Guest Tracey L Report post Posted March 14, 2008 Hello everyone. It is my first time here today, a friend told me all about you and suggested i give you a try. My little boy is 5 years old and has aspergers. School has been a disaster since the day he started, he is currently on lunch time exclusion, again! Our parent partnership have been fantastic, they have given me so much time, the lady who helps me even phoned me from home yesterday to see how we were getting on with trying to find my little boy a new school. Any advice? He cannot stay where he is, the local specialist school is full, the one we visited yesterday was unsuitable( according to the dept head). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted March 14, 2008 Hi Tracey, Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear that your son's school life has not gone well so far. Is your son getting any support at all? Does he have a statement of SEN? K x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
purplehaze Report post Posted March 14, 2008 Hello Tracey, welcome to the site. who told you the specialist school was full? sometimes they say that then find a place for a child with a statement because the LEA state the school can best meet their needs. Have you tried looking on the school search Gabbitas website? http://www.gabbitas.co.uk Why is your son on lunch time exclusion? The school are not meeting his needs, has your pp lady questioned this. I would be thinking disability discrimination. Your son needs support at lunch times. Has he any LSA/TA support or IEP targets/statement etc Sorry I have asked so many questions, but I will be able to help you more. Keep posting and you will get support X Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kazzen161 Report post Posted March 14, 2008 >>how we were getting on with trying to find my little boy a new school.>> It is not your job to find a school - it is the LEAs - what are they doing about it? Having said that, obviously you wouldn't want to leave it entirely up to them, as their priorities are different to yours (ie: cost) , so do go and visit any schools you think may be suitable. The LEAs do have a list of independent schools, that they should give you (though this list does not list all the schools). Gabbitas is a good source of information, as are local support groups. If you let us know where you live, we may be able to PM you some suggestions. Be careful with PP - in some areas they are very good, but they are employed by the LEA and may not be as impartial as they are supposed to be. Have the LEA agreed that your son needs a non-mainstream school? Are you sure his current school are doing everything possible to help him? It may be that another mainstream school would be better. What sort of problems are they/he having? Does he have a Statement? Who is saying he cannot stay where he is? Is the local specialist school an LEA one or an independent one? Why was the other one unsuitable? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Tracey L Report post Posted March 14, 2008 >>how we were getting on with trying to find my little boy a new school.>> It is not your job to find a school - it is the LEAs - what are they doing about it? Having said that, obviously you wouldn't want to leave it entirely up to them, as their priorities are different to yours (ie: cost) , so do go and visit any schools you think may be suitable. The LEAs do have a list of independent schools, that they should give you (though this list does not list all the schools). Gabbitas is a good source of information, as are local support groups. If you let us know where you live, we may be able to PM you some suggestions. Be careful with PP - in some areas they are very good, but they are employed by the LEA and may not be as impartial as they are supposed to be. Have the LEA agreed that your son needs a non-mainstream school? Are you sure his current school are doing everything possible to help him? It may be that another mainstream school would be better. What sort of problems are they/he having? Does he have a Statement? Who is saying he cannot stay where he is? Is the local specialist school an LEA one or an independent one? Why was the other one unsuitable? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Tracey L Report post Posted March 14, 2008 Hi, wow! You lot really know your stuff. My little man has got a statement. Basically it says that he needs to go to a school with a social, comunication dept. They said that he could stay in his school, if the school agreed, and that they would fund for additional support. At the moment he gets 20 hours per week, 5 of which are taken up with lunch times. The head mistress said no, he cannot stay. I kind of get the feeling she just wants him out of the school. My little boy is 5 but he is tiny, still in age 3-4 clothes. He has been excluded because the head said she could not "keep her staff safe". She made it sound as if he goes to school with a flick knife in his pocket! Apparently he struck a member of staff, he is not agressive at home at all. He is a bright little boy, can read and tries to write. The lady from parent partnership did mention disability discrimination and i wil be following it up. I feel very lonely, like he is my kid and i should get on with it. When all is said and done he is my little boy and i need to do what is the best for him, but i am stuck. Thanks to all of you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kazzen161 Report post Posted March 14, 2008 He has been excluded because the head said she could not "keep her staff safe". Did she tell you what led up to this "attack"? You often find that when you find out, it is quite understandable that he responded in the way he did, and that it could have been prevented. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted March 14, 2008 Hi Tracey - welcome to the forum BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pearl Report post Posted March 14, 2008 Welcome Tracey <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loobylou2 Report post Posted March 15, 2008 <'> Hi Tracey, welcome to the forum Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karen A Report post Posted March 15, 2008 Hi Tracey Welcome to the Forum. <'> Many of us here have experienced similar struggles with schools and so understand how lonely and frustrating it feels.Karen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clare63 Report post Posted March 15, 2008 Hi Tracey and welcome to the forum, I hope you won't feel as lonely now that you have found us. Clare x x x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites