julieann

The only types of school LAs offer is mainstream, ASD Unit, Special School. For those that cannot access mainstream, there is little point them being moved to a unit that then feeds them over to mainstream for certain lessons. Yet this is what the majority of them do. For those children that are cognitively able, they are not suitable for a MLD special school, where the other children have general learning disabilities, but tend to have reasonably good social communication skills. The wording above is meant to be Sally 44's quote.Obviously I haven't got the hang of quoting paragraphs. I notice that with the new SEN changes Academies and Free schools are going to be added to the schools available. Surely these types of schools are run as a business. The're not going to want to take pupils knowing they will need expensive additional services from day one.

I supported at an all girls school for 8 years. Boys seem to socialise differently to girls. I personally think my pupils difficulties with communicating and socialising were made more obvious to them because it was an all girls school. Would you have prefered to go to a mixed school?

Aeolienne I was just saying that I personally found the book useful. Clearly you didn't which is ok as not everyone thinks the same. Regarding your comment p3 "Girls with AS are often mothered by the other girls"...no way! The pupil that I supported with AS in secondary school from Yr 7 - Yr 10 was mothered by the other girls. In a class of 15 nearly all the girls looked after her. If she was upset they would go and sit with her. They were very protective of her. She seemed to like the attention although it did change at the start of Yr 9 when the other pupils were talking about boys and soap programmes. She wasn't allowed to watch the soaps incase she took them seriously and therefore couldn't talk about them. Everyone is different in what they like and dislike. Another AS pupil I supported would have said exactly the same as you "No way! or even Yuck. She didn't like close contact from anyone. Julie

Hi westie, There is a very useful book called Asperger's and Girls. Featuring Tony Attwood and Temple Grandin, plus 7 more experts. It provides up to date information about girls and women with Asperger's Syndrome. Covering such topics as diagnosies, education, puberty,relationships and careers including dating and marriage Julie

Hi Kathryn, Good to hear from you. I know this site helped me hang on to some of my sanity during my 8 frustrating years supporting as a one man band in a no SEN environment. I am a member of NAS but I prefered to get other peoples views and experiences before I decide what to do. I have moved on to college environment which I love. Unfortunately due to the previously mentioned new policy of not supporting non statemented students and the governments stopping of the EMA, I lost 17+ hours weekly last September and only have 8hrs weekly total. I was aware that this kind of practise is unlawful in school settings but I didn't realise that it also applied to FE. How's your daughter getting on?. I seem to recall she went to university? Julieann

Thank-you for your reply's. You've jogged a thought for me Sally 44 mentioning LA . The school has just (September 2012) become an academy does this affect statementing issues?

Hi Chris 54, Unfortunately she is already in Yr12 and is doing retakes which I believe are in the third week of this month. She thinks that she will have to stay for Yr 13 as well because she has already missed the deadline for applying for FE places. This new directive at the colleges seems to be because we were getting so many students needing SEN support and the college can only claim funding back if they are statemented.I think there getting ready for when compulsory education goes up to 18. At the moment school age students can be sent back to school if their behaviour is unacceptable. As the colleges take students from Yr 10 upwards we often needed 2 + 3 supports in one class at a time. I was put in an IT class last year solely to be a second pair of eyes for the tutor so that when fights broke out one of us could go and get help whilst the other one stayed with the class. The schools are hanging on to the students who will boost the league tables and the ones that won't are being sent to college. Julie

