Trouble at school!!!!

[Enid]

Was lulled into a false sense of security when DS came home with a certificate for excellent behaviour yesterday, and also email last night which said this week had been brill and he had met all his targets, then at 10am today they rang me at work to say he was to be collected as he had thrown a laminated card at a teacher and was refusing to work, I wanted to shout "thats why he`s there you idiots, cos he does these things" but refrained. I said impossible to collect him, as was at work and cant leave, and it was 2 hr round trip, could he not go in exclusion area, she said well he could but we would prefer you to collect him, I didnt, he would have preferrred that too. Just read email from her now which says,"went on to have a very good day until he was told he wasnt allowed to do activites in the last lesson due to the mornings behaviour, a more senior member of staff will be ringing you later this evening" Oh god, here we go again Enid

[darky]

Good on you for not collecting him! I take it this would have been an informal exclusion? No paperwork? My goodness, if my daughter was sent home everytime she refused to work was rude or threw something like a card, she would never be there! Consequences yes, sent home?? Bit extreme isn't it? Stay strong girley! <'>

[Enid]

Well missed call as was out in garden, message from deputyhead to say they all feel he is too tired to do a full day so as from monday he is on half days!!! no discussion with me, who works 3 days a week , they may review it after half-term, I am soo mad Can they do this? It means am once more tied to the house on days off. Enid

[darky]

I don't know Enid. I am sure others can give you advice. First step for me would be education welfare. You could argue it is Friday and he managed perfectly well all week. I know that children are entitled to a full time education. I would fight it if I was you. <'>

[darky]

Thinking about it, if your son was not there for his PM registration mark, then it would be an exclusion wouldn't it? I hope someone else can give you better advice. <'>

[Karen A]

Well missed call as was out in garden, message from deputyhead to say they all feel he is too tired to do a full day so as from monday he is on half days!!! no discussion with me, who works 3 days a week , they may review it after half-term, I am soo mad Can they do this? It means am once more tied to the house on days off. Enid

 

Enid.I am no expert but '' too tired '' to do full days sounds like an excuse for informal exclusion to me.

I would think either a pupil is tired for medical reasons....or excluded for disciplinary reasons.....

Saying DS has done something wrong but will be on half-days due to tiredness sounds like a rather mixed message.Karen.

[Cat]

OK I need to check this with my husband who works for Network 81 and he is actually away with them right now - but my understanding is that what the school are suggesting is illegal. This is effectively an exclusion and as such needs to be fixed and recorded as such - any other way would make it an illegal exclusion. They can not leave it until half term it needs to be fixed and in writing and copied to the Chair of Governors now.

 

I will check that I am correct with better half who did say that he would ring me before he turned in for the night. It could be late but I will do my best to post up later.

 

Cat

[Enid]

both very good points, will write them down and use them when I speak to the head on Mon, why is it always the weekend when you cant do anything!!! Enid

[darky]

Good luck with it Enid. <'>

[hev]

enid <'> i used to find that it was wkends when things stew on your mind and you cant get hold of anyone

all seems bit suss to me,if your boys like my steve he loved exclusions so it didnt help situation with behaviour at school when he was excluded.

wait and see what your legal situation is when cat posts what her husband says,keep strong though love <'>

[Enid]

Thanks everyone, Youre right Hev, he loves coming home half days! Will take all info with me to work Monday and will phone from there, keep you all posted. Enid.

[Cat]

Hubby says that as long as your son is 5 or over then they can not send him home because he they think that he is tired. He suggests that you ask them on Monday when they are going to give you the notice of his exclusion in writing and for how long he is being excluded. Every half day adds up and eventually they will add up to a permanent exclusion. Unless this is something that you want let them know that they can not do this.

 

Do not let them fob you off whatever they are calling this it is an exclusion.

 

You might find the following helpful.

 

Cat

 

There are two types of exclusion, fixed term exclusion and permanent exclusion. Exclusion from school is a serious step for a school to take. The Headteacher should send a letter within one school day, which must include:

The precise period of the exclusion

The reasons for your exclusion

Your right to state your case to the governors and how to go about this

Fixed term and Permanent exclusions should not be used for minor incidents such as:

Not doing homework

Not bringing dinner money

Poor academic performance

Lateness

Truancy

Pregnancy

Breaking school uniform rules

Poor behaviour from parents

Parent?s refusal to attend meetings

Fixed term exclusion

To find out if you have the right to put your case in person to the governors, you need to check how many days your child has been fixed term excluded.

