EHCP, EOTAS & funding
EHCP-funded tuition and EOTAS packages, explained plainly
If your child has an EHCP, or you're fighting to get the right support in place, you've probably already met the wall of jargon that surrounds it. Section F, personal budgets, direct payments, EOTAS. It's a lot, and most families are left to work it out alone.
I'm Sophie, a former SENCO. I've written and contributed to EHCPs, run reviews and mapped provision from the inside, so I can explain all of this in plain English and tell you honestly what's possible for your child.
Here's how funded tuition actually works.
What is an EHCP?
An EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) is a legal document for children whose needs can't be met by the usual support a school provides. It sets out your child's needs and, crucially, the exact support they must receive.
That support is listed in a part of the plan called Section F. Anything written in Section F isn't a suggestion, it's a legal entitlement your local authority has to deliver or fund. If tuition is named there, or should be, that's where funded lessons with me can fit.
What is EOTAS?
EOTAS stands for Education Otherwise Than At School. It's for children whose needs mean a school setting isn't right for them, whether that's temporary or longer term.
Instead of attending a school, the child's education is delivered elsewhere, often at home, through a package of tutors and specialists that the local authority funds and agrees. If your child is out of school, or school has become impossible to manage, an EOTAS package can be the way to keep their education going, and one-to-one tuition is usually a central part of it.
How funding works
There are a few different routes to funded tuition, and I can help you work out which applies to your child:
Privately
You simply pay for lessons yourself, like any other tuition, with no local authority involved.
Through a personal budget
The local authority agrees an amount of money to deliver some of the provision in your child's Section F, and you get a say in who provides it. You can ask for me by name.
Through direct payments
The money is paid to you directly, and you choose and arrange the support yourself, including booking lessons with me.
As part of an EOTAS package
The local authority commissions your child's education outside school and pays providers, such as me, directly.
If none of that is in place yet, don't worry. Tell me your situation and I'll point you towards the right next step and the right conversation to have with your local authority.
Working with me as a named provider
You can request me by name as your child's tutor within a personal budget, direct payment or EOTAS package. Because I'm a qualified teacher and former SENCO, I'm exactly the kind of provider local authorities are looking for: someone who understands the plan, delivers against it properly, and keeps clear records.
I'm happy to speak with your case officer, SENDIASS adviser or advocate, provide the documents they need, and join reviews so that everyone is working towards the same outcomes for your child.
To make funded tuition straightforward for you and your local authority, I provide:
- A baseline assessment at the start, so progress can be measured
- Teaching targets linked directly to your child's EHCP outcomes
- Regular written progress reports on engagement, attendance and learning
- Clear, itemised invoices suitable for personal budgets, direct payments and EOTAS
- Proof of QTS, enhanced DBS, safeguarding training and insurance on request
- Attendance at annual reviews and meetings where needed
In short, everything a case officer needs to sign off the support, and everything you need to feel confident it's being done properly.
Questions parents ask about funding
Yes. Many families start privately while they apply for a personal budget or request that tuition is named in Section F. I can support you with what to ask for, and lessons can carry on either way.
Absolutely. You don't need an EHCP to work with me, and plenty of my pupils don't have one. Most families come to me for specialist dyslexia and literacy teaching, autism-informed lessons or ADHD focus and organisation work. If you're going through the process, I can also share what good provision looks like from a former SENCO's point of view.
As much as you'd like me to. I can liaise with your case officer, supply reports and invoices, and attend reviews, so you're not left translating paperwork on your own. The aim is to take the admin off your plate.
Let's work out what's possible for your child
Funding can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be faced alone. Book a free call, tell me where things stand, and I'll explain your options honestly and clearly. If you'd rather start privately, the steps and fees are all set out here.
I teach every lesson myself, so I take a limited number of students at a time. If you’d like a place this term, it’s worth getting in touch now.
Last updated: September 2026