Thank-you Sally 44 for your reply, I am a SEN support worker. I have knowledge of the SEN Code of Practise and I studied for 1 year with Birmingham University to gain my certificate of ASD's. My son 22yrs has HFA. My concerns are that when my students parents were told and believed our newly appointed SENCO that their daughter had grown out of her ASD I was so incensed that I took out a grievance procedure against the SENCO and the head who backed her up. In hindsite perhaps not my best course of action. The outcome was that my student still lost her statement and I lost my job. The heads official version being: "Thank-you for all that you have done but the school no longer need a SEN Support Assistant because we aren't having any statemented pupil's anymore". I feel that if I get involved the school will say that it's just sour grapes because I lost my job. I don't have access to any of the schools statements or paperwork on her anymore. As it is school policy not to give support after Yr 11 I'm not sure if the school will have saved her old paperwork. As I recall my students statement was very hit and miss. It hadn't been re accessed since she first started primary school. It hinted at aspects of autism and giving support as though she had an ASD. She also had dyspraxia which isn't visible in her walk but she finds handwriting very difficult and all aspects of PE were a challenge. She was supposed to have 10 hrs weekly support with me but because I had another student in the same class with more severe needs she rarely got 4 hrs with me. Student X did speak to me in Yr 11 after asking for help from the schools SENCO because she was worried about teachers commenting on her poor handwriting and not hearing anything for over 4 weeks The only help she was offered was a laptop which she says takes longer than writing because of the pain in her fingers. She grips her pen and her knuckles go white when writing.She also has back pain when sitting on a chair too long. I always felt that I had let student X down as I knew that KS4 and onwards would be when she would need the most support. As she is now an adult and has always been more mature than her peers you've got me thinking I could at least put together a case for her. Julieann.

English, Maths and Science are the three core subjects.

A pupil with Asperger's Syndrome I supported in mainstream dual placed at an EBD school in Yr 9 and was frightened of the pupils in her class who would suddenly shout out or throw things around. ASD pupils like to know in advance what is going to happen and EBD pupils are often quite loud and angry pupil's prone to sudden out bursts.

I supported a student who was statemented up until Yr 10. Her statement was ended and changed for a CAF form because she had got 7's in all 3 of her SAT's. Her parents were told that she would be better with a CAF form and school action+ although once her statement finished she didn't recive any further support from the school. Having supported this student for 4 years I new that her main difficulties were organisational skills and time issues. I tried to put a case forward for her to keep her statement but the school weren't interested.The family had additional social issues and the school thought a CAF form would help them be rehoused. I no longer work at the school. I work at the regional college. This student is now 18yrs and has had to stay on at school to retake her 3 science exams. She has contacted me and asked if I can help her get her statement back because from september 2011 the regional colleges in this area only give support to statemented students. The family are on a low income and she says her parents can't afford to pay to get her statemented privately. I'm not really sure what advise to give her. She had been statemented since she was 2 1/2 yrs old. I thought that perhaps the CAB would be a place to start.

Thank-you for your replies Kathryn and Tally. I will know more after Friday. Her mum thinks she is really going to struggle with finding carers etc as her daughter can't be left without an adult and her older daughter who mum has relied on in the past has started at university. My pupil has been very unhappy at mainstream school and has been doing most of her hours at the local MLD school since September but there are still lots of issues and anxieties in this setting. Should I ask her mum if she has ever thought about AS schools or would that be over stepping the professional line as her daughters LSA. I do have coffee with her and a chat every month or so. Julieann

Hi all, I hope I'm in the right place. The Yr 11 pupil that I support is due an interview at the end of the week regarding her education after secondary school. Her mum seems to think that she is only being offered 16 hours at college a week over the next two years. She has also been asked I think by connextions to think about what sort of a job her daughter would like to do. Is this what happens as I have no experience of after secondary as my son 20yrs didn't get past Yr 8. I thought she would be offered full time courses or is 16 hours full time? Julieann

Thats interesting. He is a qualified doctor of Optometry. Are his books seen as controversial in the uk or is it also in New York were he has a centre for visual management. Julieann

Hi Cathyz, The problem with Irlens syndrome is that the test isn't available on the NHS for children. This puts parents off taking the test in case after testing their child doesn't have it. You could ask your son's school SEN department if they have any of the coloured overlay sheets that pupil's use in school. Some schools don't keep them as they are £10 for each colour. If they have them they can try each colour with a page of text and see which is best. Obviously with Irlen's testing they can accurately tell which colour lens your child needs. I know this method is used in schools and does help a lot of pupils. I bought a very informative book called Seeing through new eyes Changing the lives of children with autism, asperger's syndrome and other developmental disabilities through vision therapy by Melvin Kaplin in 2006. Quote from back cover: Seeing through new eyes offers an accessible introduction to the treatment of visual dysfunction, a significant but neglected problem associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD's) and other developmental disabilities. Dr Kaplin identifies common ASD symptoms such as hand flapping, poor eye contact, and tantrums as typical responses to the confusion caused by vision disorder. He also explains the effects of difficulties that people with autism experience with "ambient vision" including lack of spatial awareness and trouble with co-ordination.This book is essential reading for parents ofchildren with ASD's and professionals in the fiels of autism, optometry and opthalmology, psychology and education. I found it to be a very interesting and informative read. Julieann

