We are in the final stages of EHCP. We have requested EOTAS (to pay for online school) and a personal budget. The LA have said "County Independent panel have reviewed your request for EOTAS and personal budget to fund Kings Inter High, further information is required before EOTAS can be considered. We will be contacting F...... high school to establish if they are able to support funding Kings Inter High as E. remains on their school roll. We will also be issuing consultations to independent settings to establish suitability; these consultations will be shared with you before they are issued." My question is does the LA pay for EOTAS - why are they asking the school? The LA tried to unroll her from mainstream but we said they could not do this until they have provided alternative provision - and we request EOTAS - were we wrong to do so?

My daughter is happy at online school. She has tried two mainstream schools and cannot manage. She will not attend school in person and the EP report is fairly conclusive with this regard.

EOTAS for 17 year old

My 17 year old son is struggling at college and its really affecting his mental health. He has an ehcp I was wondering if I would be able to get him and eotas package (my daughter has eotas) and if so what type of things could he do. Thanks

Hours of provision in EOTAS package

My 17 year old was awarded an EOTAS package at tribunal in November. It includes 15 hours a week tuition per week for 39 weeks a year, based on interests. My YP really likes history and would like tuition in it and the LA are in agreement. We are looking to start with an hour a week, possibly increasing to two hours in time as my TP would like to do GCSE. However the tuition company they use are struggling to find someone available in the day, as it’s a non-core subject and so most teachers will be at work. They’ve said they may be able to provide someone for after school hours, which we would be fine with.

However the LA have said:
About the history tutor, they are having difficulties obtaining one due to the hours. They did suggest out of hours, however the LA are only responsible for providing 32.5 hours of education within the school times (term times). Therefore, this does not include after school tuition. If they can locate a history tutor within school hours, this can commence immediately. I can contact another tuition company to see if they have any History tutors.

I don’t have a problem with them looking with another agency. But surely what they have said about only being responsible for providing tuition within school times is incorrect? I thought the whole point of EOTAS was that it was flexible? If they can’t find someone available in the day is there case law I can go back to them with? All help and advice appreciated! Thank you!!

Who can request EOTAS?

I work at an SEN School & we are trying to move one of our pupils onto EOTAS, as we cannot meet need within school or the local area. The local authority are stating only they can request EOTAS and not the school. I want to know if this is true or not? & if it is not, if there is any case law to back up this up.

Can flexischooling (such as two days a week home learning) be an EHCP provision and what evidence (apart form professional reports) counts as reasonable evidence for it?

If a child spends considerable amount of time out of class, is this child eligible to receive the support needed (from parents) and use this time to study at home?

Is there a legal list of what can and cannot be included in an EOTAS package? The LA want to include maths and English tutors which my son can’t engage with due to school trauma. The LA’s EP has said maths and English needs to be embedded within activities.

I am suggesting activities such as building a remote control vehicle, theatre and museum visits and learning about tractors from an agricultural engineer (rather than a tutor). The EP said subjects should help his future career. He wants to be a farmer. The last time my son accessed a tutor he ripped up the exercise book and ate the pages. It was not because of the tutor (who was patient and listened) but because of the school trauma and the trigger of work he was being asked to do. They are also looking at science tutors. It’s appears to be their section 19 offer rather than based on the EP’s report.

Has any Local Authority ever funded the building of a classroom at home for EOTAS?

Evidence for tribunal

My daughter has a draft EHCP. She has been learning online since January 2023 and we want her to continue and for it to be paid out of a personal budget. What do we need to have in Section F and I ? Is there any precedence for this?

Legally, can the LA name a special school on the current EHCP, specifying a start date for next September (2024), and stating that they agree EOTAS until then?

We suspect that the school is unsuitable for our daughter aged 12. The LA have offered EOTAS in the interrim, until the school place becomes available in a year's time. We do not know whether know whether our daughter will be in a condition to be able to go back to school at that point, but suspect not, so would prefer the EOTAS to be unlimited.

As the parent of a child with an EOTIS package, where the provider is not meeting need, and it has broken down, do I have the right to source other tutoring services?

My LA are refusing to consult with another tutoring service, which I have found, and incidentally are on their tenured list of providers. My daughter has no education right now, is nearly 16 and has not even started her GCSEs. They are ignoring my urgent request for an annual review too.