The Special Educational Needs Tribunal for Wales (SENTW), its members and decisions is an independent tribunal established in 2003 under Section 333 (1ZA) of the Education Act 1996. The tribunal is funded by the Welsh Government but the tribunal, the members and decisions of the SENTW, are independent of Government. Statistical information and an annual account of activities is provided in the Annual Report for the SENTW.
The Special Educational Needs Tribunal for Wales (SENTW) has changed its name to the Education Tribunal for Wales (ETW). The guidance on this website only applies to SEN appeals. Please go to our Education Tribunal for Wales website for guidance on claims of disability discrimination and ALN appeals.
We deal with disputes to do with:
Statement of SEN or IDP - This is important information
Over the next 3 years, the laws about the education provided to children and young people with learning difficulties or disabilities will change. Each year, a group of school years will move from the Special Educational Needs (SEN) system to the new Additional Learning Needs (ALN) system, until all pupils are on the new system.
However, each system has its own tribunal rules!
The easiest way to know whether someone has moved to the new ALN system is to check what learning needs plans they have
- If they already have a statement of SEN, they are on the Special Educational Needs system.
- If they have an individual development plan (IDP), or have been assessed for additional learning needs after 01 September 2021, they are on the new Additional Learning Needs System.
If you’re appealing a decision about a child or young person with a statement of SEN, the correct guidance is on this website.
If you’re appealing a decision about a child or young person with an IDP, or about the result of an assessment held after 01 September 2021 about whether a child or young person has additional learning needs, the correct guidance is on the new Education Tribunal website.
The Special Educational Needs Tribunal for Wales (SENTW) has changed its name to the Education Tribunal for Wales (ETW), but it will still handle all cases.
We deal with disputes to do with:
Statements of SEN
If you are appealing a decision made about a statement of special educational needs (SEN), please use the guidance on this website. This is the correct guidance for children and young people with statements of SEN.
IDPs
If you are appealing a decision made about an individual development plan (IDP) or an assessment about additional learning needs, please use the guidance on our new website. For these students, a lot of rules have changed, so we have updated the guidance on our new website.
Claims of disability discrimination
The rules about claims of disability discrimination have changed. Please use the guidance on our new website.
The laws about the help given to children and young people with learning difficulties and disabilities is changing. Every year, different year groups will move from the old Special Educational Needs system to the new Additional Learning Needs system. The old system has statements of SEN, and the new system has IDPs.
By 2023, all children and young people with additional learning needs will have IDPs, so we will eventually close our old website.
Tribunal office arrangements
The tribunal continues to work remotely with limited access to items delivered by post. If possible, please ensure that any documents required by the tribunal (including application forms and written submissions) are sent by email to educationtribunal@gov.wales.
If this is not possible, please contact the tribunal office on 0300 025 9800 for alternative arrangements.
The tribunal is listing hearings as normal. However, please note that in the majority of cases hearings are being listed virtually using the Tribunal's cloud video platform.
Appeals
The guidance on this website only applies to appeals about statements of SEN. If you are appealing a decision made about an individual development plan (IDP) or an assessment about additional learning needs, please use the guidance on our new website.
Claims
Please go to our new website for guidance on claims of disability discrimination in schools.
Children and teenagers
If you want to find out more our information booklets tell you all about appeals and claims.
Local Authorities and Responsible Bodies
Our guidance booklets provide information for Local Authorities about how to respond to an appeal and Responsible Bodies about how to respond to a claim.
Aled's tribunal
Our video clip shows you what happens at Aled’s tribunal hearing.