Carrera74

I have found out today that the LEA have sent DS's papers to the independent school we have asked to be named to ask if they named their school could it meet DS's needs and if it could are there any places. The school have written to say they are unable to give a firm guarantee that they can meet his needs as he has not been assessed by themselves and they want a more comprehensive EP report as there are discrepancies between the annual review and the EP report - I have queried in the past too. They have said there is a place available in the school and DS doesn't appear significantly different to their other children but they want these further assessments before they will say for certain they can meet his needs. I have been unable to take my DS to the school for assessing as they will only accept a LEA referral. I don't know what will happen on Monday now I know the panel won't be able to name the school we want if they are not saying for certain there is a place for him.

LEA want to name a MLD school with mainstream link. They haven't shared how they want to do this. I imagine they'll surprise me with it at Tribunal a week tomorrow . MLD school say DS is too bright and we went to visit the mainstream school that we think the LEA will suggest. They said they think they would struggle with his behaviours that appear when he is stressed/anxious but said they would be more than happy to 'give it a go'. DS goes into year 9 in September. I don't want to 'give it a go'. He has missed so much and I want it right this time. I don't want to be in the same situation in 12 months time. The HT at the mainstream did wonder how it would work between the two schools. Has anyone any experience of this type of placement?

I have been through tribunal before and have one coming up a week on Monday. I really didn't know how it would go last time. On the day they were unsure whether the school we named or the LEA school was the right school for DS. The panel did go with the LEA's choice of school in the end. The two weeks waiting for the decision was hell

My parent partnership officer is suggesting I contact SENDIST to arrnage a case manaegment hearing but I'm not so sure as our hearing is a week on Monday. The LEA have just decided to name a school that isn't really suitable with a mainstream link. I have no idea how this will work and PP suggested the case management route because of this. I'm visiting the mainstream school today so going to contact SENDIST later on. It never ends....

Just another question..... The LEA have agreed with the majority of my requests for part 2 and 3 of the statement as they are factual and I have the evidence to back it up. They are refusing to quantify though as they say that it is more relaxed in a special school setting. Would this be the same if my son is dual placed? Surely he would need any support quantifying in a main stream setting? I'm going to see the mainstream school today. I really have mixed feelings whether this would work.

Hi, I'm going through this too at the moment. We had a meeting arranged by the disagreement resolution service. Their details should have been on the statement covering letter. If not ask your LEA for the details. This meeting is to discuss and hopefully rectify your concerns. The working document is the statement with any amendments that the LEA have agreed to to. We have our hearing a week on Monday and I am still waiting for sight of ours. It should be available and near enough agreed before the hearing as I believe no time is set aside on the day to discuss the statement content.

And now that they are coming up with something that has been mentioned before it will hopefully give me time to get some more evidence together.... I'm not sure when their deadline is to tell me what their plans are and for them to send their additional information. I sure hope they aren't allowed to just turn up on the day and spring it on me. They certainly didn't want to tell me what the County Moderation Panel had decided. It was like getting blood out of a stone. Parent Partnership are being amazing. He really is taking a lot of pressure off me with ringing school and the SEN team. He's been a star! Is dual placement a common thing? I'm not sure how a school that says he is too bright and a mainstream school would work - the whole point of him having special school named on his statement was because it was agreed he wouldn't cope in a mainstream environment. I just wish our LEA had a school for higher functioning ASD! Grrrr

Thanks I needed that! The hearing has been postponed to the 26 July. I have finally found out the outcome of the county moderation panel meeting (after many many calls, emails etc etc). They have decided a placement at the MLD school (that said he is too bright) with a mainstream link. It feels as though they are trying anything rather than give him a place at the school that is perfect.

