Hectorshouse

Oh b****r!!!!! I still haven't done mine .... blumming forms ... arggghhhh!!!!!! Oh well will do them tomorrow honest HHxx

TM <'> <'> <'> <'> Hang in there, we're here for you, post when your ready. HHxx

My hair stands up at the front but never at Christmas, New Year or Easter. It only stands up at the back then. My teeth however curl in a most fetching way when I get nervous. This causes problems when I fall downstairs with a lemon curd sandwich in my hand, whilst practising extreme ironing. The best example of how to balance a bycycle on your nose is demonstrated by a Mr IC Spokes of Toronto, Canada in 1932 when he discovered the skill during a torrrential thunderstorm one summer which started when he left his bath taps on. The badger which had burrowed underneath the log cabin on the

Oh Sallya ... It don't sound like the lady speaky the lingo!!!! Hang on in there and give her a copy of that Myths about Asperger's Syndrome that was on a thread a little while ago ... I'd ask her direct what is her knowledge and/or experience of working with children with ASD? HHxx

Yep thats it ... and its absolutely fab, HHxx

T's not long come in and we were just about to do the dreaded Art homework, when he lets me in on the latest events ... He is now doing reading recovery Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 1/2 hour each day, and Wednesdays one is during what would be his art lesson ... so no more worry there and no need to do the dreaded homework also he wil have the option of the 1/2 hour left of each 1 hour lesson to do homework ... so YIPPEE it looks like they have definitely taken on board mine and Autism lady's request. T is soooo happy ing around with relief ... it can be done, it taken a while but this means hardly anymore homework meltdowns ... just need to make sure it gets written the statement. LKS hang in there, if I can get this resolved I know that you can as well. It is the schools responsibility to ensure that your son has a differentiated access to his education, this applies to his homework and how it is supplied to him. HHxx

Fabulous ... I'm so glad the school were so accomodating. A great success and one thing less for your to worry about. HHxx

I kept mine clear and concise and followed a guide from the ACE handbook, detailing areas of concern and quoting the COP, the following is a link to IPSEA's website, it has a breakdown of what to do and a model letter that you can download .. http://www.ipsea.org.uk/sevenfixes.htm#RequestingAssessment Save the huge amounts of information and evidence you have until your parental rep. HHxx

My hair stands up at the front but never at Christmas, New Year or Easter. It only stands up at the back then. My teeth however curl in a most fetching way when I get nervous. This causes problems when I fall downstairs with a lemon curd sandwich in my hand, whilst practising extreme ironing. The best example of

Good luck Das and Oreo, you will be missed and welcomed back whenever you want to. We all need time out sometimes, I think Baddad summed it once as 'autismed out' ... Thinking of you both, HHxx

Fab news xxxxx HHxx

You need to write to the SENCO about this, that will document your concerns, and you can ask her to advise you how she will go about ensuring that all teaching stafff directly involved with your son are aware of his IEP. Definitely put this in your AR report, and get it raised and minuted at the meeting. Spot on ... we spend so much of our time fighting and battling one thing or another for our children, enjoying them and their achievements sometimes gets overlooked. Well done to him for coping with his transition, and well done you for being behind him all the way. HHxx

Well done nemesis for sticking to your guns, it sounds like the school has taken on board as phas said which is really positive. I am publishing T's Student Information Sheet (SIS) on my blog later today and his IEP, both of these go hand in hand and are circulated to ALL teaching staff that are directly involved with T and his year head and HT and Dep HT etc ... T also has special dispensation for exams/tests .. he has access to a quiet room, a scribe and a reader (where necessary). He took part in his first Science Test last week, and completed 75% of the test and gained 38% as his mark (level 4) this is a huge achievement for T, he has never gained a curriculum mark before because he was simply unable to do the tests with his poor literacy skills, even though he knew the subject and the answers ... he just couldn't write them. The SENCO couldn't understand why this has never been done before at his previous schools, and said all students with dyslexia or assocated learning difficulties or ASD should have this access, and it is all part of the DfEs guidance ... I wish all schools took on board what our SENCO is doing. HHxx

We have and do have the same problems with homework, this was brought up in T's AR yesterday. The lady from the Autism Team wanted the school to allocate a time during the school week/day for T to do his homework, but the SENCO insisted that it wasn't such a huge issue, T didn't have to write his homework I could scribe for him and that 20 mins was enough even if it wasn't complete ... not completed ... T has to finish things .... arrrggghhhh and I could write a note on the homework explaining etc ... only if this continues to be a problem would they then go for plan B, homework during school time. I let it go, homework is something that I don't stress about, I have made it clear that any major projects have to be done at school, or else T will become obsessed at home with them, I will where possible help him, considering I work a lot of evenings that will be interesting and partner is about as much use as a chocolate teapot with homework. I'm giving it a few more weeks and then I am going to push again for homework to be completed in school time and get it written into the statement when I get the new draft. We all have enough stress to deal with let alone another meltdown over completely (more often than not) irrelevant homework, T needs a break when he gets home, to get through the day without a major meltdown is success enough for me, and if he has managed to work well during the day then that is a bonus. T had a sleepless night last night over Art homework (he has Art today) but his home/school book clearly states that it doesn't have to be in until the 12th ... T was calmer about it this morn, and knows exactly where the dates are written in his book for when he goes to his lesson first period (it doesn't help that there is a clash between him and this teacher). At the end of the day, I will not fall out with T about something like this, I have too little time with him now, and to spend it battling wills with homework just seems pointless. Good luck LKS, you know your child best, do what you feel is appropriate. HHxx

