If you are dissatisfied with the LEA’s decision on a request for Statutory Assessment or about a Statement of special educational needs, you have the right to appeal to an independent Special Educational Needs Tribunal (SENT).

It is to be hoped that any disputes with the LEA could be discussed and resolved, and there are arrangements for referral Disagreement Resolution Service. This does not interfere with your legal right to appeal against a decision.

You can appeal to a SENT if:

• the LEA refuses a request to carry out a Statutory Assessment of your child;
  
  

• the LEA refuses to make a Statement after carrying out a Statutory Assessment;
  
  
• you disagree with the description of your child’s special educational needs in Part 2 of the Statement;
  
  
• you disagree with the special educational provision to be made for your child, in Part 3 of the Statement;
  
  
• you disagree with the decision of the LEA about the school named in Part 4 of the Statement;
  
  
• the LEA decides to cease to maintain a Statement.

Appeals must be made within two months of the LEA decision.

Appeal forms are available from the Parent Partnership Service or the SENT office.

The SENT is made up of a legally qualified Chair and two other members with knowledge of special educational needs. Any SENT hearing will be held locally. The hearings are informal, but you can be represented at the hearing by an advisor, a friend or a lawyer. Both you and the LEA are allowed to take witnesses to the hearing.

From September 2002, the SENT became the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST) and is able to deal with some complaints on the grounds of disability discrimination in schools.