Hi Kathryn, Bit late with this as don't usually stray much from education page. The tone of the letter implied to me that the person it was written to had previously refused to pay for damaged books. Julieann

Hi Kathryn, At the mention of the CAF form I felt that I had to comment. As you already know it is just a form that collects all the information in one place about your child that all professionals have access to. Doctors, psychologists, SALT,SENCo etc. I don't know if you recall that in September 2008 the year 9 pupil that I supported who had been statemented for 10 years had her statement finished after her parents were pursuaded that a CAF form and SA+ would be more beneficial to their daughter than a statement giving 7 1/2 hrs weekly support. Since September 2008 this pupil has had no support at all. Not even a meeting with the SENCo. She comes and talks to me in school occassionally. She is very mature for her age and tells me that she feels that the school have let her down completely. She has always struggled with her organisational skills which are impacting on getting her homework and coursework assignments in on time. Julieann.

Hi Daisydot, Not sure if this helps : The SEN Information Review was part of the wider Lamb Inquiry – Brian Lamb is leading a group of experts to investigate the most effective ways of increasing parental confidence in the SEN system. The full report is due out in September. Julieann

Hi Carrie, I have clicker version 4 sat on my bookshelf. I bought it last year from e-bay and apart from seeing what it does haven't had an opportunity to use it. I thought I was going to lose the bid and ended up winning two from different people. I was going to put it back on e-bay but if your family could use it I would be happy to let you have it. Just pm me your address. Julieann

There was a quite lengthy piece in the Guardian 4th July 2009 about him. I don't have the technology to add it so have pasted small exert. When Alex Goodenough was 13, his English teacher asked his class to write the first chapter of a novel. Alex began writing his, and after chapter one he thought he might as well carry on. He kept writing and writing - about space-faring aliens killing each other - and when the day came to submit his work, he handed in 97,000 words. An entire novel. Julieann

I'm waiting to see what happens with my union. Have started grievence proceedings against head and senco I do know that head and senco have been wanting me out for over 1 year. Came upon a very interesting letter today. I don't know if you saw my post were I applied for internal position of cover supervisor to be told by head that I was not suited because I was more the 1:1 welfare mothering type. This is after having already covered 43 lessons without the heads knowledge. Well I found out why they want me out today. Letter to all cover supervisors: On Friday 4th September there will be Teaching Assistant Training for all cover supervisors, This training will enable you all to feel confident when you are needed in lessons as a Teaching Assistant rather than a cover supervisor. Please would everyone meet in staffroom etc. Julieann

Hi all, I said I'd post you to the outcome of my phone call to union rep. His advice was to e-mail the senco and ask what my September hours were going to be. Unfortunately I used one of the forum quotes that I had received in my e-mail. "the only time we use subject specific qualified tutors for support is for scribes in exam conditions". The e-mails turned into a competition to see who knew the most about scribing or scribbing as my senco spells it. I got called into the heads office this morning for meeting with senco and head re September hours and told my total hours for September 2009 will be 2. Thats another 8 hrs weekly I have lost. A total of 14 hrs weekly lost in all. I asked what about all the whole class support I have been doing and was told that the school weren't having whole class support anymore as it wasn't needed My pupil is still going to be having 6 or possibly 7 Music and German lessons at the school but the head and senco have decided that her autism doesn't need supporting any longer. Julieann

hsmum, In secondary school we have staff with the title of pastoral care for KS3 + KS4. I do realise the boys are primary age. I'm not sure if they have pastoral care for KS1 +KS2 in primary. Julieann