Wolfe & Black practical guide

SEND Tribunal Evidence Bundle: Organising EHCP Evidence

How to organise professional reports, school evidence, correspondence and disputed EHCP issues into a usable SEND evidence file.

Updated October 2026

A SEND evidence bundle should help a reader find the answer to each disputed issue quickly. Volume is not a substitute for structure.

1. Create an evidence index

Group the current plan, decision letters, professional reports, school records, annual review material and correspondence in a stable order.

2. Remove duplication and expose conflicts

Identify repeated reports, superseded drafts and places where professionals disagree or later evidence changes the picture.

3. Build an issue-to-evidence schedule

For every disputed need, provision or placement point, identify the documents and passages that support the position being advanced.

Important for this type of matter

Tribunal procedure and representation rules must be checked for the particular proceeding and stage.

Questions to ask before proceeding

What is the exact decision? What deadline applies? Which facts are genuinely disputed? What documents prove the important facts? What framework governs the decision? What outcome are you asking for? What has already been tried?

Official sources to check

Rules, guidance and procedures can change. These are the primary official sources used to keep this area grounded:

Frequently asked questions

How long should the EHC needs assessment and plan process take?

GOV.UK states that, subject to applicable exceptions, the final EHC plan should be issued within 20 weeks of the local authority receiving the request for assessment.

What EHC plan decisions can be appealed?

Appealable decisions include refusal to assess, refusal to issue a plan, and disputes about specified educational sections of an EHC plan. In most cases mediation advice must be considered before appeal.

Related guides

PRACTICAL GUIDEEHCP Appeal: Evidence & SEND Tribunal PreparationHow to organise the decision, disputed EHCP sections, professional evidence and requested changes before a SEND Tribunal appeal.READ GUIDE →PRACTICAL GUIDEEHCP Refusal to Assess: Appeal Evidence PreparationHow to prepare evidence after a local authority refuses to carry out an EHC needs assessment, including the decision, existing support and evidence of possible special educational needs.READ GUIDE →PRACTICAL GUIDEEHCP Refusal to Issue: Appeal Evidence PreparationHow to organise assessment material and professional evidence after a local authority assesses but refuses to issue an EHC plan.READ GUIDE →PRACTICAL GUIDEChallenge an EHCP: Sections B, F & I Evidence PreparationA practical evidence-led approach to disputed needs, special educational provision and placement wording in an EHC plan.READ GUIDE →PRACTICAL GUIDEEHCP Section F: Vague, Missing or Undelivered ProvisionHow to compare Section F with professional recommendations and organise evidence where special educational provision is vague, omitted or not being delivered.READ GUIDE →

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