Fixed term exclusions should not add up to more than forty-five school days in one school year.

Even if you do not want to put your case to the governors, it generally helps your child if you meet with teachers to discuss the exclusion and the future.

If the total is less than five school days the school governors DO NOT have to meet.

If the total is five and a half school days or more, or if your child will miss a public examination, you have the right to put your case at a meeting of the governors.

When exclusions total more than fifteen days in one term, the governors must meet to review the exclusion whether or not you choose to attend.

The governors are able to return to school a child who is still excluded, this is called reinstatement.

Permanent Exclusion

Permanent exclusion should be used as a last resort when all other alternatives have been exhausted. Your child should only have been excluded from school if:

They have seriously broken the school?s behaviour policy

It would seriously harm the education or welfare of themselves or others if they stayed in school

Children can be excluded for behaviour outside school if the Headteacher feels that there is a clear link between that behaviour and maintaining good behaviour within the school.

Only the Headteacher may exclude. If the Head is absent it should be the most senior teacher who is acting as Head.

The Headteacher, before deciding to permanently exclude should make sure:

A thorough investigation was carried out

Give your child a chance to say what happened

Think carefully about the evidence available

Take into account the school?s behaviour and equal opportunities policy

Once the school has sent you official notification of the permanent exclusion, the school will need to organise a governors meeting. The meeting must be held within fifteen school days of the exclusion.

You can put your case in writing to the school governors but it is generally much better to be there in person.

It is NOT necessary for your child to attend the governors meeting.

The governors? meeting consists of three or five governors (none should have any involvement with your case, this could make them biased), a clerk to take notes at the meeting and a LEA representative (Co-ordinator for Exclusions and Pupil Placements).

The Headteacher will present his/her case and possibly any witnesses.

The Chair of the meeting will introduce everyone at the meeting and then ask the Headteacher to present the case and ask any questions. The governors will then ask you to present your case and ask any questions. The LEA representative should make a comment and then the governors will ask everyone to leave, whilst they make a decision. The governors have 24 hours to make a decision.

The governors can decide either to re-instate your child or uphold the Headteachers decision.

[stressedmumto2]

It's an illegal exclusion and Cat has covered it all.

 

My son's mainstream would also do this too him and half a day off does equal to have day exclsuion which does add up if they put it in writing!, once they add up to so many days it can become a permanent exclusion and maybe they are tring to avoid this with just asking you to take him home, however if they are stating he is tired in the afternoons then they need to make reasonable adjustments to allow him to continue to go to school for the full day, perhaps with trying to give him more 1-1 support for the afternoons.

 

I think you definatly need to take it up with the head and if you still don't find it satisfactory then contact the governors.

 

I hope you manage to get things sorted <'>

[Enid]

Wow Loads of useful info, shall be on that phone first thing Monday Morn. Thanx Cat. Enid

[CEJesson]

Thanks for supplying that info above on exclusions, thats a major benefit to all of us, interesting reading.

 

Im appalled, but not exactly surprised by the scenario - it happens so so often. It happened to me (for throwing a sandwich at a dinnerlady once)

 

I cant see how the schoolteachers/headteachers can assume they have the authority to set 'half days' without your consultation? I thought even a normal exclusion (as in total exclusion from the school) had to be given with consultation to parents?

[freedom]

seems like you need to call in the chair of governs and the ombudsman as said the school are not following thier policies or the legal policies they oviously don't wont to admit that thier school can not cope and are in over thier head

 

the same happened to me 4 years ago and the school was charged with neglecting to honour the law and policies and proceedures they were completly un trained and illequipet to cope with my child and rhier actions of exclusion made things ten times worse

 

go to the top and there is a very good and true saying that goes with this too

 

WHO EVER SHOUTS THE LOUDESTS ID HEARD so start shouting but always remember to follow the rules and make the proffesionals to look like the fouls that have no idea

 

stick your ground and DON'T budge

[Enid]

Thank freedom, it is after all a special school, for childen with emotional and behaviour probs. Cant wait for Monday, will keep you all posted. <'> Enid

[hev]

good luck enid <'>

[JsMum]

Enid, it could be that he isnt in the right special school, normally when a child is attending part time in a special school is because they are been intregrated back into mainstream, not been sent home, it does sound like the school can no longer meet his other than EBD needs and maybe a more spersific special school or a more controlled enviroment may be a better placement, J doesnt attend full time, but he gets stressed and distressed with the enviroment of a mainstream school, he would learn a lot more behavioural difficulties in a EBD setting and he wouldnt cope in a severe special school which is why its so hard to get the right provision in place for him.