MIN I don't have much to add at the mo, am shattered from meeting, but you are in my thoughts .. Saying that, I do agree with Carole here in a way, a statement still isn't going to get your son out the door to school, but ... and it is a big but ... he is still entitled to an education and the LEA do have a responsibility for this which so does the school, when I get my awake head on I might have some clearer ideas. I do totally agree with Carole that schools should be made accountable for their lack of support and understanding, they really don't like us awkward parents, but if they were doing their job we wouldn't be the awkward parents we have had to become. Keep the pressure on, we are behind you. HHxx

Just got back, it all went really well, the SALT issue is a stumbling block but I am digging my heals in, the lady from the Autism Team feels that she would be able to cover most of what he needs, and not need further therapy ... I have compromised and agreed, that no he doesn't need a therapy programme, but an assessment would give everyone a very clear indication of the actual level of T's comprehension enabling a successful social skills and communicatin programme to be drawn up with the Autism lady ... The school are extremely positive and are convinced that he can achieve, but as agreed it is only with this level of support from the LEA and teaching staff that T can access mainstream education. He will always have a scribe and reader for tests, which is a great result, previously in Cornwall they were so insistent on the recording being done by T by hand, and if you have read my rep then you'll understand why this so difficult for T. They await his OT assessment next week and are happy to incorporate whatever strategies recommended. The school nurse was there, and has been really useful, since our move to Devon T hasn't been under a peaditrician, so she will get intouch with the community pead and GP to initiate this, as his development needs monitoring ... They are recommending that T remain with them providing they are able to maintain the level of support from the LEA, and also if T can continue to cope in a mainstream environment, they are having tremendous success with his oppositional behaviour and negative outlook, and can see that this will improve with continuity of teaching ans support. It was agreed that to move T would be detrimental to his education and emotional well being, but at the same time he also had to take an element of responsibility for some of the things he does ... ie the swearing ... which is improving and 'fudgey donkey' is now being used by several children as a release word rather than all the F words etc .. The only criticism from his subject teachers, was the way in which he spoke to his TA's at times, they felt that it was often disrespectful but he is getting help to change this, a lot of this comes from his deep seated mistrust of TA's and teachers from his previous experiences .... and if you have been told for such a long time that you are a 'truculent, naughty, bad, rude, etc ... etc ..' then that it what you will, this fortunately is not how they see him, and they are constantly reassuring him of this. They have also praised him up, saying that already he isn't the child he was when he started with them, and that he must work on his considerable charm and good nature as this is the real T. So all in all a good meeting, I await the report, and will publish it on my blog when I get it. Thanks for the support everyone, I really appreciate it, and I know I left it all to the last minute, haven't slept for 48 hours and am shattered now, curling up on the sofa today and doing NOTHING .... no domestic goddess today (thanks simon ... not the kind of goddess I had in mind) going to enjoy the rest of my week off and totally chilling out ..... HHxx

ohhh just noticed posts are at 499 and this'll make it 500 am I gonna change mountain now ??? but I wanted to be a demi goddess

Thanks for the help, and you know who you are, its all done now, parental rep is on the blog and so are the questions from the statement that I will ask at the meeting. I will publish the answers and outcome tomorrow and when the actual minutes come through I will publish them as well on the blog... Just gotta tidy up the paperwork thats everywhere and collate, and save to disk to print out at school as printer died on me tonight ... HHxx

I have just finished my parental rep for the AR tomorrow, and have posted it on my blog, if anyone fancies taking a butchers, honest opinions would be appreciated. huge appreciations, HHxx (my blog is under my signature)

Hi Helen & thanks xx Things are fairly tickety-boo at the mo, except that I've left my AR paperwork till the last minute ... been working overtime over xmas and have only just caught up with things ... AR is tomorrow at 9.00 am ... not too worried though, it won't be like last years, so have just narrowed down my report to bullet points, as the statement has to be amended to name the school as it still states Cornwall. So rather than go through the statement bit by bit I can do that when they send me the new draft and finally get all the bits ironed out that I want. Anyway a bit of a waffle, not really avoiding things, but thanks for the link, I now know why I couldn't remember where it went becasue its ambiguous in that respect, but as T is already receiving transport as it is 'necessary' then they do not have to write it, have printed this info off and am keeping it to hand. HHxx

I'm just finishing everything off for T's AR and being completely overloaded in SEn paperwork I can't remember where Transport needs to be written in on the statement ... is it in Part 4? HHxx

M Eve ... I was just thinking the same thing ... except I'm in the middle of T's AR as well ... not that I'm doing other things to avoid those that are important and soul destroying ... oh no!!!! HHxx

he he he ... have just phoned her and had lots of huffing and puffing down the phone and her final reply was a very miffed we'll see what we can do ... he he he HHxx

Received blurb from statementing manager today ... "please find details of criteria for statutory assessment as discussed. Please note Devon is looking at new criteria but at present is only in draft form" The actual document is called ... Guidance for schools and governing bodies on the identification and provsion for children with Special Educational Needs - 2002 She has only sent me pages 25 - 29 and 40 - 44 The interesting section for me was ... 4.2.4. Before initiating a statutory assessment, the LEA will need to consider clear, recorded evidence from the school as details in paragraph 1.0.4 above. The school will need to provide evidence that the child has significant difficulties due to his/her autistic spectrum disorder I only have from 4.2 onwards, so will be on the phone for the whole guidance ... interesting that it is the school that has to provide evidence of the childs difficulties .... HHxx

Curra I agree with that as well, T had to go through re-dx due to an inadequate SENCO and EBD bod from the LEA that wanted to relable him ADHD and medicate .. result was that the dx was the same as it was before and no ADHD medication was recommended surprise surprise ... HHxx