Thanks for this. I have (I think) pretty much all these questions answered. I've just received the costs for the school and I can't believe how much they are. I think I work in the wrong area...! Today has been awful. I haven't known if I am coming or going and to top it all off have had a run in with DS who took himself out of the house and turned up at his Dad's; who he hasn't seen since Easter. It was DS's birthday a couple of days ago and his Dad hasn't even rung or text or anything. I feel like I've had a kick in the teeth. I do everything I can for him and his Dad just puts up with him as and when he can bothered. I'm needing a very large glass of wine

Thanks for that Grace. The LEA sent their availability for the hearing and I said I would be available for any the dates they could attend. I didn't expect it to be this short notice but didn't realise either one of us could say we weren't' free as hubby is trying to get the time off as he works shifts this is difficult at such short notice. I so hope the county moderation agree to our request this afternoon but I know they won't. I'm sure they'll have another hurdle for us to jump over first!! LEA said he cant' attend as he has a disagreement resolution meeting the same day - it didn't stop them rearranging my DRM a few weeks ago! They said that the SENDIST are supposed to contact them for their availability... which they did but LEA are saying there's a gremlin in the system. They also said the statement isn't in a working document and that won't be done on time either. I'm fuming. It seems that there is only me that does anything grrr! I've contacted SENDIST again. They haven't had a request from the LEA tribunal office and they said that when they do they will ask my thoughts then pass it to the panel judge and make a decision then.

I am still waiting to be able to think straight... I'm sat on my bed surrounded by all sorts of papers and questions that I need to ask the ASD school. I have got an extension to the deadline for further information - tomorrow at 5pm - so I have a little time to play with. Just got a message from the LEA. They have definately been caught off guard too. They are investigating how it can be moved to Friday and are going to see what it's all about as the LEA rep isn't available Friday and he won't have chance to check the statement by then either.... They gave their availability for July and I said I would work round them as I needed to sort this asap. I have no idea now whether they can get the date changed?!

Our hearing originally scheduled for October has been brought forward.... to this Friday!! I am taking 5 mins out as I am running around stressing as the additional written evidence must be with the Tribunal by 5pm today!!!! I have contacted them to ask for a small extension as I didn't expect to get a free slot until September. Even the SENDIST lady I spoke to was shocked at the short notice. She thinks someones case has obviously been sorted out without the hearing so I have their slot. The County Moderation Panel sit today and I have been told that I won't hear the outcome until tomorrow at the earliest. I have asked to find out today or first thing due to the hearing now being held on Friday. I have also asked AGAIN for the statement working document. Apparantly the LEA haven't yet seen it although it's been emailed to them 3 times!! Luckily I waited for the postman this morning!!

Thanks everyone. The MLD school we were told to visit said their school is not the right one for him. It's a lovely school and DS liked it but he is already at the level they hope their children leave at. It wouldn't stretch him at all all and although he said he is happy to repeat work there he would get bored I'm sure and the downward spiral would happen again as he isn't being stretched. I have requested an independent placement at a local school that has an ASD unit attached. The main school is mainly ASD too but they have a unit for those that are struggling in the main classroom. I think it would be perfect but I don't know what will happen now. The panel told us last month to visit 3 separate LA schools before they would consider an independent placement and all have come back and said they are not suitable. I hope that they agree with our choice but it's costly so I imagine they'll think of something else for us to try!

Thanks JsMum. We went to the school and had another look around. The HT said she felt the school would meet DS's autistic needs but he is much more advanced than the others. She said that DS is already at the level at which their children aim to leave at. She was going off DS's year 6 SATS. I've contacted the SEN team and it goes to county moderation panel again tomorrow. I have asked for an independent school which has an ASD unit attached which I think would be helpful as he hasn't been in school since March. The independent said they would place him there and then integrate him into the main school as he got used to the timetable. I have no idea what will happen tomorrow. I didn't expect the panel to ask us to go and visit MLD schools so I hope that the fact that we have and they have said no will help them to name the school we want - one that can meet his special needs and will stretch him.

Thanks everyone. We had our disagreement resolution meeting on Friday. One of the MLD schools and another BESD school say they can't meet DS's needs. The other MLD say they want to meet him today to decide. I have visited this school and it does seem a lovely school but my only concern was that the whole year is working at a lower level. The HT said this to me twice on the visit. DS's behaviour deteriorated at the BESD school as he was bored with repeating work and I worry that if he does not get stretched at the MLD school then we will be back at this point again in 12 months time. He'll be going into year 9 in September so he needs it the right placement this time

Me too!

