It sounds counterintuitive, doesn’t it? As parents of children with special educational needs, we’re constantly told that everything should be “child-centred.” Annual Reviews, we’re assured, are all about your child—their progress, their achievements, their outcomes.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: when Annual Reviews focus solely on outcomes, they can become a trap that prevents you from getting what your child actually needs.

The Outcomes Obsession

Most Annual Reviews follow a predictable pattern. The school presents data about whether your child has met the outcomes specified in Section E of their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). If outcomes are being met, everyone congratulates themselves. If they’re not being met, the school might suggest tweaking the wording of those outcomes to make them more “achievable.”

When Things Are Going Well

Don’t get me wrong—a child-centred approach works beautifully when your child is thriving. When outcomes are being achieved and everyone’s happy, an Annual Review that focuses on celebrating progress and setting aspirational new goals is exactly what you want.

But what about when things aren’t going well?

The Hidden Danger of “Child-Centred” Reviews

Imagine this scenario: Your child’s outcomes state they will “develop independent communication skills.” At the Annual Review, the school presents evidence showing your child hasn’t achieved this outcome. The discussion centres on whether the outcome was too ambitious, whether it needs rewording, or whether your child “just needs more time.”

But nobody’s asking the crucial questions:

• Are the needs in Section B actually correct and comprehensive?
• Is the provision in Section F adequate to meet those needs?
• Is the provision being delivered as specified?
• Should there be additional provision that isn’t currently in the EHCP?

By keeping the focus on outcomes—on whether your child is “achieving enough”—the Annual Review sidesteps the more important question of whether the system is doing enough for your child.

Needs and Provision: Where the Real Power Lives

Here’s what many parents don’t realize: needs and provision are the enforceable parts of an EHCP. If you disagree with what’s in Section B (needs) or Section F (provision), you have the right to appeal to the SEND Tribunal. The Local Authority has a legal duty to arrange the provision specified in Section F.

But if your Annual Review never examines whether needs are correctly identified or provision is adequate, you’ll never know if you should be fighting for more.

What a Proper Annual Review Should Examine

An effective Annual Review—one that actually protects your child’s rights—should systematically examine:

• Needs identification: Does Section B accurately describe your child’s current special educational needs? Have any new needs emerged? Are any needs understated or missing entirely?
• Provision adequacy: Is the provision in Section F sufficient to meet the identified needs? Does research and evidence support the type and quantity of provision specified?
• Provision delivery: Is the provision actually being delivered as written in Section F? If not, why not? What’s the impact on your child?
• Provision effectiveness: Is the provision working? If your child isn’t making expected progress, is it because the provision is wrong, insufficient, or poorly delivered?

Notice that outcomes come after all of these questions. Outcomes are meaningful only when we know the needs are correctly identified and the provision is appropriate. Putting outcomes first gets everything backwards.

The Cost of Getting It Wrong

What happens when Annual Reviews consistently focus on outcomes instead of needs and provision?

Year 1: Your child doesn’t meet their outcomes. The Annual Review tweaks the wording to make them more “realistic.” Nobody questions whether the provision is adequate.

Year 2: Your child still struggles. More outcome adjustments. Still no examination of whether the fundamental provision in the EHCP is fit for purpose.

Year 3: Your child is now significantly behind where they should be. The gap has widened. You’ve lost three years during which you could have been fighting for the right provision.

Taking Back Control of the Annual Review

You have the right to shape the Annual Review agenda. Before the meeting, you can submit written questions and requests that demand focus on needs and provision:

“I’d like to discuss whether the speech and language therapy provision specified in Section F is sufficient, given that my child has made limited progress in this area.”

“Can we examine whether all of my child’s sensory processing needs are adequately described in Section B?”

“I’d like evidence that the 1:1 support specified in Section F is being delivered consistently.”

These questions shift the focus where it belongs—not on whether your child is “good enough,” but on whether the system is providing enough.

The Bottom Line

A truly child-centred approach doesn’t just celebrate what your child has achieved—it rigorously examines whether your child is receiving everything they’re entitled to. It holds the system accountable, not just your child.

When your child’s Annual Review comes around, remember: outcomes are fine when things are going well, but needs and provision are where your power lies when they’re not.

Don’t let a “child-centred” approach become a shield that protects inadequate provision from scrutiny. Your child deserves a system that works as hard for them as you do.

And that starts with an EHCP that’s built on solid, legally enforceable needs and provision—not just aspirational outcomes that can be quietly rewritten when no one’s met them.