Kazzen161

School action is where your child needs more help than other children to make sufficient progress. This help is given by the school (eg: small group work/interventions). Your child should have an IEP (or provision map). When your child has been given this help and are still not making sufficient progress, then the school looks to outside professionals for help and advice (eg: autism outreach, OT, SaLT). This is call school action plus, and the child shoudl still have an IEP (or provision map). Different counties may also have their own criteria for SA and SA+, but they should still comply with the above.

If there are any other units that you can visit, do so. Units vary a lot in how they are set up and how much time they expect the children to spend in them.

Even special schools have to offer the full curriculum. I did find this: http://www.governornet.co.uk/linkAttachmen...7%20-%20pdf.pdf see Curriculum: point 54.

Is it a standard special school or an EBD/BESD one? I can't see that a standard special school would have the expertise to help this child. Where are the LA suggesting? You need to prove that your school cannot meet his needs (as per his Statement) and that you have tried everything that you possibly can, and show that the other school can (I am presuming the special school have a place for him and are willing to take him?).

Your friend's only concern is her child - therefore, she must get the provision he needs put in the Statement. How the school provides it is of no concern for her - if it is in the Statement the school must provide it - any financial issues are for the school and LA to argue about. It sounds as though she is going to have to fight to make sure the school do provide the help, but if that help is not specified in the Statement she will have no chance of getting it provided. If the school are really saying that they cannot meet the Statemented needs, then she should be looking at more specialist schooling (which is going to cost the LA a lot more).

In our area, I agree with Chris - you have more chance of getting help if you word it that it is for the benefit of the child, rather than for respite for you. The carer's assessment and the child 's assessment are two separate things, so you need to be clear which one SS are doing. Did the SW actually do an assessment when she came before? Did you get a copy of that assessment? If so, check what it said - depending on the wording, you might be able to argue that a new assessment is not necessary - that you have tried the voluntary agency as requested and they now need to review the situation. I am also not sure why you have to wait a year to be reassessed. I woud check this. If they say you can only be assessed once per year, but this was not explained to you at the time of the first meeting, then I would complain, as you woudl have been less likely to agree to try the voluntary agency if you had known that was it for a year.

Yes, his progress should be measured against his previous levels - however, he should be able to achieve the same levels as peers of the same ability with the right support. Expectations should be based on his ability - they can't just choose to give up on him. During the diagnostic process (of dyslexia), they find out which particular areas are weak, which helps staff to know how best to help him. If a child with learning difficulties also had impaired hearing, would they not bother to get his hearing assessed and provide appropriate aids? Even if your son never does achieve age appropriate levels, surely knowing how to help him will ensure that he achieves as much as he IS able? All children should be enabled to achieve their potential.

There should be a dentist that deals with adults with special needs - probably based in a hospital.

I am not sure what type of school this is or why the SWM was the only rep from the school. Had they not already told you that he had been restrained/held? I would have concerns if they were not telling you when this happens.

I am not sure what argument he would use to stop you taking him. Did your GP refer him on? So the GP thinks he needs to see someone else - he would have to argue that the GP does not know what he is talking about. If your son does not have AS, then the paed will say that. It coudl be argued that your ex is preventing your son from getting the right help. It may be that you agree to go with "traits of Aspergers" or similar. I had an issue when my eldest son was dx, as the psychiatrist said all parties had to agree - me, the school and my ex. My ex was like yours - refused to admit my son had any issues (but he was not the one getting called in by the school!) - I think he thought it reflected badly on him. In the end the psych got him to agree to "not disagree" and T was dx AS. Even when T was going to a specialist residential school, he did not accept he had AS. I think it took him 10 years to come round to accepting it. I can't remember my ex being involved when my youngest was dx with "aspects of AS" - no-one asked his opinion and he did not come to any of the appointments. Re: your son - bribery works usually!

