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West Berkshire Council
Data availableSouth East
64
appeals registered, 2024 (official DfE figure)
65
appeals registered, 2025 (official DfE figure)
Data available. At least one Freedom of Information response gives real, extractable figures on tribunal appeals or outcomes for this council.
This council says it doesn't track this. In its FOI response, West Berkshire Council told the requester it does not categorise SEND tribunal appeals as simply "won" or "lost" — most are resolved by consent order rather than a contested ruling. See why that's true almost everywhere.
Thinking about appealing, or partway through it? These are free, independent sources of advice — not run by this site, and not run by any council.
- West Berkshire SEND Information Advice & Support — this council's own free SEND information, advice and support service. Every council is legally required to fund one, at arm's length from itself · 0300 303 2644.
- IPSEA — Free, independent legal advice on SEN law — including EHC plans and tribunal appeals.
- SOS!SEN — Free helpline and 1:1 advice specifically on preparing a SEND tribunal appeal.
- Coram Children's Legal Centre — Free education law advice line, including SEN appeals and EHC plan reviews.
- GOV.UK: appeal an EHC plan decision — The official government guide to the appeals process itself — who can appeal, mediation, costs.
Estimated outcome breakdown
Estimated, not reported
Resolved before hearing — 47 (72.3%)
Contested, council lost — 12 (18.5%)
Contested, council won — 3 (4.6%)
Partially split — 3 (4.6%)
This council's own answer doesn't give a usable outcome breakdown. This estimate applies the pooled England-wide outcome rate (no regional sample was large enough to trust on its own) to this council's own real, officially-published appeal volume for 2025 (65 appeals) — see how estimates work.
Freedom of Information responses
Successful
'In 2019 how many SEND Tribunal did WBC defend?' -- 7. 'How many SEND Tribunals did WBC win that they defended?' -- 'SEN Tribunals are not strictly "won" or "lost". There are several elements of an EHCP that may be appealed against and both parties in an appeal may "win" and/or "lose". However, generally speaking, the number of appeals dismissed, concluded by agreement between the parties or withdrawn by the Appellant(s) prior to a case being heard is 7.' 'At how many SEND Tribunals did WBC secure and use the services of a Barrister?' -- 4 cases. 'What was the total spend on Barrister services by WBC SEND department in 2019?' -- GBP 10,020.00 (excl. VAT).
Caveat: The council's answer to the 'won' question is a combined dismissed+agreed+withdrawn figure (7, equal to the total defended), not a true won/lost split -- read the caveat text carefully rather than treating '7' as a clean 'LA won' count.
Successful
Among several EHCP questions, asks: 'In 2023 how many SEND Tribunal did WBC defend? How many SEND Tribunals did WBC win that they defended?' Answer delivered as 'FoI 2024 490 Lucas Response.docx' attachment, not machine-readable in this session -- no figures recovered.
Caveat: Figures not extracted. Companion to the 2019 request above from a different requester -- if retrieved, would extend West Berkshire's tribunal record to 2023.