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Education News
We are excited to announce that Emma Thompson has qualified as an Education Solicitor at Watkins Solicitors, marking a significant milestone in her legal career. Since joining Watkins Solicitors as a Paralegal in October 2018, Emma has shown a deep...
To PAP or not to PAP Use of judicial review pre-action protocol (PAP) during the EHC process Please note the below is ‘ some ’ of the times you may need to consider pre-action and will be dependent on individual circumstances and whether...
Understanding Autism: Key Insights Autism Awareness Week shines a spotlight on ASD, revealing crucial statistics and evolving terminology. Only 26% of autistic pupils feel happy at school Only 29% of autistic people are in any form of employment 70% of...
For primary to secondary school – DEADLINE IS 15 FEBRUARY 2024 For secondary to post-16 placements – DEADLINE IS 31 MARCH 2024 Currently, SEND tribunals are being listed for hearings in early 2025; whilst the SEND Tribunal has indicated...
The link between Judicial Review and the annual review process We are regularly contacted by clients who have had an Annual Review of their child’s Special Educational Needs, but the review process has not been fully completed by the Local...
In a landmark judgment issued today (8 March 2022) the High Court has made it clear that every local council must keep to fixed legal time limits when reviewing the needs of children and young people with special educational needs . Councils have been...
High Court rules that student finance regulations discriminated against students who were unable to prove their immigration status in time due to pandemic delays Re Jawad Naeem v Secretary of State for Education and Kyra Morris [2022[ EWHC 15...
What happens when the Local Authority does not name the school or college of your choosing? For those with EHC plans there are specific rules relating to phased transfers where children either start primary school, move to secondary school or move to post...
In late 2019, Emma Grimbly (Education Paralegal) was working on numerous cases whereby Devon County Council were neglecting their duties to issue an Annual Review Decision Notice within the required 4-week period and neglecting to...
A judicial challenge against Devon County Council brought by Watkins Solicitors on behalf of three children with special education needs has succeeded in the Court of Appeal this week. All three appeal judges agreed that there are important issues that the...
As everyone will be aware the UK entered a further national lockdown on 5th January 2021, which resulted in the closure of schools across England and Scotland (schools in Wales are scheduled to return on 18th January 2021, however a further Welsh Government...
Managing Partner Beverley Watkins features in the latest edition of the Law Society Gazette, where she discusses representing three families in a test case in the Court of Appeal that could significantly impact on local authority procedures for children with...
Watkins Solicitors have successfully been granted permission to appeal in the Court of Appeal on behalf of 3 children with SEND in a judicial review that could significantly impact on local authority procedures for children with EHCP’s. The claims...
A Judicial Review against funding cuts by Cornwall Council to college education for autistic young people concluded today, 11 December 2019, with a huge success. Full course funding has been restored, not merely for the September 2019 cohort but for...
Beverley Watkins appeared in an article published by BBC News yesterday, following a Special Needs and Disability Tribunal ruling in favour of her client, Nura Aabe and her severely autistic son Zak, against Bristol City Council. Asked for her reaction,...
Wednesday marked a vital step forward in ensuring the needs of children with Special Educational Needs are met. The first report published by the Education Committee on 23 October 2019, details key concerns regarding the implementation and funding of...
Beverley Watkins, our Education Law Specialist, will be speaking at Developmental Language Disorder Unpacked, a workshop for parents of children with Developmental Language Disorder. The event takes place in Bath on 16 th October and is being run by...
Our client Nura Aabe and her son Zak are the subjects of a BBC News article following Nura’s decision to take legal action against the City of Bristol College, who used Zak’s appearance in a BBC documentary earlier this year to assess him for a...
Magna Academy in Poole has been in the news today over the fining of a parent who refused to send her daughter to school to take part in two activity days at the end of the term. The regular timetable was suspended and replaced with the activities, some of...
The Administrative Court in Cardiff has permitted a final hearing of Judicial Review proceedings to challenge the cutback of education for young people with special educational needs in Cornwall.
