The Draft Statment has arrived

[Hectorshouse]

T's draft statement has arrived and I have typed it up on my blog, I would really really appreciate anyones opinion on it, I have been intouch with NAS advocacy and am waiting for the call back, and PPS.

 

I have some queries on it

 

> the provision states that the support is to be provided out of the schools budget and the LEA will initially provide 25 hours LSA support ...

> they mention that he has dyslexic-type difficulties ... he has a clear dx of dyslexia and dyspraxia but this is not mentioned

> the medical report states that on supervision grounds T would qualify for transportation, but this is not mentioned anywhere

 

Any advice pointers .. or suggestions of a fine wine would be appreciated, my blog is http://www.asdfriendly.org/blogs/hectorshouse/

 

HHxx

[bid]

Hi HH

 

Well done for getting T's Statement

 

Have you got a copy of the ACE Special Education Handbook? This has a brilliant section on going through the draft statement.

 

I only had time to skim through your draft copy, but one thing that I noticed was the phrase that monitoring should be 'regular'...this needs to be far more specific. Regular can mean anything from once every half term to once a year!

 

Also, my son's Statement goes into more detail in the Provision section on what to do to help him, e.g use of visual timetables, etc...

 

Hope this is a start...

 

Bid

Edited June 28, 2005 by bid

[elainem]

not much time now as off to school but Occupational Therapy can by an educational need/provision rather than medical. This then means LEA should provide. There is a case on the IPSEA website, Bromsgrove I think. Have a look in the case law, if you can't find it let me know and I will post later when get home from work (school...then work) hom about 10m

 

Elaine

[elainem]

sorry end bit should read home about 10pm, typing too fast.

 

BFN

 

Elaine

[Hectorshouse]

Thanks Bid yep got my ACE book, never far from my puter, I am dissecting the statement as well, but I wanted to publish it on the web and all the stages I am going through as a useful exercise for anyone else. There are huge amounts of vagueness on it and I have had some great responses elsewhere as well, which I will follow up on my blog, I have a meeting at school on monday, a post draft post-mortem with all the usual suspects.

 

Thanks Elaine I am off to check out IPSEA for that piece of case law as well, looks like the works really about to begin on this, its been a frustrating time waiting for the new statement, but I determined to get it 'right' this time.

 

Most of what was on the statement I do not think a main stream secondary are going to be able to feasibly provide, which is good news as T is on the waiting list for the ASD school (theres only 2 on it and he is 1 of them).

 

Thanks for the respsonses, I am trying to gather as much and more information as possible, when I rung the LEA today to ask why they haven't included a report for SS they said that they often didn't reply to these requests unless they are involved with the child durrrr T's SW has been involved since the PSP meeting in Dec and we had a core assessment done, although still waiting for the promised respite, and she is fully versed on the problems T is having at school.

 

HHxx

[oracle]

Hi Sara,

 

Can you cut and paste your blog of the Draft Statement onto Campaign? There are two IPSEA members on the group!!!! nuf said.

 

Carole

[Hectorshouse]

No worries will do Carole I had thought about doing it but as it is so long I was worried it might block up the system.

 

HHxx

[LKS]

Hi H H after reading your son's draft statement it makes me realise how pants my son's statement is After his annual review on Monday I really wanted a few things changed to give a more up to date picture of him ready for his transfer to secondary school, but as LEA officer didn't turn up and the primary and secondary schools didn't seem very interested don't know quite what to do.

[nellie]

It might be worth having a word with IPSEA, they will be able to advise.

 

Independent Panel for Special Educational Needs. (IPSEA )

SEN Helpline: 0800 018 4016

Website: http://www.ipsea.org.uk

 

Nellie xx

[Hectorshouse]

hi LKS, I am assuming this was your annual review prior to a phase transfer between primary and secondary school

 

the DfES COP states ...

Annual Review Primary Phase

5:69

All concerned with the child should give careful thought to transfer tween phases. Advance planning is essential. The move should initially be considered at the review meeting prior to the last year in the current school. Thus consideration of transfer from primary to secondary education would need initial consideration at the review in year 5.

 

5:70

At the review in year 5 it should be possible, in most cases, to give clear recommendations as the type of provision the child will require at the secondary stage. It will then be possible for the parents to visit secondary schools and to consider appropriate options within the same or similar timescales as other parents.

 

5:71

In a very few cases the options may not be clear at the year 5 review, in which case it my be necessary to hold an interim or early review in teh autumn term of year 6. Very rarely a child's needs may change after the year 5 review to such a great extent that the recommendations as to the type of provision will need amendment. This should take place through an interim or year 6 review.

