Preparing your evidence

If you are appealing to the SEND Tribunal, you will need to put together an evidence bundle. This is the collection of documents that supports your case. The tribunal panel will read your bundle before the hearing, so it needs to be clear, organised, and focused.

This might sound daunting. It does not have to be. Most parents can put together a strong bundle without a solicitor.

What to include

Your evidence bundle should contain:

The basics

• The EHCP (or the decision letter if the appeal is about a refusal to assess or issue)
• Your appeal form and grounds of appeal
• The mediation certificate

Professional reports

• Educational psychologist reports (local authority or private)
• Speech and language therapy assessments
• Occupational therapy reports
• CAMHS or paediatrician letters
• Any other professional involved with your child

School evidence

• SEN Support plans or IEPs
• Progress data and assessment results
• School reports
• Records of interventions tried (what, how often, for how long, and the outcome)
• Attendance records (if relevant)

Your own evidence

• A parent statement describing your child's needs and the impact on their daily life
• Diary entries showing patterns of difficulty
• Your concerns log from SpektraBot
• Your action tracker showing what you have tried and what happened
• Emails or letters to and from the school and local authority
• Photos or examples if they help illustrate your child's needs

How to organise your bundle

Writing your parent statement

Your statement should cover:

• Your child's needs: What they struggle with, in your own words. Be specific. Instead of 'he finds school hard', say 'he cannot sit still for more than 5 minutes, he hits other children when overwhelmed, and he needs an adult with him at all times during breaks.'
• The impact at home: What school difficulties mean for family life. Meltdowns, anxiety, sleep problems, impact on siblings.
• What has been tried: What the school has done, what you have done, and what has not worked.
• What you are asking for: Be clear about the outcome you want. More provision? A different school? A full assessment?

Deadlines

The tribunal will set deadlines in the case directions. Typical deadlines include:

These deadlines matter. If you miss them, you may need to ask the tribunal for permission to submit late evidence, and they may refuse.

Getting help

You do not need a solicitor, but getting help makes the process easier:

• IPSEA: Free tribunal support, including reviewing your evidence bundle
• SENDIASS: Free local support and can sometimes attend the hearing with you
• SOS!SEN: A charity offering free casework support for tribunal appeals
• Local law centres: Some offer free legal advice for SEND cases