Referrals
Sometimes, parents may seek further assessment by a medical professional if they think that their children may have conditions like ADHD. Whilst the SEND team can support parents with this process, it is important to know that we cannot diagnose medical conditions. Most importantly, a student that is not making progress does not need a diagnosis to receive academic support as part of Caistor Grammar School’s graduated approach.
The usual route to a referral for a diagnosis for a condition like neurodiversity would be:
1. Parents speak to their child’s GP.
2. The GP will record these concerns and may ask you to contact the school for information and evidence.
3. We will then gather any necessary evidence to submit the referral.
4. The NHS will decide whether to accept or decline the referral.
5. If accepted, your child will be placed on a waiting list to be assessed.
If the referral is declined, the NHS will explain why this was and what steps you can take next. The school does not make decisions about whether a referral is accepted or not. Please note that the waiting times for referrals can be in excess of a year.
Caistor Grammar School is not able to recommend or direct you to make a private referral. These can be extremely costly (it may be worth investigating the ‘Right to Choose’ pathway for referrals if you decide to go down this route). Please remember that your child does not need a referral, if they are not making progress, to access our graduated academic support. Additionally, a successful referral is not required for, or a guarantee of, access arrangements in public examinations (please see the separate tab on access arrangements for information about this). Indeed, JCQ will not accept any evidence from private referrals as evidence for access arrangements such as extra time. This is also true of having an EHCP: this is also not required for, nor a guarantee of, access arrangements in public examinations.
EHCPs
Education Health Care Plans are reserved for students aged up to 25, whose needs cannot be met through a school’s ordinary provision. They are legally binding documents, which outline the additional support needed to meet the young person’s educational needs. EHCPs require a multi-agency approach: we will apply for an EHCP if we feel that we are unable to meet the student’s needs through the earlier stages of our graduated approach. You can apply for an EHCP yourself through the relevant County Council, but please bear in mind that the evidence required to be successful is substantial. It can take up to a year for an EHCP to be processed, but please remember that you do not need one to receive graduated support from the School.