025
- Description
The EHCP Team will have issued a final EHCP naming the young person's post 16 setting from September 2026
- Date due
By 31 March 2026
Year 12+
All EHCPs for Year 12+ must have a placement named by 31 March 2026, the same as Year 11s.
Where Year 12+ learners will be changing placement at the end of the academic year we will follow the Year 11 process above.
We will contact all settings before Christmas to identify all learners who are leaving.
Where learners will be returning in September 2026 we will send a letter confirming this by 31 March 2026.
We recognise that a child/young person's aspirations or setting preferences may change during the academic year. Please let the EHCP Team know at the earliest opportunity so we can try our best to meet the timescales on the schedule above.
Who do I contact?
If your child/young person has an EHCP and you have any queries regarding the phased transfer process or their placement for September 2026, please contact your child/young person's allocated EHCP Case Officer. You can find out the name and email address of your child/young person's EHCP Case Officer on the EHCP Team Case Officers allocations list. If after looking at the list you are unsure, you can email EHCPTeam@shropshire.gov.uk