 

I would start to look into more spersific placements that cater for children with ASDs/higher functioning Autism, there may of been a really underlying reason why he throw the laminated board and refused to work, J is the same but its because he really cant do something requested, and he is so ridgid in his thoughts he cant do what he was asked because to him its wrong, the behaviour comes later when the anger starts to rise and the frustration of not been able to verbalise or be heard when in a working classroom enviroment.

 

I think you have shown the school that they cant just ring you up on a wim and expect you to be there to take him over time all your son will have to do is refuse to work become aggressive and then he will be sent home, J does this already and he already attends part time but they wouldnt dream of sending him home, so if they do reduce it and he still refuses to work and throw things what will they do now, every thing J is doing around school is documented and all the agencies and social services are informed, because if they increase the stress load on your family and home then its only a matter of time where it will be a crisis again because of the increased stress and not only that but it will leave your son in total control and he will have won, until he needs more control and your back to the beginning, so sending him home could increase the difficulties you already have, also if he is tired are the school aware that he actually is taking medication to control his behaviour and that one of the side effects could be drowsyness/tired, if so then they certainly cant send him home but they could provide a area in the classroom where your son could get some time for himself to relax for half an hour and then back to some activities.

 

I would arrange a multie agency meeting and share your concerns over the reduced timetable, J has flexi schooling under my parental choice, he is still recieving a full time education, but in my time its no reading or writing, its practical and usual visits to educational venues, what are they expecting you to do with him in your time, he should be by law be recieving a full time education, if the school cant then they can no longer meet his educational needs.

 

JsMum

[Enid]

Well, rang school at 8.00am after J had gone in the taxi, the headmaster answered, I told him very clearly and calmly that if J was to do half-days it would be an illegal exclusion and that I would want it in writing, there was a silence, then he said we are thinking of your son and we dont want him to fail and he seems very tired in the afternoons, I said well in that case you need to make reasonable adjustments to enable him to attend the full school day, as what J wants is to be at home so he will have won and be in control again, he said I `ll talk to the staff and get back to you. He rang at 6pm and said that he was to stay at school full days, but as he had been so badly behavd today, he left the room twice and threatened a teacher he had to spend the next 2 days in the exclusion zone, they stay there all day even have lunch in there and are not allowed on playground, its automatic if they threaten a teacher, so have explained all this to J, who says well I wont go to school tomorrow then! we`ll see, will keep you posted. thanks all. Enid

[justamum]

Good for you!

 

I like this bit I `ll talk to the staff and get back to you'. Yer right he rang up and found that you were legally right and him in the wrong more like.

[Enid]

Just what I thought, he went today!!! lets see how he copes and if he`ll go tomorrow when he know what the exclusion room in reallly like. Enid

[darky]

Good on you! Parent power yeah!

 

I think you should report this to the LEA though. LEA's claim to want to know about these informal excusions as it is breaking the law!

[jo4themo]

When N was at mainstream they would send her home for the slightest reason - a few times because she was tired, a few because she had a slightly runny nose etc. At the time I just went and collected her, unless I was at work. When I was pregnant with our youngest they finally decided it was a hassle for me so they never sent her home unless she had hit someone - funny thing is, N was dx with AS during that time and started to get some fab support from an outreach worker (from the school she now attends) who had probably pointed out that they shouldn't be sending her home unless she was really ill or was violent. Just shows that some schools think that they can get away with it and us parents don't know any different so don't tend to argue.

 

having said that, my hubby refused to get her unless she was literally being sick!

[Enid]

well I1ve learnt now!! I have also informed LEA yeasterday! Enid

[darky]

Well done, good girl! It's NOT the way to deal with our children!!

[Enid]

No its not darky, being on this forum empowers you He coped well in exclusion room, but its a bit extreme to keep them in there all day for 3 days, he says not going tomorrow but I think he will, headmaster phoned me at 5pm nice as pie, and said its important we all work together, yer right, now he knows he cant bully me. oh well we live to fight nother day, cheers all, Enid

[elun1]

<'> Well done Enid. Glad it's looking a bit more positive at the moment

Elun xx