GOT IT!!!!!

[jools]

i haven't had chance to read it properly yet.....need to wait for kids to go to bed.

 

but we have a propsed statement which basically says lea will fund 10hrs support for a teaching assistant to be used flexibly (don't like that word!!) alongside other strategies (not exact words but similar)

 

if i post the main paragraph later would some of you mind reading and commenting on it?

[jools]

ok......kids quiet so here goes

 

''G's mainstream school should make the following provision for him: In order to secure this the local Authority will provide funding equivalent to 10 hours per week of Teaching Assistant time which the school can use flexibly in conjunction with other devolved and school based resources to meet his needs. It should be noted that these resources can be delivered in a variety of ways such as small group, individualised support, etc so that the actual time when support which will be available in his class may well be greater than the level indicated above.''

[jools]

sorry but i have another question

 

G is in yr 5.

if the school take on an extra ta working 10hrs a week i'm presuming this will be 2 hours a day to cover maths and literacy (guessing)

what happens the rest of the day???

 

and what i'm worried about more is when he moves to secondary school.

i know i can't use that as a reason for wanting more hours now but if we found he couldn't cope with all the change a secondary brings, such as change of classroom for every lesson, would it then be possible to increase the hours

 

i know this a long way off and i know i'm rambling but my brain is in over drive

[pumpkinpie]

I would say it isnt sufficient. What are your sons needs is it mainly ply and lunchtime, does he need the curriculum differentiating? flexibly means the school could use to the ta on other duties which do not support your son.

I think it sounds very whooly!

[UltraMum]

Well done and congrats for getting the proposed statement

 

ok......kids quiet so here goes

 

''G's mainstream school should make the following provision for him: In order to secure this the local Authority will provide funding equivalent to 10 hours per week of Teaching Assistant time which the school can use flexibly in conjunction with other devolved and school based resources to meet his needs. It should be noted that these resources can be delivered in a variety of ways such as small group, individualised support, etc so that the actual time when support which will be available in his class may well be greater than the level indicated above.''

 

Extremely woolly!

 

The school will make the following provision ...- not should!

 

Flexibly ... how can that be monitored and worked practically - could be used as 2 weeks of 2 1/2 hours and then a week of 25 hours ...!!!!

 

What 'other' 'devolved and school based resources'? What quantity of assistance would this provide?

 

I would suggest getting IPSEA to have a look ...

[Karen A]

Hi I agree with the others. The bit you quoted is too vague and it is worth working to get it tightened up.When we got a statement last summer we argued that more hours support were needed [than the 15 we were offered] on the basis that Ben needed support with activities throughout the day-not just numeracy and literacy.Look at whether your child needs support at unstructured times like break time that can be stressful.

It is worth pushing for the maximum support you can-it is easier to reduce it than to increase it later.Karen

[lisa]

If you find the level of support isn't sufficient in secondary and you request more hours the LEA can say no and you have no right of appeal. I'd go for as much as possible now. If he's in year 5 now, secondary transfer is a valid reason at this point to request more hours. It's often at the end of year 5 transition review that hours are increased in preparation for secondary.

 

Lisa

 

p.s. congratulations of getting the statement!!! <'> <'>

[jools]

thanks for the replies.....they are a great help

still have more questions (sorry!)

 

ipsea are closed until 3rd jan.....the date i'm supposed to have this back for!

 

any ideas on who else i could contact?

 

i was thinking of calling a meeting with the lea anyway but really wanted it looking at first.

do you think i should call a meeting anyway?

Edited December 21, 2006 by jools

[V1971]

Try PARENT PARTNERSHIP, I am not sure if they work during the holidays but it's worth a shot. Good luck!

[Karen A]

Hi I think it is worth contacting your officer at the LEA to ask for longer to consult and obtain advice in view of christmas hols.Failing that if you ask for a meeting then it will not be until January now.You do not have to say at this stage what you wish to discuss.This will buy you some time.Even after the meeting you would get more time to respond or could ask for further meetings.This seems reasonable to me in view of the fact that schools.Eps etc are all on holiday.I would not send in a response until you have solid advice and are sure about what you would like changing.Karen

[splosh]

Agree with Karen - ask the LEA for an extension - they are very good at bringing up controversial school-based matters just before school holiday times.

[Kathryn]

Congrats Jules!

 

Agree with the others, don't be rushed. Ask for a meeting date which gives you enough time in January to get someone to go over the statement with you beforehand.

 

Then try to forget about it and have a relaxing Christmas!

 

K x

[jools]

thanks........will ring lea in the morning to ask for an extension.

[jools]

thanks for all the replies.

i now have an extension till 15th jan so don't feel as stressed as yesterday!

[Karen A]

Hi that is good news.I hope you can enjoy christmas without the worry now. Karen

[tsmom]

you can ask for a meeting if you do so within the time scale it gives you longer to sort things out.the nas looked ts over.

