Who prepares the SEND tribunal bundle
It is the local authority that prepares and serves the bundle. Practice Direction No. 1 of 2025 states this in plain terms at paragraph 20: in all SEND cases, it will be for the LA or Responsible Body to prepare a tribunal bundle comprising the written evidence to be considered.
Your job is different, and just as important. You gather your evidence, format it correctly, stay within your party page allowance, and send it to the local authority, and to the Tribunal where your directions require, by the final evidence deadline. Evidence sent late may be left out of the bundle. When the LA's bundle lands, you check it carefully against your own pack.
SEND Tribunal appeals at a glance
The First-tier Tribunal (Health, Education and Social Care Chamber) hears SEND appeals. Around 25,000 appeals were registered in 2024/25 and the volume keeps rising. Most that reach a final hearing are decided in favour of families.
You can appeal a refusal to assess or re-assess, a refusal to issue an EHC Plan, the contents of Sections B, F or I (including where no school is named), a refusal to amend the plan after a review, or a decision to cease to maintain a Plan (s.51(2) Children and Families Act 2014). The same Chamber also hears disability discrimination claims against schools.
EHC Plan structure (Sections A to K)
Education, Health and Care Plans follow a standardised structure under regulation 12 of the SEND Regulations 2014. Knowing what each section is for helps you decide which parts you want to challenge.
- Section A: the child or young person's views, interests and aspirations
- Section B: special educational needs
- Section C: health needs related to the SEN
- Section D: social care needs related to the SEN
- Section E: outcomes sought
- Section F: special educational provision
- Section G: health provision
- Sections H1 and H2: social care provision (H1: provision under s.2 Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970)
- Section I: placement (the school or institution named)
- Section J: personal budget, including any direct payments
- Section K: advice and information
Page limits under Practice Direction No. 1 of 2025
The 2025 Practice Direction, issued by Sir Keith Lindblom, Senior President of Tribunals, sets bundle-level limits and per-party evidence limits that vary by appeal type. The limits are not a target. Smaller, focused evidence packs are encouraged. If you go over, you must apply for permission using the SEND7 Request for Change form.
- Part One (Core Tribunal Bundle): 100 pages
- Part Two (EHC Plan and Section K appendices, where relevant): 150 pages
- Refusal to assess or reassess: 75 pages each party
- Refusal to issue an EHC Plan: 100 pages each party
- Sections B and/or F appeal: 100 pages in total each party
- Section I (placement) appeal: 75 pages each party
- Cease to maintain: 75 pages each party (plus the relevant section limits if you appeal sections too)
- Health or social care recommendation (extended appeal): 75 pages each party

