Section B
The Tribunal may order some changes to the description of the child or young person’s special educational needs while not agreeing with every requested amendment.
Bedminster office
Fishponds office
Kingswood office
What Should Parents Expect After a SEND Tribunal Hearing?
After preparing evidence and attending a SEND Tribunal hearing, families understandably want to know when they will receive the decision and what happens next.
You will not usually leave the hearing knowing the final outcome.
In a recent video on our Education Law TikTok channel, Beverley Watkins, Managing Partner at Watkins Solicitors, explains what parents should expect once the hearing has finished.
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Book on EventbriteWhat Happens After a SEND Tribunal Hearing?
Beverley Watkins explains when families should expect the Tribunal’s written decision, what happens if you succeed on some issues but not others, and why being unhappy with the outcome does not automatically mean there is a right of appeal.
Video by Beverley Watkins, Managing Partner at Watkins Solicitors.
When Will I Receive the Tribunal Decision?
10Working Days
The SEND Tribunal will usually send its written decision within 10 working days of the hearing.
The decision should explain what the Tribunal has decided and the reasons for reaching those conclusions.
Occasionally it may take longer, but families will generally receive the outcome around two weeks after the hearing.
You May Succeed on Some Issues but Not Others
SEND Tribunal appeals are not always simply won or lost as a whole.
For example, where the appeal concerns the contents of an EHCP, the Tribunal may agree with you about some amendments to Section B or Section F but not others.
Section F
The Tribunal may agree that some special educational provision should change while reaching a different conclusion on other requested provision.
Section I
If school or college placement is disputed, the Tribunal may decide which placement should be named in Section I.
Read the written decision carefully and compare any ordered changes against the issues that were before the Tribunal.
What Happens If the Tribunal Orders Changes?
The Tribunal’s educational orders are binding on the local authority.
Different timescales apply depending on what the Tribunal has ordered. For example, the local authority generally has:
5 Weeks: Sections B or F
Where the Tribunal orders changes to Sections B or F of an EHCP, the local authority generally has 5 weeks to make those changes.
2 Weeks: Section I
Where the school or placement in Section I must change, the local authority generally has 2 weeks to amend it.
5 Weeks: Make an EHCP
Where the Tribunal orders that an EHCP should be made, the local authority generally has 5 weeks to make the plan.
Immediate Effect: EHCP Continues
Where the Tribunal orders that an existing EHCP should continue, the order has immediate effect.
Once an amended EHCP is issued, check it carefully against the Tribunal decision to make sure the ordered changes have been made correctly.
What If I Am Unhappy With the Decision?
Being disappointed with the outcome does not automatically mean you can appeal.
An appeal to the Upper Tribunal is concerned with an error of law rather than simply asking another Tribunal to reconsider the evidence because you disagree with the conclusion.
Wrong Legal Test
A potential legal error may arise if the Tribunal applied the wrong legal test when deciding an issue.
Relevant Evidence
A potential error may arise if the Tribunal failed to deal properly with relevant evidence.
Adequate Reasons
A potential error may arise if the Tribunal made a decision without giving adequate reasons.
There are also other limited procedures, such as asking for a decision to be reviewed or set aside in particular circumstances.
If you believe the First-tier Tribunal has made an error of law, you must normally first ask for permission to appeal. The application must be made within 28 days of the Tribunal’s decision letter.
Do Not Delay If You Think Something Is Wrong
Appeal and review deadlines are short.
If you receive a decision and believe the Tribunal may have made a legal or procedural error, seek advice promptly rather than waiting to see what happens next.
Likewise, if the local authority does not implement a successful Tribunal decision within the required timescale, there may be further steps available.
How Can Watkins Solicitors Help?
Receiving a SEND Tribunal decision can be a huge relief, but it can also raise further questions about what the local authority now has to do or whether there are grounds to challenge part of the outcome.
Watkins Solicitors has a specialist, multi-award-winning Education Law team experienced in SEND Tribunal proceedings and complex EHCP disputes.
Our Education team was named Team of the Year at the Bristol Law Society Awards 2025, alongside Watkins Solicitors being named Regional Law Firm of the Year.
We can review the written decision, explain what it means in practice, check whether the local authority has implemented the order correctly and advise where there may be grounds for a further legal challenge.
Received a SEND Tribunal Decision and Unsure What Happens Next?
If you need help understanding the written decision, checking whether ordered EHCP changes have been implemented correctly, or considering whether there may be grounds for a further challenge, our specialist Education Law team can advise on the next steps.
Watch the Video and Get Support
The full video, featuring Beverley Watkins answering this parent question, is available above and on our Education Law TikTok channel.
If you have received a SEND Tribunal decision and are unsure what happens next, our specialist Education Law team is here to help.
You can contact us by emailing education@watkinssolicitors.co.uk or calling 0117 939 0350.
Education Law TikTok
Our Education Law TikTok features short videos from the Watkins Solicitors Education Law team answering common questions about EHCPs, SEND provision, school placements, Annual Reviews and SEND Tribunal appeals.
Follow @watkinssolicitors.sen for practical explanations from our specialist team and to see our latest SEND and Education Law videos.