Preparing for Annual Review

[BusyLizzie100]

The meeting is in eight days. I have already sent in a parental report, and have received the school's report, prepared by the SENCo. (DS1 is in Y8 at mainstream secondary).

 

I have quite a lot of issues with the SENCo's report, such as what she has said about strategies in place and how well they are working...

 

And just to give a flavour of the kind of comments made by teachers, the drama teacher says: 'I do not have any problems with X. It is difficult to make further comment as his Annual Review targets are not applicable to drama.' Eh? Is not drama an ideal forum for learning self-expression and communication skills? What about the social elements required in drama, and the sensory implications of noise, movement and proximity to others? What about gross motor skills? I'm appalled! :angry:

 

After reading the SENCo's report I emailed the professionals involved with my son to find out who is coming to the meeting and make sure that the SEN officer will attend because I don't feel his needs are being met. The SENCo subsequently rang me; there was talk of her having to divide her resources appropriately among the pupils, that she understood that I wanted the best for my son, and me saying that I just want his needs met and if school has a problem with funding then it should be discussed at the AR...

 

I've since made further notes that I feel MUST be discussed at the AR, such as the fact diagnoses of AS and Anxiety Disorders are established and not up for debate, whatever the teachers think! That the statement MUST be read and provision MUST be made, that any debate over funding is not my concern and that the LA MUST ensure the provision is in place; that if any necessary provision is removed from Part 3 to suit the school's budget then we will appeal to SEND...

 

Question is, should I now send these notes off as additional to the parental report, or save them til the meeting and make sure they are discussed then?

 

Lizzie x

 

PS I haven't received the Advisory Teacher's report yet and have a feeling she will produce it at the meeting, although we should have had it 2 weeks before...

Edited October 25, 2010 by BusyLizzie100

[Grace]

Hi,

 

One main point of having the reports 2 weeks before the AR is to enable you to seek advice and send in any comments about the reports. I think only you can decide if tactically it would be better to keep your notes until the meeting - if it is more about opinion instead of hard fact, you might be better to hold it back until the meeting?

 

I would not allow any last minute reports - you can refuse to allow them to form part of the meeting quoting the COP i.e. don't allow it to be handed out in the meeting or discussed - awkward, but they know they should not be doing it!It will ensure that the next time they will make sure you get them 2 weeks beforehand!

 

Good luck/x

[westie]

hmm is it law, or just good practice, that you should get reports two weeks before, as my son has been statemented all his school life (he is now in secondary school) and I have never had any reports in advance??.....sorry to hijack your post Lizzie, just havent heard this before and its my sons review at the end of Nov.

Thanks

[BusyLizzie100]

hmm is it law, or just good practice, that you should get reports two weeks before, as my son has been statemented all his school life (he is now in secondary school) and I have never had any reports in advance??.....sorry to hijack your post Lizzie, just havent heard this before and its my sons review at the end of Nov.

Thanks

 

Regulation 20(7) (2001 Regs) and CoP 9:17 - copies of all the advice received must be circulated at least two weeks before the review meeting.

[westie]

Thanks for the reply. much appreciated.

[Grace]

Regulation 20(7) (2001 Regs) and CoP 9:17 - copies of all the advice received must be circulated at least two weeks before the review meeting.

 

Hi BusyLizzie,

 

It might be an idea, to go through all the things that they are not doing right and note down the relevant part of the COP/law so you can hit them with that when they come up with their excuses in the meeting?

Fore-warned is fore-armed, so there are definitely benefits for not putting in your arguments beforehand on paper, but instead waiting for the meeting and asking for it all to be noted for the record.

I don't think there are any legal time limits for parents submitting their comments for an AR, so in theory there is nothing stopping you dropping a summary of your concerns into the meeting at the end?

 

Hope it goes well - Annual Reviews are very much a 'school production' being in their own building, with their own staff and their own reports - not easy to 'win' especially when they get to write up the minutes of the meeting too - 'selective hearing' is rife!

 

Please let us know how it goes/x

[BusyLizzie100]

Hi BusyLizzie,

 

It might be an idea, to go through all the things that they are not doing right and note down the relevant part of the COP/law so you can hit them with that when they come up with their excuses in the meeting?

Fore-warned is fore-armed, so there are definitely benefits for not putting in your arguments beforehand on paper, but instead waiting for the meeting and asking for it all to be noted for the record.

I don't think there are any legal time limits for parents submitting their comments for an AR, so in theory there is nothing stopping you dropping a summary of your concerns into the meeting at the end?

 

Hope it goes well - Annual Reviews are very much a 'school production' being in their own building, with their own staff and their own reports - not easy to 'win' especially when they get to write up the minutes of the meeting too - 'selective hearing' is rife!

 

Please let us know how it goes/x

 

 

Yes I think that's all very sound advice, thanks very much! :notworthy:

 

And to make sure it isn't all biased towards the 'school production', we have a marvelous note-taker coming with us too, worth her weight in gold. IT gives us a chance to concentrate on the action. Actually I don't think I've ever been at a review meeting where school has formally minuted it, it's usually the head or senco making notes to use in the report...

 

Lizzie x

[Grace]

Actually I don't think I've ever been at a review meeting where school has formally minuted it, it's usually the head or senco making notes to use in the report...

 

Lizzie x

 

Well that is often the norm, but if the LEA rep is there and you spot him/her taking notes, request a copy, because I can almost guarantee that they'll magically appear if you end up at SEND and let's just say you might not agree with their version of events!x