Home/School book

[KateBall]

My ds is 10 (asd) and is in mainstream junior school. Up until this year we have had a home/school book to report things back and forth (not that they did it very efficiently) but this year none has appeared as yet - despite my asking. I just wondered how many of you have them for your children? I know our SALT would say it is necessary and we have a meeting with her and school in a few weeks so will bring it up again then with her support if not before.

 

Do you have one and how well are they completed?

Thanks for the info.

[Kazzen161]

As a parent and LSA, I know that it varies a lot. Some teachers are very against them (no time, no point) - some are very good.

 

Personally, I find them very useful.

[Flora]

Bill used to have one when he was in mainstream secondary school. It was very useful and used regularly. It was extremely useful for the tribunal and made up a vital part of the evidence.

 

Flora

[soraya]

I agree with Flora, Nicks old school/home books were vital for evidence when it came to fight for a statement. I would urge anyone who is having trouble with school to get one. Make sure the teacher signs it !!!!!!!!!

[single autie mum]

they should definetley give home school book its only takes teacher 5 mins a day my son has one hes in special needs school though but its invaliable when r is anxious and dosent feel able to tell teacher his self also they can tell you any probs and good things cant the senco arrange home schoo book for you or ed pysch if your child has statment could you get it ammended at review to include home school book they have to provide the contents of the statement by law good luck <'>

[jlp]

In ds#1's last mainstream school the book varied on his class teacher as to how well it was filled in - in Y2 it was every day but in Y3 the teacher wasn't keen, eventually gave him one but never wrote in it.

 

He's just started Y4 in an ASD unit and the boys all have books, are checked straight away and always have a comment in, even if it's only a few words.

 

Ds#2 (no diagnosis) has just started Reception in a mainstream school and after a week, he's already been given a home school diary!

[KateBall]

Thanks all thats very helpful. I just didn't want to go and make a fuss at school if it wasn't the norm and I was expecting too much. I shall go and make a fuss!

[joybed]

They all have them in Ms mainstream comp special needs or not. They are really for writing in their homework, recording awards etc and have thier timetables in them. We use Ms for informing his tutor of any issues at home and either she or his LSA acknowledge that they have seen it and what action has been taken. Used it this morning as he had a massive meltdown before school saying he isn,t coping with lessons moving between classes etc. I wrote a very rushed message and his tutor telephoned to say she had seen the message, discuss the issue further and had sent a memo to all his teachers asking them to observe him and be positve about lessons etc she has also instructed his LSA to be more directly involved as he doesn,t ask for help apparently. It has proved useful for us as like most ASD kids M will hold it all in at school and then let it all out at home, so as far as school are concerned he is a great success story.

[Clareo2003]

Yeah my son has a home/school book and most new terms it needs reminding the school of getting him one.

My son has to have his homework ect written down by the teachers as he is unable to copy correctly or to listen to teacher and write it down correctly.

 

The teachers also write in there if Ty has had a bad day ect.. this is great for evidence!!

[cmuir]

Hi

 

My son has one. I think in theory they're an excellent thing. However, in practice, I know for certain that it's not been filled in giving an accurate account of how he's coping. Time and time again I've mentioned it, but my concerns seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

 

Caroline.

[KateBall]

Well I managed to persuade the class teacher but it seemed obvious that they were reluctant to do it and the way he looked at the HT I suspect she was very much against it. We have found it so useful in the past even when not filled in very well. I will persevere - 5 mins doing it is hardly that time consuming is it?

[JsMum]

Well I managed to persuade the class teacher but it seemed obvious that they were reluctant to do it and the way he looked at the HT I suspect she was very much against it. We have found it so useful in the past even when not filled in very well. I will persevere - 5 mins doing it is hardly that time consuming is it?

 

 

I have had past experience of home school book, in one past school they would be very restraint in the truth and write has had a good day!!! ok that really tells me about his learning, social, emotional, behavioural issues doesnt it, when why was it then that I had kids coming to me telling me Oh J did this, J did that, J got sent out of lesson Js Mum, then when I requested information from the Teacher I got the I cant tell you incase you will ask me to help your son but disguised in Oh yes that is true Mrs Mum but we have sorted it and tomorrow he is staying in at break times, nothing more said and told he wasnt discussing it in a corridor and then he reported me for harrassing him in front of other parents, I gave up completely on that school and removed him.

 

Some schools will be honest and say it how it is and hope its good evidence at tribunal others will deny and hide the relivant facts and information in fear it will evoke the funding issues, Personally I would look at how your relationship is with the school and if they are supportive and understanding, if they want to actually in fact help you, if it looks like its going to be getting blood from a stone I always wonder how can you trust the school even if a statement materialises and if continued needs are assessed, monitored and addressed properly.

 

What are your main concerns of how your son is behaving in school, what it is that you want to proove or have reasurrances on?

 

The best evidence I have used is a whole three terms Zero Tolerance behaviour modification Programme a previous school used, this was a detailed assessment, observation and monitoring evaluation sheet, that scored his behaviour throw out the whole day, every day, and took just 2 mins to complete in each session, registration and break time.

 

I would be very careful of anything you write in the book also as it could be used negatively like when I stated J didnt settle until gone 12am, in a multi agency meeting they put in that J doesnt go to bed until gone midnight, they didnt look into the reasons or why his behaviour was effected and that it wasnt he went to bed at midnight, it was that time before his challenging behaviour had actually sub sided and mostly throw exhaustion because he had worked himself into a right tizz wizz and Im sure if it wasnt for pure exhaustion he would of continued.

 

So be very careful what it is you want the evidence to say and how it will portray the situation for you at home.

 

JsMum.

Edited September 18, 2008 by JsMum

[KateBall]

Thanks JsMum that was really helpful. The fact is we have had bad experiences with the school over the last few years - not all the time but at times and no like you I wouldn't trust school at all. My experience so far has been one of imposed strategies - no co-operation or seeking advice from us. Very arrogant I always think. My worries about him at school included the way they would "punish" or "blame" him for things having gone wrong when the truth is they set him up to fail - eg getting told off for kicking someone when it happened because he was stressed in a crowded and noisy hall because they were in for the rain (when they should have given him his own quiet space). When you don't get informed about these incidents you can't get the information out and correct any injustice or change things for the future. Provided they mention things in the book I can try and get to the bottom of it. I've been assured that they will mention things and I think the fact that I have challenged things in the past has made them question why my ds does the things he does and try and avoid them. At long last I think I have made them see that. His teacher accepted yesterday that my ds reaction to something last week was directly because of something the teacher did wrongly in trying to get him to do work at an inappropriate time. Hooray - see you can sometimes change them!!

I also want to know about out of the ordinary things in school so that I can prepare for the reaction at home. Eg changes in routine or teacher etc. However the meeting I had with the school yesterday was very positive so I will try and look forward. And I have got my way on the home-school book and will see how it goes. Thanks for warning me about what I should write in the book - good advice.

[Sooze2]

WE had one for DS for the first couple of months of year 3 because he wasn't settling into juniors very well to say the least! They were quite good with it but then it was deamed not necessary and stopped.

 

I asked for it to be started again during the last term of year 3 and it never came, now that he is in year 4 they still won't start the book up again. Autism outreach are coming in on monday to see a few children so lets hope I get to speek to them and see if I can get this book sorted so I know what is going on at school!

[bikemad]

I have asked repeatedly for one but still dont have one.