I am starting to look into independent reports. Would any of you that have had these done let me know which ones you have gone for. I am thinking about EP, SALT and OT. I already have NHS/LCC ones but feel that independent ones may help further. Especially now the LEA are trying to name a MLD school. We have requested an ASD specific school.

Yes they're definately not going to name an independant without a fight. They are suggesting 2 local MLD schools which they have never mentioned to me before. I've questioned why they have changed their view that a BESD school is no longer suitable but a MLD school is. My parent partnership officer said they usually only change this sort of thing if an EP suggests it. The EP didn't mention it to me either at the urgent review. I have requested an earlier tribunal date as DS is at home. I received an email yesterday from LEA asking for availability in July. Looks like it's full steam ahead

Yes we had a look but felt really rushed round. We only saw a bit of the school and although I liked it, DH didn't think it was the right peer group for DS.

He's higher functioning ASD and is a bright lad. If the right support is in place he does brilliantly but unfortunately he's not had this support for the last 18 months so has gone back to the level he was in year 6 (he's year 8 now).

The County Moderation Panel have decided that as the BESD school didn't work they are now going to name a local MLD school. I have had no knowledge of this type of school. Does anyone have experience of these types of school for ASD children? A MLD school has never been suggested before so I am not sure what to expect. Can anyone help?

The county moderation panel sat yesterday and I am waiting to hear what school they are going to name on DS's statement. The disagreement resolution meeting has been put back to 5 July as the HT at the school he has on his statement currently couldn't attend next week and the LEA aren't available til July. I had hoped he would have been in a suitable school before they broke for the Summer holidays He has been out of school for 3 months now and he is getting further and further behind. We had decided to wait until the outcome of these 2 meetings before going ahead with an independant EP assessment but it looks as though we will need one afterall. Just hope I can get this in place sooner rather than later. We went to visit another independant school yesterday too. It's was classed as a BESD school but has an ASD unit attached to it and the classification has now been changed to ASD provision with children who have assoicated BESD/learning difficulties. It's perfect (and also very expensive!). Just off to write to my new MP. Worth a shot as they last MP round here ignored me!! Grrrrr. So glad it's Friday, roll on hometime and wine time!!

Yes I am. I sat for 40 minutes pressing redial the other day. I work full time so really struggled to find an office to use and took my lunch break early. I think I am going to need to take a days leave so I can sit pressing redial!

Well they are opposing…surprise surprise!! I am appealing against part 2, 3 and 4 of the statement. The LEA say they are satisfied that part 2 accurately describes my DS’s needs as identified from the advice then available and that part 3 sets out the provision required to meet those needs. They said they will review it in the light of any new evidence which is presented. When I filled in the original appeal form I sent 2 pages of information which stated what I wanted adding/amending or taking out. I only used the advices that was part of the statement process and also referred to the ADOS/SALT/OT/EP etc etc that we have got after the original statement. Is this not the new evidence they should use? They are also saying the school they have named is a suitable school but indications are that the placement has broken down so they will look for a placement at an alternative county special school. On my original form I said I didn’t know what school I wanted but the type I wanted – a special school experienced in teaching children with complex ASD and associated BESD needs. Again the County feel that my son’s needs can be met at their named school. My son’s case goes to County Moderation Panel next week and I have asked the SEN officer what school do they have in mind for him now – no reply as yet. When I met the SEN officer at the last urgent review he asked me what school I wanted and I named 2 independent schools which I feel would be perfect for him. He said at that meeting that he didn’t think County would go all the way to appeal. Well they are! We have a Disagreement Resolution meeting in 2 weeks time where I guess we will discuss all this and in the meantime DS is sat at home with only 2 hours a week home education support from school. I need to get through to IPSEA as I have a feeling the LEA are going to run rings around me again I have been trying but have had no luck at all.

My DS knew something wasn't quite right and I think it helped (in the long run) knowing what it was that made him different. Don't regret things you have done. Like Justine says, he would have clicked eventually and perhaps that would have been worse?