New Educational Psychologist

[bluejean-genie]

Hi everyone,

Nat only going into school on occasional days,

Today we received Nat's Ed Psych report which is 5 pages long.

I couldn't believe after all the fighting we've done, that we could have such a caring professional who was willing to support us

He found Nat's reading and spelling ability was above 17yrs of age while some other tests were between 6 - 8yrs of age. this was besides the other ASD difficulties. He feels school needs to carefully look at their curriculum and also the teaching groups they put him in. School have now requested that Nat have a statutory assessment. The EWO is also trying to get the school to let him stop the troublesome lessons, but she said not to hold out too much hope as school won't want to appear to back down. She did feel it was important to get him into school again especially as he has never had any time off before exclusion unless genuinely ill.

I am going to keep all my fingers crossed for a favourable result.

[Jericho]

Hurray for the new Ed.Psych!

 

Fingers crossed here that it all goes really well for you and Nat.xx

[Helen]

A pat on the back for the EP!

The EWO is also trying to get the school to let him stop the troublesome lessons,

Is anyone else trying to get the school to let Nat stop attending the troublesome lessons, or is that just a different matter that the EWO's is trying to address?

but she said not to hold out too much hope as school won't want to appear to back down

When is the school going to learn??? This isn't some kind of a win or lose game!

 

Bluejean-genie, have you mentioned these concerns to the EP? If the EP felt this issue was going to impact on Nat's mental health and well-being in some way, he could make a recommendation in his report for Nat to be disapplied (withdrawn) from the troublesome lessons. This disapplied time could be used to address any of his SEN issues.

Edited February 8, 2005 by Helen

[bluejean-genie]

Hi Jerico and thank you for your reply.

 

Hi Helen and thank you,

 

The Ed. Psych read and retained Nat's own views regarding "his school issues" (Nat had told me how he felt and I had wrote it down) he went through them with Nat. He has mentioned in his report, that the school have to look at what Nat has said regarding these lessons. unfortunately the school apparently feel that if they allow him to drop these lessons, then what other lessons would he ask to drop next

The Ed Psych said if he was the Head he would disapply him from French and PE but in his report he doesn't mention this, because he felt it was really up to the school until he is statemented. (Nat has already agreed to go into RE after being reassured by the ED Psych he didn't have to believe in anything that was being taught.)

I have also been informed this morning that the two detentions he was given two weeks ago for things he was unable to do (drawing and graph work) have been waivered after the EWO went to a meeting yesterday one less problem regarding his school attendance.

[mossgrove]

It make me want to howl with frustration when schools don't want to be seen to back down.

 

 

 

Why can't they understand we are not playing games but trying to get the best for our children?

 

Simon

Edited February 8, 2005 by mossgrove

[Helen]

Hi again bluejean-genie,

 

I wanted my son to be disapplied from the modern foreign language classes because he has a significant problem with understanding the English language. When I received Daniel's proposed Statement I had to disagree with it, it was pathetic. A few weeks later I met with his LEA case worker to discuss my own proposals.

 

The LEA case worker told me that in order for Daniel to be disapplied from the foreign language classes I would have to contact the EPs department, so that he could make an added recommendation for this to be written in the final Statement. I said that I had already made my concerns known to the EP during the EP assessment. Anyway, I did as the LEA case worker had suggested, I phoned the EP on a number of occasions but for some reason he was always out when I phoned and he didn't return any of my phone calls. I wrote to the EP, but he didn't respond to any of my letters.

 

Even though the headteacher decided that Daniel ought to be disapplied from the language classes, I wanted this to be officially noted in his final Statement, because otherwise this could have been viewed as a temporary disapplication. I received fantastic support from the Head of the SALT department, she provided a documented report on how difficult it would be for my son to participate in the foreign classes due to his language deficit, yet even with this support I still couldn't get the LEA to amend the Statement to reflect this advice.

 

A few months later, I eventually managed to get the Statement amended to incorporate the disapplied lessons, but you wouldn't believe the hassle I went through just to do this.

 

If the disapplied time is something that you feel is necessary for you son, pester the EP to make this an official recommendation.

