Sharing with schools and LAs

Sharing evidence effectively with schools and local authorities is a core part of advocating for your child. How you share matters, structured, well-organised evidence presented through the right channel is harder to dismiss than an email with multiple attachments.

Sharing before an annual review

Before an annual review meeting, sharing your bundle in advance gives the attendees time to read the evidence and come prepared. The Code of Practice does not specify a format for parent contributions, but sharing a bundle 5–7 days before the meeting is good practice.

You can share via:

• Secure share link: send the link by email to the meeting organiser or SENCo. State in the email that you are sharing your evidence in advance of the review.
• Printed PDF: bring printed copies to the meeting. Bring enough for each attendee plus one for yourself.
• Emailed PDF: if you prefer, email the PDF directly. Note that large files may be blocked by school or LA email filters.

Sharing with the LA

When sharing evidence with the LA, particularly in the context of an EHCP assessment, amendment request, or appeal, keep a clear record of what you shared and when.

If you use a share link, the access log gives you a timestamped record of when the link was accessed. If you share by email, keep the sent email as evidence.

Always share evidence in a form that is easy to read and organised. A disorganised collection of files is easier for an LA officer to deprioritise. A structured, paginated bundle with a contents page is harder to ignore.

When to hold evidence back

Not all evidence needs to be shared in advance. If you are in an active dispute or approaching a tribunal, your advocate or solicitor may advise you to hold back certain documents until the tribunal exchange stage. Follow their guidance, sharing prematurely can affect your case strategy.

If a school or LA refuses to engage with your evidence

If a school or LA officer tells you they "don't have time to read it" or declines to acknowledge your bundle, document this. A refusal to engage with parent-provided evidence is itself relevant in a dispute.

You are not obliged to provide evidence in any specific format, and the LA is not entitled to refuse to consider evidence you provide. If this happens, raise it in writing, "I am writing to confirm that I shared [bundle name] with [name] on [date] and that they stated they would not review it. I would be grateful for a written explanation."