 

5:72

Thus for all children transferring between phases, except from early educations settngs, a provisional recommendation should be made in the year previous to transfer so that parents can consider optons at the same time as other parents. The childs statement MUST then be amended by 15 february of the year of transfer in the lifht of the recommendations of the annual review, the parents' views and preferences and the response to consultation by the LEA with the school or schools concerned. There will be no need to require the annual review for such children to be brough forward since the informtion from the previous review can be used. All arrangements for a childs placement should therefore be completed no later than the beginning of March before transfer. it is imprtant for placements to be made and to ensure that parents and children feel confident andsecure about the arrangements in question.

 

5:73

It is good practice for the SENCO of the receiving schol, where possible, to attend the final annual review in primary school of pupils with statements for whom the particular school has been named. It will then be possible for the receiving school to plan a differentiated curriculum response and an appropriate IEP to start at the beginning of the new school year. It will aslo enable the pupil and the parents to be reassured that an effective and supportive transfer will occur.

 

This is all very relevant legislation for your situation, and I think that you need to point all of this out to both your school and the LEA, a nice letter quoting the COP would go down a treat, and ask for a meeting with your caseworker as a matter of urgency.

 

I wish I had sorted out T's transfer and had known then what I know now, if I had we wouldn't be in the pickle we are now in, and T would've been placed in an appropriate educational setting, rather than failing miserably in a poorly equipped and facilitated secondary, that reluctantly acknowledges his AS.

 

Don't mean to preach, but I can't stress how important getting this phase transfer done well means, it will save so much distress in the future.

 

HHxx

[phasmid]

Hi LKS,

 

It does sound like they have paid lip service to your son's transfer. Transition from one school to another is an important and difficult time for any child. For those children with an ASD it is even harder. With effort from all concerned it can be done successfuly - the key word being effort!

 

I know the following won't be much use to you as such this late in the day, but it might help others. In the meantime go make a nusciance (I know thats not spelt right - it's the end of a very long week is my excuse!) of yourself at his new school if that's what it takes. Make them listen to what you have to say. I'd also suggest contacting IPSEA as nellie advised - I think that you have good grounds for a complaint to the LEA as your son's review should not have taken place this late in the academic year. NOT when he is transfering to a new school. HH has copied the relevent section of the Cop that you need to quote.

 

Anyway this may help someone in your position in the future:

 

The following is based on our experiences as parents and Mrs Phasmids role as a governor and our joint knowledge of SEN. All we can say is it worked for us.

 

Even before addmission papers have been issued asking you to choose schools start doing your groundwork. Visit all the schools you are considering. Arrange to go round them on a normal day and see the school at work. Do this without your child. Ask to speak to the SENCo, get copies of the SEN and any other policies you want as well as a school prospectus. Most schools will be happy to do this. I'd be very wary of any that won't!

 

Once you have done that, compare your thoughts on them. Then arrange for you AND your child to visit on a normal day. See how the staff re-act to them and your child to the staff - likewise the pupils. Then, again, sit down and compare notes. If, when the forms come out the schools have open evenings go along. Take a list of any questions you have and take the time to speak to the staff. Then sit and talk it all through (AGAIN).

 

After all that, fill in your form and wait for March (normal time for being told whether you have got the place in the school of preference).

 

Once you know the school, get talking to them. Identify asap the names of important staff if you don't know them already. At this point we took Phas Jr's new school a letter describing him. His likes, dislikes. The sort of things that would upset him and how he would react - how they should react to him. We also arranged for him to have visits to the school in the summer term so he could get to know the staff, layout of the building, noise levels between lessons and so on. This was in addition to the between schools 'Transfer Day'.Through all of that, and the normal academic exchange of information between the schools they had a very good idea of what Phas Jr was going to be like. They told us the 'this is Phas jr' letter was brilliant, whatsmore they circulated it around all staff who he would be taught by - we know this as we saw the copies!

 

We also made it clear we were wanting to work with them. If anything happened at home that may effect his mood at school we phoned them. Likewise if anything happened there that we should know about they were to contact us. We got talking. We all knew each other well long before he set foot in the school as a pupil. It was really worth the time and effort. We knew exactly who to contact when there was (is) a problem and they knew we were there to back them up.

 

Basicaly be careful when choosing a school - don't go on other peoples opinions, whats right/wrong for their child may not be the case for yours! Once you know the school it's COMMUNICATION,COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION!!!!

 

If your child has a statement I would add the following to the above. Ensure you are able to attend the yr 6 review (or yr 4 and yr 8 where applicable) if at all possible and make your thoughts known. If you feel it is nessecary write in and ask the current school to give you the date for the review at the start of the academic year, reminding them -gently- of the relevent passage in the CoP. Insist upon a transition plan being drawn up AND followed. If you are unable to attend you can still make a written submission. As with any annual review you should get a copy of the revised statement sent to you before it is made formal. If you don't like/agree with what you see, put it in writting and tell them so.

 

Hope that helps.

