I will let you know what has been going on with my son and school (Hes 13yrs)
I have always had problems with my son, from the moment he was born. But the professionals just put it down to being naughty.
At the age of 8 he got diagnosed with aspergers, with the help of the headteacher at the school (mainstream school). She referred him to the right people.
He then wwent from first school to a mainstream middle school.
They would not statement him as they said they did not have enough evidence to provide the lEA.
There was problems, especially with change but to a degree they managed him.
He was excluded for fixed days as punishment which made things worse when he came back.
Things got progressively worse in yr 6 and they said they could not trteat him any different as every child would expect to have special treatment, and they still would not put in for a statement.
He starts yr 7 and things went down hill from the start. After about 5 fixed term exclusions for his behaviour, btwm september 06 and November 06.
Which was clearly due to lack of understanding, lack of consistency/routine and no extra help.
Yeah i will admit he was throwing chairs, swearing and being very agressive but he does not know how to act when things get difficult. So he gets violent and agressive.
The end of sept 06 i put in for a statement myself.
In Nov 06 he got permantly excluded from mainstream school and stayed at home until Jan 07 and was put in a pupil referral unit which was only part time.
He found things really difficult and did get 3 fixed term exclusions for assaulting teachers, which was because a lack of understanding.
The teachers at the PRU could see the problems he was having and noticed the autism and really worked hard to accomodate him.
They managed to diffuse situations and he started to settle down.
The statement was agreed and i had to find a permanent school for him to attend in sept 07.
I had advise from CAMHS and i chose the school (there is not much a choice round here).
It is an EBD school and there is only about 5 / 6 in a class.
He got accepted and he was to start full time in sept 07.
They would not integrate him into the school, they gave him one day there in July and then expected him to go full time in sept.
It went wrong from the start. Every aspect of it was different. He could not get used to the change.
They were adament that he would do full time, and would not listen to me when i said it would not work.
After 2 weeks of him running away from school, abusing staff, destroying and barracading himself in classrooms, and lots more they cut his hours to 2 mornings and 2 afternoons a week and 1 day at home as that would be his worst day.
then after a meeting the hours were cut even more as it was still not working and very inconsistent. To 2 hours a day 4 days a week (same times).
There has been numerous meetings and things have changed ie that he does not walk out of school.
He has had 3 fixed term exclusions and when he is difficult they send him home early.
He is only doing 2 hours as it is. So at times he could only be at school for half hour or an hour.
When he does stay there he is never in class doing lessons as they cannot contain him. They are not consistent.
The other week he had been there half an hour wandering around and he was submissive and ajust kept saying , i want to go home. So they said go and do a little bit of PE and we will ring your taxi.
What is that teaching him?
That he can go home and get his own way!!!
I give up with this school. They have tried various things but they just dotn seem to want him there.
They have admitted that they cannot cope with him and do not have what he needs at that school, they have got other students to think about.
There is a big meeting coming up on 30th Jan regarding what to do .
I just want him out , but its were he will go as he is very intelligent and there is not much around...........
I am at the end of my tether with all of it ....
Thanks if you have read to here......... xx
