CEAS information 13d: school transition advice
Updated 11 June 2026
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The Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS) has been restructured and no longer exists. Its functions are now managed by the following teams:
- The Education Advisory Team (UK)
- Overseas Education Supportability Team
Both teams operate as part of the Specialist Support services within Defence Children Services.
For the most up to date information about the services DCS provide, forms and policy documents, please visit their website Educate the Child, Support the Family, Defend the Nation.
Advice regarding CEA (SENA) upon transition between schools
It would normally be expected that a child would be at a new school for at least half a term (in a 3-term year) before applying for SENA. This would allow a settling in period and a chance for the new staff to get to know the student, where their needs lie, and provide some initial low-level support and lesson differentiation (for example, a graduated approach).
Parents and school staff should read the regulations, the SENA request form, guidance and information sheet to determine whether they feel the student meets the criteria for SENA.
If the student has a history of SEN, has additional support in their current school and is moving onto the next one, staff and parents may feel it beneficial to continue this support on transition. If this is agreed as the best way forward, the following process should be applied:
The accumulated evidence from the child’s current school is shared with the new one, including the impact of any interventions that show that the child continues to have significantly greater difficulty in learning than others of the same age. The most helpful evidence is standardised scores in assessments, alongside relevant evidence of areas of need and what has already been done to address them.
The support programme is shared with the new school and the new school uses this to draw up an interim intervention plan. If this additional support would require an extra charge, then an application for SENA should be submitted. This should be done in plenty of time (the process may take 12 weeks), particularly if it is proposed that this would commence from the autumn term, as any communication with the schools would not be possible during the summer holidays.