28/08/2026
The SEND Tribunal's new "One Touch" pilot: what it means if you're appealing your child's school placement
If you're preparing to challenge the school or setting named in your child's Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan, there's an important change to the way the SEND Tribunal handles these appeals that you should know about before you lodge.
From 17 August 2026, the Tribunal is trialling a new way of managing appeals that challenge only Section I - the section of the EHC Plan that names the school or type of school. The trial is called the "One Touch" Case Management Pilot, and it changes the timetable and the order in which things happen. It doesn't change your right to appeal, and it doesn't change the legal test the Tribunal applies. But it does change what you can expect after you send your appeal in and it makes a couple of practical things more important than they used to be.
Here's what's changing, and what it means for you.
A quick reminder: what a "Section I only" appeal is:
Section I is the part of the EHC Plan that names your child's placement — the specific school, or the type of school, they will attend. You can appeal Section I on its own, without also challenging the descriptions of need (Section B) or the provision (Section F).
One feature of a placement-only appeal is that you don't have to go through mediation first. That has always made these appeals a slightly more self-contained, faster-moving category, which is exactly why the Tribunal has chosen them for this trial.
Important: a Section I only appeal is limited to the placement question. You can't use it to argue about other parts of the Plan, such as the needs in Section B or the support in Section F. If those sections are wrong or unclear, that's usually a separate conversation and one worth having before you appeal, because a weak Section B or F can undermine a placement argument.
What's actually changing
Under the old system, when you lodged a Section I appeal you were given a hearing date fairly early on, at the point your appeal was registered. Under the pilot, that no longer happens for placement-only appeals registered on or after 17 August 2026.
Instead, the new process works like this:
1. You register your appeal. Rather than a hearing date, you receive a set of standard directions...a timetable telling you when your evidence and your final bundle of documents are due.
2. The early stages run quietly. During this period the Tribunal will generally hold back from dealing with interim "Request for Changes" applications, rather than responding to them one by one as they come in.
3. A case review takes place. Roughly 12 to 16 weeks after registration, once the final bundle deadline has passed, a Legal Officer, Registrar or Judge reviews your case to see whether it's ready.
4. The Tribunal decides the route. If your case is ready, it's either listed for the next available hearing or sent toward Judicial Alternative Dispute Resolution (JADR) - a judge-led attempt to resolve things without a full hearing. If it isn't ready, you'll get further directions before any hearing is arranged.
In short: the hearing date now comes after a review of your case, rather than being set at the start.
What this means for you in practice
There's genuinely something in this for families with a clear-cut placement dispute, but there are also a few things to watch.
*It could be quicker for straightforward cases - The whole point of the pilot is to free up hearing capacity and move well-prepared appeals along faster. If your case is clean and fully evidenced, you may reach a resolution more quickly than under the old system. The honest caveat is that this depends on how much hearing space is actually available when your case reaches the review point — so "could be quicker" is not the same as "will be quicker."
*You'll get less notice of your hearing date - This is the biggest practical shift. Because dates are no longer set upfront, you, the local authority and any expert witnesses will find out about hearings with less warning. If you're relying on an independent Educational Psychologist, Speech and Language Therapist or Occupational Therapist (who are often booked up months ahead you'll want to line them up early) and keep them briefed, so a short-notice date doesn't catch you out.
*Deadlines matter more than ever - Under the pilot, the review of your case happens after the final bundle deadline. That means a missed deadline can directly delay when your case is even considered for a hearing. Getting your evidence in on time, in the right form, and within the Tribunal's page limits is essential. If you can't meet a deadline, apply properly using the Request for Change (SEND7) form rather than simply sending things in late.
The takeaway
The "One Touch" pilot is a case-management change, not a change to your rights. For a well-prepared, focused placement appeal it may speed things up but it puts a premium on early preparation, lining up your experts, and hitting every deadline.
If your appeal is likely to be lodged on or around 17 August 2026, it's worth thinking carefully about timing and readiness before you register, because whether you fall inside or outside the pilot could affect how your case is managed.
As this is a new trial, the finer details may develop over the coming months, and it's sensible to check the current position when you're ready to act.
We can help
If you're considering a Section I placement appeal, or you're already in the middle of one and want to understand how the pilot affects you, we can help you get your evidence and timetable in order and make sure your case is fully prepared.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice on your specific circumstances, please contact us directly.
