Does My Child’s School Have to Accept a Neurodiversity Pre-Assessment?

Understanding Your Rights Under the Equality Act

One of the most common questions parents ask me is:

“Will my child’s school accept your pre-assessment, or do we have to wait for a formal diagnosis first?”

The short answer is: Yes, all schools must take a professional pre-assessment seriously, and they cannot legally refuse to support a child simply because a diagnosis hasn’t been confirmed. This includes schools that are run by academies.

In this blog post, I’ll explain exactly why, what the law says, how schools should respond, and how a high-quality pre-assessment can help unlock support, reasonable adjustments, and even contribute to an EHCP.

1. Why all schools must consider a pre-assessment report

A neurodiversity pre-assessment is not just an opinion, it is structured, professional, evidence-based information about your child’s needs, barriers, and areas of difficulty.

Schools have a legal duty to:

• Identify needs early

• Provide SEN Support

• Reduce barriers to learning

• Adjust the environment and teaching

• Follow the Graduated Approach (Assess–Plan–Do–Review)

  
  

None of these duties require a diagnosis.They require evidence of need, which is exactly what a high-quality pre-assessment provides.

2. The Equality Act (2010): No diagnosis required

This is the part many parents are never told.

Under the Equality Act, a child is protected if they have:

“A substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.”

This includes:

• Attention

• Emotional regulation

• Sensory processing

• Executive function

• Communication

• Social interaction

• Learning and behaviour in the classroom

  
  

The law does not require CAMHS, a paediatrician, or a formal diagnosis to be in place.

If your child is struggling, schools must make reasonable adjustments now, not once the NHS has caught up.

That means your pre-assessment is enough to trigger the school’s legal duty.

3. Common things schools say, and why they’re incorrect

You may have heard (or will hear) things like:

• “We need a diagnosis before we can support.”

• “We don’t accept private reports.”

• “We’ll wait for CAMHS to confirm.”

• “We can’t put strategies in place until there’s evidence.”

  
  

None of these statements align with the Equality Act or the SEND Code of Practice.

A school can disagree with the recommendations if they have evidence to justify that decision, but they cannot ignore need, and they cannot refuse support because the report didn’t come from the NHS.

4. Why my pre-assessment reports are accepted by schools

With over 20 years’ experience with SEN including working in mainstream, SEN schools, and pupil referral units, and having personally written more than 1,000 neurodiversity pre-assessment reports, I write every report with schools in mind.

Each report is:

✔ Evidence-based

✔ Linked to educational impact

✔ Written in language SENCos recognise

✔ Aligned with the SEND Code of Practice

✔ Clear about barriers to learning

✔ Packed with practical, realistic strategies

✔ Suitable for GPs, referrals, and multi-agency professionals

Because of this, schools overwhelmingly use my reports as part of their SEN Support planning and classroom provision.

5. Your report can be used as evidence for an EHCP

Many families choose a pre-assessment because it creates powerful, organised evidence for an EHCP application or a SENDIST appeal.

My reports clearly outline:

• Needs

• Difficulties

• Impact on learning

• Provision required

• Recommendations for support

• Objective scoring from recognised screening tools

  
  

Local authorities don’t require private reports, but they must consider them as part of the evidence bundle.

This makes a high-quality pre-assessment incredibly valuable for families navigating the EHCP process.

6. How to ensure schools listen and act

A good pre-assessment is only one part of the puzzle.Here are the steps that usually make the biggest difference:

A. Share the report directly with the SENCo

Ask for a meeting to go through the findings.

B. Request that the report is added to your child’s SEN file

This ensures it is part of official evidence.

C. Use language from the SEND Code of Practice

Phrases like:

• 'Assess–Plan–Do–Review'

• 'SEN Support'

• 'Barriers to learning' help frame the conversation in the correct, legal context.

  
  

D. Ask what reasonable adjustments will be put in place

This should include strategies from the report.

E. Follow up in writing

This creates a clear record and improves accountability.

7. The bottom line

Your child should not have to wait months, or years, for NHS diagnosis pathways before receiving help in school.

A professional, well-written pre-assessment:

✔ Provides evidence of need

✔ Triggers Equality Act duties

✔ Helps schools plan support

✔ Guides reasonable adjustments

✔ Strengthens EHCP applications

✔ Ensures your child is not “left behind”

You are absolutely entitled to use this evidence to advocate for the support your child needs, now, not later.

If you’d like help, guidance, or a full neurodiversity pre-assessment, I’m here.You don’t have to navigate this alone.