 

 

LKS, give some serious thought to making that complaint.

[Zemanski]

be aware that the transition review is often in Y5 so get looking at those schools early

 

we asked for a meeting with both SEN and G&T coordinators before deciding

 

we also checked bus routes etc with a view to Com becoming more independent in the future - no good trying to get him to change in town when there's a school on a route that stops outside our house and right opposite the school gate with pelican crossings at both ends.

It also happens to be the school with most experience of AS in the city (no more training or understanding as far as I can work out though) and the simplest layout (Com used to get lost at primary school but we made him a mini map for high school - also a mini timetable; they fit in his bus pass holder that he keeps in his pocket)

 

we judged schools mostly on how much of the time Com had his thumb in his mouth (stress), how the staff spoke to him (as a person with a reasonable level of intelligence) and how many times the fascist heads used the word excellence (I hate that word)!

 

and be prepared to have to fight for your choice - many LEAs still try to get around the parental preference rules.

[LKS]

We did have the annual review in year 5 and at that one I expressed my preference for the secondary school for my son. It was agreed that this should be ok and we were offered that place in Feb. But I really thought this year 6 annual review would be looking at the statement and how applicable it will be in secondary. The senco from secondary school was taking lots of notes and told me to phone her with any questions. She was unable to tell me at that meeting how my son will be supported in class and during this transition because they didn't know what their staff situation was for Sep. Phasmid I am getting together a letter and am trying to keep it fairly brief, I am asking for extra visits for son both during and after school. But you are right it is down to how much effort you are willing to put in, and I'm willing to do anything. Also showed them that transition work book that was recommended, they had never seen anything like this before and were quite impressed. I would like to write to the LEA telling them how P****d off I am with them for not turning up at this very important review, would appreciate any ideas

[Zemanski]

Com was given a place late (June) because we had to go to tribunal

 

When we came out of the tribunal where we had been given an immediate decision we met the head and senco.

 

They already knew who Com would be with, and the provision he would get and made arrangements to start the transition measures (visits to new school and work with new LSA in old school) in the middle of the following week there and then!

 

there's no excuse for not being ready for a new child with AS

 

Zemanski

[phasmid]

LKS, I never doubted your effort for one second, (sorry if that is how it read) I meant theirs!!!

 

Sorry but I think the senco is talking cr*p! School budgets are set in April now, and at least where I live the SEN audit is carried out in time for the SEN budget to be set and sent to the schools by then as well. Therefore the staffing levels should have been sorted. I know that many schools are having problems because of workforce remodelling and PPA time. But this should have been sorted by now! It is simply not acceptable to respond like this.

 

As Zemanski says

 

 

there's no excuse for not being ready for a new child with AS

 

None!!

[LKS]

Phasmid I know you weren't doubting my effort, sometimes when I'm in full swing typing my post mine come out a bit a***y .Everyones advice is really appreciated on this forum and helps you realise you are not going completely mad. The annual reviews at our school are all held on the same day, which is always roughly the last week of June. We have compained in the past as this does not give you much time in the school year to sort things out.I feel at the moment I'm always complaining about something to the LEA and to school, but I'm no longer willing to sit back and trust the so called experts to deal with such important issues regarding my children

[littlenemo]

good for you, LKS

 

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you are entitled to call an interim or emergency review at other times - the rules are in the code of practice - I'll look them up when I have more time

 

off out to lunch for the first time in ages

 

Zemanski

[Zemanski]

Code of practice (can be downloaded as a PDF from the DFES website)

 

section 9 is all about annual reviews

 

 

Interim Reviews

9:44 Where a school identifies a pupil with a statement of special educational needs who is at

serious risk of disaffection or exclusion, an interim or early review should be called. It will

then be possible to consider the pupil?s changing needs and recommend amendments to

the statement, as an alternative to the pupil being excluded.

 

also check section 5.68 onwards - there may be times in a child's school career when the arrangements for review might need to be varied

 

 

7:70 The LEA should endeavour to ensure that the parents fully understand the school-based

provision and their monitoring and review arrangements. In some cases, it may be helpful

for the LEA?s Named Officer to meet the parents to explain the position in detail. The LEA

may consider it appropriate for the child?s head teacher or SENCO to be present at such

a meeting. A meeting of this kind will be particularly useful where it is clear that there is

disagreement between the parents and the school about the child?s progress and

attainments at school, the appropriateness of school-based provision or about the need

for a statutory assessment.

 

hope that's helpful

 

Zemanski

[phasmid]

Zemanski, I could kiss you . Been looking for something to help someone and had not been able to find what they needed. You just did

 

 

Mwah!

 

(Only hope your female )

[Zemanski]

glad to be of service

 

PP training is useful sometimes and two tribunals and the ombudsman have given mme plenty of practice with the COP

 

Zemanski