 

Whenever a child is disapplied from a lesson, the child must be provided with alternative support elsewhere. The obvious alternative would be for the Senco/ the SEN support teacher to do some SEN work with the child.

 

If Nat were to be disapplied from the French and PE lessons, this would only reinforce the fact that your son has SEN issues that need to be addressed. If he had to participate in these lessons and struggle along, it would make his SEN needs look less severe than what they are...

[baddad]

Hi Bluejean -

 

Good to hear there's some real positive stuff happening with the new EP, but aint it just ###### typical re the disapplications?

Now this isn't a very positive suggestion - there's so many positive options you could be exploring if the school would only take it's head out of its a***, but trying to work with what you've got I'd just make it very clear to Daniel that YOU have absolutely no expectations of him in those particular classes, and that he need only 'go through the motions'... It won't help with the stress involved in attending, but at least he won't feel pressured regarding the work...

As I said, not a 'good' solution, but perhaps the best you can make of a bad situation. Hopefully, at some later point the school will get off it and actually try to help...

Best

BD

[bluejean-genie]

Hi Simon and thank you for your reply.

 

Hi again Helen,

thank you for your reply, the school have said they wouldn't know what to do with him if he was disapplied but what I can't get my head round is the fact that the French teacher herself suggested he be disapplied from her lesson, but the headteacher has refused ???

 

hi baddad,

I have told Nat that he can't be good at everything!! so to do what he can in French. but he totally refuses to go into PE because of the name calling, swearing etc. nothing I say will persuade him and he told the Ed Psych this.

I am now waiting to see what happens once the school have digested the Ed Psych's report as this report is so much more significant regarding his difficulties than the one they are taking note of, which was completed when he was 7yrs old.

I am so proud of Nat because he still wants to try to be in school despite all the stress it is causing him. He says he doesn't want me to homeschool him as I am his mum not a teacher and anyway he says I would be worse than his teachers. (I am not that bad! honest)

[Helen]

the school have said they wouldn't know what to do with him if he was disapplied but what I can't get my head round is the fact that the French teacher herself suggested he be disapplied from her lesson,� but the headteacher has refused ???

Blue-jean genie ,

 

You have your answer right there - the school wouldn't know what to do with him during the disapplied time. I'd like to say that I'm shocked by this attitude, but in all honesty I'm not shocked in the slightest. It's about time the school made a real effort to try and work something out for Nat - it's about time it got off its lazy, good- for- nothing backside

 

Doesn't Nat's school have a Senco? Or is he/she the Senco in name only? I would have thought that the Senco would have been the prime individual to have some idea of how to deal with a SEN child during any disapplied time - I may be wrong????? Perhaps I am wrong on that count - I read somewhere that in one school their Senco was the administrator - question the Senco's qualifications and experience, he/she may not be up to the job.

 

The EP's report would be valuable, the EP should make certain recommendations to support Nat during the disapplied time. Does your LEA have an Autism advisory teacher, for this person to go into school and advise the school on how best to support Nat? There is help out there, it may be difficult to find, but there shouldn't be any excuse or buck passing where your son and the school is concerned, over the matter of meeting his needs during any disapplied time.

 

Also, the French teacher - her comments should have been taken into consideration and recorded by the EP as a valuable contribution - has the EP quoted the French teacher?

Edited February 9, 2005 by Helen

[Helen]

I am so proud of Nat because he still wants to try to be in school despite all the stress it is causing him.

All credit to you Nat!

[bluejean-genie]

Hi Helen,

The Senco is really good but I was told she unfortunately can't be behind the teachers all the time regarding Nat.

I suppose in all fairness to her, I think the problem has been that Nat 's last assessment when he was 7yrs old came out as he was "brainy but stubborn" so everyone has felt over the years that he could do things if he wanted to, so they labelled him "lazy" So I suppose that the Comp. was told that as well??

I also think that as we have just acquired a new Headmistress, that may also be part of the problem!!

The old headmistress disapplied him from Art lessons.

The ED Psych wrote that the curriculum and Nat's views need to be carefully looked at.