Definition
Section B is the section of an EHCP describing the child's special educational needs, as required by regulation 12(1)(b) of the SEND Regulations 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice 9.69. Section B must be specific and detailed. It sets the bar for what the provision in Section F must then address.
In context for parents
Key checkpoints
- Section B describes the child's special educational needs, required by SEND Regulations 2014, regulation 12(1)(b).
- SEND Code of Practice 9.69: Section B must be specific and detailed.
- Every need named in Section B must have provision named in Section F.
- A strong Section B reads like a clinical formulation, not a school report.
- Section B must set out all the child's SEN identified during assessment (Code 9.69), not only those flagged by school.
The legal principle is straightforward: every need named in Section B must have provision named in Section F. If a need is missing from Section B, the LA is not required to make provision for it. This makes Section B the single most important section to get right at draft stage.
A strong Section B reads like a clinical formulation, not a school report. It names the diagnosis where there is one (autism with PDA profile; DLD; sensory processing differences across the auditory and tactile systems; working memory at the 1st centile). It names the functional impact of each need (cannot follow more than two-step verbal instructions without visual support; requires advance preparation for transitions; experiences sensory overload in dining hall environments). It draws on the EP, SaLT, OT, paediatric, and parent advice gathered during assessment.
What weak Section Bs look like: vague summaries ("Adam has some difficulties with social interaction"); needs listed only in the cluster of need ("communication and interaction"); reliance on the school's view to the exclusion of the EP or SaLT advice; missing co-occurring needs (sensory, motor, SEMH) because they did not appear in the school's report.
The Code (9.69) requires Section B to set out all the child's special educational needs as identified during the assessment, regardless of which professional identified them. A Section B that names autism but omits the SaLT-identified pragmatic language difficulty is unlawfully incomplete.
At tribunal, parents commonly succeed in expanding Section B because the LA's draft has under-described the picture. Each addition to Section B opens the door to additional Section F provision.
Related terms
The terms parents most often see alongside Section B (EHCP).
Education, Health and Care Plan(EHCP)
A legally binding document, issued by a local authority in England, that describes a child or young person's special educational needs and the provision the LA must arrange to meet them.
Section F (EHCP)
The section of an EHCP that sets out the special educational provision the local authority must secure. Wording should be specific, quantified, and unambiguous (often called 'SMART').
Section I (EHCP)
The section of an EHCP naming the school or type of school the child will attend. Parents can request a specific school, and the LA must name it unless narrow legal grounds apply.
SEND Tribunal
An independent tribunal that hears appeals against local authority decisions on EHC needs assessments, EHCP contents, school placement, and disability discrimination by schools.
Where parents ask about this
Parents usually find this page with a draft EHCP open and the feeling that the school's view has crowded out the EP and SaLT. Searches include "Section B EHCP wording", "what should be in Section B EHCP", and "Section B too vague". A Beaakon SEND solicitor or advocate can compare your draft Section B against the assessment advice, identify the missing needs, and draft replacement wording for the working document, within the 15-day response window.
References
The primary legislation, statutory guidance, research, and clinical tools this page draws on.
- The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014, regulation 12
- SEND Code of Practice (DfE / DoH 2015), paragraph 9.69
- Children and Families Act 2014, sections 37 and 42
- [L v Clarke and Somerset CC [1998]](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/l-v-clarke-and-somerset-county-council-1998-elr-129)
- IPSEA: Section B drafting guidance