[splosh]

That's great news about the extension - well done for ringing and challenging it...first battle won!

 

Good luck!

[jools]

i've been talking to a friend today who has worked in a primary school with a fairly high percentage of children with a statement.

she believes that the lea (she is in a neighbouring lea) would normally expect the school to provide more hours out of there own budget, preferrably matching it.

for example we have been offered funding from the lea for 10 hours per week.

she would expect the school to employ someone for upto 20 hours a week (this is normal procedure in her school)

i know for a fact that the school do not intend to employ anyone for more than 10 hours a week.

when i mentioned we had a proposed statement and the lea were offering 10 hours both the senco and deputy, on seperate occasions, said 'that will be 2 hours each morning then'

 

i beleive they see it as employ someone for 10 hours a week, 2 hours a day and thats there job done.

no other support will be offered.

the TA's in teh school are not class based so will not be available in his class on any afternoon to support him in any way.

all TA's take small groups out of class on an afternoon for reading intervention which he does not need.

 

i am ringing the lea back on tuesday to request a meeting and also ring ipsea on wednesday

 

does anyone have any more advise please?

[Karen A]

Hi again.I can try to explain what happened with Ben last Sep.The statement said that Ben would be provided with a band of funding [that is equal to about 15 hours].However it also said that the school should top up using the funding already delegated.In Ben's case this equals support for most of the school day.

We were provided with advice by the statement monitoring officer at our LEA when negotiating with the school re what top up would be provided.I think it is worth asking for clarification if you decide to ask to speak with the LEA officer.If you do not have a very clear idea of what the LEA are comitting to it is difficult to challenge the LEA or school later if you have concerns regarding support.Karen.

[Karen A]

Hi I wnted to offer a bit more advice that may help.Remember that the funding is provided for your child to support their statement.So if your child does not have difficulties during literacy but needs help Eg with social skills then a TA could use time in the afternoon to work on social skills.The school need to be flexible if you have specific funding-they should not just have the TA around in the morning because that is the norm.The specialist SALT advised us that children with ASD often gain more from support in the afternoon or even at break time-as unstructured times are more difficult than the numeracy and literacyhour which follow a routine.Karen

[jools]

thanks karen

 

i really need clarification on what the school are going to do to 'top up' what the lea are willing to provide

[Karen A]

Hi again.It is certainly worth getting clarification re what the top up will be.Get it written into the final statement if you can.Karen

[jools]

our meeting with the lea is next wednesday.

i feel nervous!

[pumpkinpie]

have you spoken to ipsea yet.

As far as I was aware the statement should cover your sons needs ie if the lea provide 10 hours but he really needs 15 the statemnt should say 15 and not 10. Funding is not your concern, its for the school to negotiate,however you do need to makesure the the statemnt covers his need.

Hope that makes sense!

[Karen A]

Hi I wondered if you have had any help from parent partnership.Our advisor was very good and provided lots of support at our meeting.Karen

[Kathryn]

have you spoken to ipsea yet.

As far as I was aware the statement should cover your sons needs ie if the lea provide 10 hours but he really needs 15 the statemnt should say 15 and not 10. Funding is not your concern, its for the school to negotiate,however you do need to makesure the the statemnt covers his need.

Hope that makes sense!

 

Absolutely.

 

The statement must set out all the educational provision your child needs, regardless of whether it's being delivered by the LEA, school, NHS or whoever. The law states that the LEA "shall arrange" the special educational provision specified in the statement. This means that whoever's budget it comes from, the LEA is ultimately responsible for making sure the provision in part 3 is in place. It's up to them, not you, to haggle over hours etc. with the school.

 

Have a look at this high court judgement from the IPSEA website which spells this out. Note the point that the LEA can obtain agreement from the school to fund some of the provision but only after the statement has been finalised.

 

And here's a good quote to hit them with from the SEN Code of Practice: (para 8:34)

 

"the second sub-section (that is the part headed Special Educational Provision to meet needs and objectives) should specify all the educational provision the LEA consider appropriate for all the learning difficulties identified in part 2, even where some of the provision will be made by direct intervention on the part of the authority and some of it will be made by the child's school from within its own resources, and some may be made by the health authority"

 

Good luck with the meeting,

 

K x

[jools]

i spoke to ipsea yesterday but i didn't really find her very helpful. she said she could listen to me read out the bits i was concerned about, which i did, but she didn't really tell me anything i don't already know, such as getting them to quantify things.

 

i haven't tried parent partnership and i probably should but i've turned so cynical and suspicious of everyone

i have her number and she works in the same office as the lea officer who is coming to see me on wednesday. how can anyone who works in the same office be as independant as they should be??

[Karen A]

Hi I know that experiences of Parent partnership by people here vary from very good to plain dreadful.I think the theory says they work at arms length from the Lea. Must be a very large office then. Karen