Feather, have you got a copy of the school's Complaints Policy? - that will tell you how complaints should be dealt with (it may be on their web-site if they have one). You can get a copy from the school office (ask for their SEN Policy as well, and maybe their Single Equality Policy - get them worried!). Generally, not all Governors will deal with the complaint, as there needs to be some untainted Governors for further up-the-process. It may be that the SEN Governor would be involved too. The other option is a "6 day letter" - sent to the LA saying they have 6 days to rectify the fact that the provsion as per the Statement is not being provided (see IPSEA web-site). In what way is the Head threatening you?

I was told that for a speech and language school the primary diffiulty had to be S and L, not ASD. Different S and L schools are different (some have lots of children with AS, so are good at dealing with it), so you would need to visit to find out. One example: the S and L unit I visted insisted that the children spend more than 80% of their time in the mainstream part and they did not supervise the children at break times, whereas an ASD unit would probably be more flexible and understand our children need help at break times. The unit did offer some social skills training, but did not offer life and independence skills.

Have you visited these schools, as they are all very different? When I visited Heathermount 8 years ago it had a very unique ethos, which would not have suited my child. If you let us know where you live, we coud PM you some more suggestion of schools.

I also thought that this was true, but my friend's son changed secondary school at the end of year 7 and repeated that year at his new school. Nothing was said about needing to go back to his correct year later on. Just ask the new school.

If your child has a Statement, he must still be given the provision (support) that is specified in the Statement. When the school is looking at using its funding, Statemented children always get first priority. Some LAs give additional SEN funding for children who have Statements, over and above the delegated funding.

I presume that the LA are saying that there is a closer school that would also be suitable, and they are only agreeing to name your choice of school if you pay for the transport. There are two sides to your argument - that this school IS the closest suitable school (because their choice of school is not suitable) and on costs. I rang my son's exisiting taxi firm and they gave me approximate costs for both schools. Have you asked your school if there are any other children being transported in from your area? Do you know why the cost difference is so big (eg: shared taxi/escort?).

I think the two year criteria was for GCSEs. There are different rules for SATs and GCSEs, some concessions are easier to get for one than the other. The children I work with usually have a scribe and/or reader for SATs.

Councils always do this. They give short notice (or hold it after school hours), so it is almost impossible for us to organise childcare, etc to get there. Few people turn, up so they tick their "consultation" box, and say people must be OK with it as not many people came to dispute it.

Try http://www.jcq.org.uk/attachments/publishe...RAG%2007-08.pdf I can't find a newer version.

Have you tried splitting the tasks into very small steps, and using it like a tick list, so he can see the progress to independence? Maybe tie it in with backward chaining (where you aim for the last bit of the task to to be done independently, then the second to last, so he always gets the "reward" of finishing the task on his own). so eg: if a task consists of steps x,y and z do x with help, do y with help, do z with help (3 times) " " do z on my own (3 times) " , do y on my own, do z on my own (3 times) do it all on my own. Maybe add in a "minimal prompting" stage. Re: TV - could you tape his programmes, so he can earn the right to see them (quickly or slowly depending on his behaviour), rather than losing the right to see them.

Our LA used to allocate SEN funding according to actual SEN in the school, but schools had to fill in forms and justify what level each child was at, which took lots of time. They now do it by a figure which includes the index of deprivation and number of free school meals. This is why it is important that parents register as eligible for free school meals, even if they don't actually want to have them.

>>I am writing to confirm that there is a place available for XXXXX at XXXX XXXXX School from September 2010. You should contact the Headteacher to discuss admission details.>> This could be taken as there is a place, but the school/LA/you have not decided to accept him/it yet, (and therefore contact the school to sort out if it is suitable) or that he will be going there. Definitely call the LA or the school to find out what is going on.

LAs always say things like that - but it is usually a lie and often illegal. Get the policy and see what your rights are.

Is it a mainstream school? If so it may be that the letters are generated automatically. Call the LA and ask what is happening.

I hope the school have now sent off the review report (I think it is supposed to go off within 10 days, and no amount of admin shortage is a reason to delay it). I presume the LA have agreed to amend the Statement, and you are waiting for them to send it. Keep hassling them.