Exclusion (but long but please help!!)

[allaboutasd]

Hi all,

 

I wondered if anyone could help. My 7 year old daughter got excluded from school on her 1st day back (she isn't asd but the schools been a nightmare over the years with my son who is)

Anyway, my daughter had troubles last term - she is generally very good but typically has one outburst a day where she throws pencils etc. The school had her on a reduced timetable last term (they love these things!) and the day BEFORE the start of this term the headteacher rings. She says that she doesn't think my daughter is ready for full time (hasn't seen her for 6 weeks?!) We say we want her to have fulltime education and want to start the term afresh (I should point out that my daughter is literally so easy at home, we have no issues or concerns with her at all) H/T not happy but accepts it.

Just gone 2pm on the 1st day back and H/T rings to ask me to go up (this is VERY normal, whenever there is a problem with one of my kids she calls me to go to the school and fix it).. I told her that I feel it was counter productive for me to go up all the time for my daughter (I accept it when my son needs me as his condition means that he can be incredibly difficult to calm down.) Anyway she then says "well I will go through to see her as I haven't been through yet!"

I go to pick her up as usual at 3.15 and she comes out happy saying she was a bit naughty but otherwise ok (she was v.happy to have been in all day).

At 5pm H/T rings to say that she has no choice but to exclude my daughter for 5 days and that she told my husband when she rang the previous day that "if you don't agree to a reduced timetable I will exclude her at the first sign of trouble!"

 

At the readmission meeting the following things were revealed:

My daughter was excluded for throwing pencils, rubbers and pencil cases (about 3/4 of each) and tearing up her work. Noone was hurt in the incident

Nobody said anything to my daughter when she started doing this - the teacher just removed the whole class leaving my daughter in the classroom alone

The H/T caterogically stated that my daughter was excluded on that inicident alone and the previous terms behaviour had no bearing in the decision

When I asked what other steps were taken before resorting to exclusion she couldn't answer but did later provide me with a list of things tried LAST term.

 

Anyway, sorry for the long post and on to my question

 

I have appealed the exclusion. Appeal will be heard on the 9th September and all info to support the appeal has to be in by tuesday but my question is WHAT should I be submitting? The whole things is overwhelming but I HAVE to win this appeal for my daughter. She was bullied by the kids and then by the staff and she has been through hell. I want us to win this appeal for the principle and because it was obvious that the H/T wanted to exclude my daughter because we a) didn't agree to the reduced timetable and I didn't go rushing up when she called me (I have moved her to a different school and very impressed with their approach so far)

 

Any help would be very much appreciated, we are in Scotland if that is relevant. Thanks in advance

[flappyfish]

I would look on the IPSEA website if I were you. It's very good for giving you advice in specific situations. Even if the rules are different in Scotland, it will give you some ideas. There's also one called ACE (advisory centre for education) which is similar but has excellent sections dealing with exclusion. Hope you find what you need.

[darkshine]

I'm wondering why your is daughter doing this? (is she upset, angry, confused etc) I wonder this because if you knew why, it might help her to reduce these types of behaviour if they are causing her problems at school.

[Lyndalou]

I'm wondering why your is daughter doing this? (is she upset, angry, confused etc) I wonder this because if you knew why, it might help her to reduce these types of behaviour if they are causing her problems at school.

I'm wondering the exact same thing and in addition is her behaviour BECAUSE she has been bullied or was she bullied at the school BECAUSE of her behaviour? Those are two separate concerns in my opinion. Also, do you have specific instances of bullying that you can put forward. If there has been bullying by teachers towards a child I would think that this would be a disciplinary matter if it again could be proved. Implied in your post it sounds like you feel that the teaching staff have been biased towards your daughter because of her brother's behaviour. I have to say that one incident (at least)daily of the type of behaviour you describe sounds like a lot to me, especially when she seems to acknowledge that she knows she has been naughty.

 

It sounds great that you have managed to get your daughter moved to another school so quickly but it sounds like you need to get to the bottom of what has been causing the problems otherwise the same cycle could begin again.

[cmuir]

Hi

 

I'm in Scotland too. What you've said rings bells in my son's first year or two at school. Thankfully, things have settled a bit now that he has a high level of support. Guess there's a few questions that need answered first – has your daughter been seen by an educational psychologist? Does she has an IEP or a CSP? Does she have any support in the classroom? If not, it sounds very mucgh like the school have failed even at a very basic level to acknowledge, identify and then meet your daughter's needs – and so the aforementioned needs to be done. In addition, the Head has not followed procedure in phoning you to sort things out – a child can only be excluded if they are deemed to be a health and safety risk to others, and they are required to notify you formally in writing. Enquire are very good:

 

http://enquire.org.uk/

 

They are a Scottish advice service for children in education that has additional support needs.

[allaboutasd]

Hi, I appreciate all your replies. I was only looking for advice on the type of information relevant to an appeal that I would need to submit. All other issues are under control and she is settling in well to her new school.

The previous school did fail her badly but there is very little I can prove so I am unlikely to chase a complaint, also I am keeping my son at the old school due to him being settled with a good teacher so don't wish to rock the boat.

 

Thanks for all your concern and for those who are interested the issues appear to have been linked to blood sugar levels and the Dr has started her on glucose tablets/sweets prior to running full blood tests.

 

Thanks again

[Lyndalou]

Hi, I appreciate all your replies. I was only looking for advice on the type of information relevant to an appeal that I would need to submit. All other issues are under control and she is settling in well to her new school.

The previous school did fail her badly but there is very little I can prove so I am unlikely to chase a complaint, also I am keeping my son at the old school due to him being settled with a good teacher so don't wish to rock the boat.

 

Thanks for all your concern and for those who are interested the issues appear to have been linked to blood sugar levels and the Dr has started her on glucose tablets/sweets prior to running full blood tests.

 

Thanks again

Glad you've got to the bottom of it!