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fiorelli

Annual Review

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Already!

 

Had a letter through the post on Saturday saying that it was time for Louis's Annual Review, and gave me a date in February to attend.

 

I thought that the annual review had to be done a year after the statement was issued. So as Louis's Statement was finalised in the last week of May, I thought that is when the review should be done. Am I right or not?

 

What happens at the annual reviews anyway?

 

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give.

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Thanks Nellie.

 

Louis's birthday isn't until September, so it wouldn't be because of that.

 

I just hope that because louis seems to be doing well at school, they don't decide to discontinue his statement.

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One thing you could do to prepare is to go through each of the provisions in his statement and decde whether or not you think it is being provided and is it working as intended.

 

You should reopeatedly emphasis that L did not do well in his previous school and this year has only been better because of the extra provision so it would be foolish to put that at risk by watering down provision so soon after the first statement.

 

Simon

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fiorelli,

 

You might find the following useful. Lots of authorities are reducing the reliance of statements but this should not reduce entitlement.

 

Nellie xx

 

 

Ceasing to Maintain a Statement.

 

If there is evidence that the Statement is no longer needed then the local authority can take a decision to cease to maintain it. Such a decision should only be made "after careful consideration by the LEA of all the circumstances and after close consultation with parent" (Code Of Practice 8:117).

 

This would involve consideration of all the evidence arising from an annual review, including whether the objectives of the Statement have been achieved. The local authority must be satisfied that a child's progress can be maintained from the school's budget and without the need for the extra or different help which the Statement provides and without local authority oversight.

 

The Code says local authorities could consider the following when making their decision:

 

� have the objectives been met?

� can the child's future needs be met from the schools resources?

� can the child access the National Curriculum?

� does the child no longer need daily adult supervision or substantial adaptation of teaching materials to access the curriculum fully?

� can the child cope with everyday social interaction at school?

� has the child significant self-help difficulties that require more provision that is normally available within the school? (Code Of Practice 8:119)

 

If the local authority concludes that the Statement is no longer necessary it must write to the parents informing them of it's decision and the reasons and providing copies of any evidence that supports it's decision. At the same time parents should be told of their right of appeal to the Tribunal and the time limits for lodging the appeal. They must also be told of disagreement resolution services and that their right of appeal is not affected by any dispute procedure.

 

The local authority may offer to meet parents to explain it's reasons and discuss the provision for their child once the Statement has ceased. The meeting should take place before the Statement and it's provisions actually cease but if parents disagree with the decision and lodge an appeal to the Tribunal, the local authority must maintain the Statement until the Tribunal makes a decision or the appeal is withdrawn. (Paragraph 11(5) schedule.27 EA96).

Edited by nellie

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Is Louis in Year 5? My son's statement was finalised in May of year 5 and his review was held in June, 5 weeks later. This was because the year 5 review is considered important because the parents get to choose the secondary school and transition arrangements are supposed to be discussed at this review.

 

Lisa

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No he's in year 3 Lisa.

 

Thanks for that excerpt Nellie.

 

I am really hoping that they don't decide to cease to maintain his statement as he is in a special school, and (although I had my reservations in the beginning), he seems to be doing so much better there with 9 pupils to 3 adults rather than with 30 pupilss to 1/2 adults in mainstream.

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fiorelli,

 

I wouldn't think you had anything to worry about. Children in special schools normally have statements.

 

Good luck with the review.

 

Nellie xx

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The Annual Review has to be completed by a year after the statement was issued - so the lead in is about 6 weeks prior to the actual date - more if a school holiday is likely to intervene - this gives time for the school to produce its report to the LEA and for the Lea officer to produce a decison on maintaining, amending or ceasing to maintain the statement.

 

CoP 9.4

 

The purpose of an annual review is to integrate a variety of perspectives on a child?s

progress, to ensure that they are achieving the desired outcomes and, if necessary, to

amend the statement to reflect newly identified needs and provision. In some cases, the

LEA will conclude that the statement?s objectives have been achieved and that they

should cease to maintain the statement. The annual review should focus on what the

child has achieved as well as on any difficulties that need to be resolved.

 

Toolkit section 9

 

The LEA initiates the annual review process by writing to school.

The annual review is in four parts:

1. Collection and collation of information

2. Annual Review Meeting

3. Head teacher?s report of the Annual Review Meeting

4. LEA reviews the statement in the light of the Head

teacher?s report of the review meeting report, and

decides whether to amend the statement or cease

to maintain it.

 

and

 

Summary

LEA initiates the annual review process by writing to school.

The head teacher of the pupil?s school4:

seeks written advice from parents and professionals

seeks the ascertainable views of the pupil

convenes review meeting

prepares review report

Those who must be invited:

child?s parent5

relevant teacher

representative of the funding LEA.

and whenever possible:

the pupil.

and where appropriate:

representatives of the health services

representatives of social services

other closely involved professionals

in the year of transfer ? a representative from the receiving school.

Review meeting normally chaired by the head teacher or nominated

representative.

Review report:

summarizes outcomes of review meeting

sets educational targets

is circulated to all concerned.

LEA reviews statement in light of review report and decides on the appropriate

way forward.

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fiorelli,

 

I wouldn't think you had anything to worry about. Children in special schools normally have statements.

 

Good luck with the review.

 

Nellie xx

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Fiorelli

 

We live in Greater London and my son's statement was reviewed 6 months as a first annual review and then yearly. He is also in year 3 and got his statement towards the end of reception. He has had 25 hrs from the beginning and this has not been reduced( I am known within our LEA for fighting hard!!!). He is in mainstream.

 

Sonia x

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Hi Fiorelli glad to hear Louis is doing well :thumbs: I promised myself I would have a rest from all things educational this week but I just can't help myself :wacko: We are the same as Sonia here. In both my ds's and my dd's cases they actually had a bit written in the statement that said a review would take place after 6 months of the statement being issued. The LEA told me this was to make sure that everything was going o.k. We still had an annual review within the first year. I'm sure they will recognise that Louis is making progress because of the support he is now getting. There is a bit that concerns me in the COP that Nellie quoted, reasons for ceasing to maintain statement.

 

� can the child's future needs be met from the schools resources?

 

My ds has a high incidence (common condition :huh: ) statement. He receives 15 hours of L.S.A. support per week. Now we all know that for these particular statements the funding has already been devolved to schools, so technically the childs needs are being met from the schools resources. Will this be a reason in the future for L As to cease to maintain these particular statements which is what they have wanted to do in our borough anyway for many years now.

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