Secondary school.

[chris54]

Now into the second week of secondary school. So far all seems well. They changed sons grouping at the end of the first week, to start with they had focus to much on his academic ability and not enough on the support he needs to achieve it. He has dropped french and is doing more maths and english.

 

In primary he got an award for his knowledge in science but putting that knowledge to use in the class room is entirely a different thing.

 

I do have a few misgiving about the school, its our local mainstream school, a satellite to a much bigger school in the next town. In his year there are 4 tutor groups each of 20 children, it seems well staffed with TA. There's a lunch time social club (with staff supervision) which he goes to, instead of just aimlessly walking round the playground.

 

He has a statement for 10 hours support a week, (despite our and his primary schools best efforts to get it increased) now funded through delegated funding. This 10 hours support is being achieved mainly by group support over the whole curriculum. I know not everyone agrees with this approach, but for our son I feel this works best, but will be keeping a close eye on how things are going.

 

But the most important thing is that he is happy to go to school and so far comes out of school with a smile on his face.

 

One thing that I have noticed, which stands out, at primary I was one of 100 parent meeting there child from school, now I'm stood there all alone.

[caci]

This sounds like a promising start.

 

Just a thought, but to preserve your son's self esteem, could he cope with you meeting him somewhere other than just outside the gates ? Is there somewhere a few yards away where you could wait ?

 

If he isn't ready for that, could you go into the school (so it looks like you are meeting with a member of staff) and then leave with your son after the main rush of kids have left ?

 

Kids like ours are picked on so much for TINY differences, and I can see having mum waiting at the school gate being one of them.

[chris54]

 

 

Just a thought, but to preserve your son's self esteem, could he cope with you meeting him somewhere other than just outside the gates ? Is there somewhere a few yards away where you could wait ?

 

If he isn't ready for that, could you go into the school (so it looks like you are meeting with a member of staff) and then leave with your son after the main rush of kids have left ?

 

Kids like ours are picked on so much for TINY differences, and I can see having mum waiting at the school gate being one of them.

 

Well it Dad actually.

 

There is no school gate as such, the school is on a private road which serves it and a primary school.

I wait across the road. Its a one way road with very few cars and a hand full of school coaches using it so its relatively safe for him to cross.

I have and will continue to try and get him to walk some way down the road but we are talking about a boy who does not go into the front garden on his own and we live in a quiet road where you seldom see anyone.

[caci]

OOOPs - sorry Chris

 

(I didn't read your profile and just assumed you are female, my mistake !)

[DMM]

Hi, My son is in his 2nd year at secondary school and i also have to take him and collect him. He also comes home for lunch 4 days a week as he doesn't feel able to stay, although we are working on it. Ours is a busy school on a busy road and lots of kids get picked up so it's less of an issue for us than it was in primary school. Hope things continue to go well for him. The last year has been great for my son, instead of tears and panic attacks, he actually enjoys school now he's getting support. Obviously there are still little problems that crop up, but things are always dealt with. Good luck!

Debbie

[KezT]

I've gotta say, DS is doing really well at secondry too - even better than I expected He has attended every single lesson, completed his homeworkon time, and amazingly, got himself to and from school every day

 

It was so worth all the effort to get him there, and a great relief to be proved right about the whole thing

[sesley]

for our wonderful academy.the support for learning is excellent. they e mail me for any problems and updates. He seems to enjoy things and is less stressed at going as he gets used to the new enviroment and changes.I wait for him at the school gates as well.just because he is still so vunerable and immature,but i am working to towards him walking himself.in the mornings i see him across the main road and he follows everyone else into school and the walk home he either runs ahead of goes across the other crossing and catches me up or catches up with big bro a good distant ahead.little steps at a time to build up confidence .

[Kathryn]

So far so good Chris, hope all continues to go well.

 

Selsey, good to hear of an Academy doing things right by a child with SEN.

 

 

K x

[chris54]

So far so good Chris, hope all continues to go well.

 

Selsey, good to hear of an Academy doing things right by a child with SEN.

 

 

K x

Not sure I said but his school is an academy. Iv gone into this on here in the past, but the main school was historically (over 100 years) a "state" school but always independent of the council and became a academy 2 years ago when it took over two other schools, one being our local school. It makes a big play on its SEN provision. I must say that so far they seem to be living up to this claim. My son is, in some subjects being taught in classes of 12 or so, all his classes have a TA. Only criticism I have at the moment is the number of different teachers he has in the week, 13??

 

Our council want all school to be academies, they have even gone as far as giving to job of setting up and running two new SED units to existing academy schools.(which I'm told gives the council very little control over them)(much to the horror of many) Apparently the units are not separate, stand alone units but fully integrated into the whole school(S), whatever that means. All part of there reorganisation of SENs provision. Basically To decentralize all SENs provision to save on transport costs.

 

I have heard that our school, or at least the main site is in the running to set up a SENs unit.

Edited September 17, 2011 by chris54

[Sally44]

Keep a close eye on things.

 

You could check what the delegated funding is for each child. I thought it is usually around 15, and if both you and the primary school thought he would need more hours, then it might be worth having another word with them. But you would need to be quite specific in how those hours would be used. Does he have access to a SALT or EP at all who could advise on how best to use any additional hours?

 

I have a son who also has average cognitive ability, and on recent assessments was around 3 years advanced in some areas. Yet he cannot get his ideas down on writing due to difficulties relating to ASD, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia etc. The independent EP said that there are lots of adjustments that can be made to allow a student to record their learning such as completing questions that already have the answers and you need to tick the correct one. Answering questions orally, using a laptop and learning to type or using voice recognition software, using a reader and a writer.

 

Also remember that when taking exams he can be allowed extra time, adaptations, etc and that the school needs to apply for these well in advance of any exams. The EP could advise too.

 

Glad it is going well and hope that continues.

[chris54]

Delegated funding means that a school gets a pot of money that they have to fund all SEN out of. In our area only children with a statement of 20 hours or more attract additional funding.

 

A problem we had in primary was that he had 1-2-1 for two hours each morning, a lot of the rest of the day he struggled.

 

The arrangement in secondary is that there is a higher adult child ratio in the classroom (and elsewhere)and help will be given to each child as they need it throughout the school day.

 

His problem in the class room are keeping focus on the set task, understanding (Strings of)instructions, and his hand writing, which is slow and almost unreadable. His handwriting problems are being addressed, not that I hold a lot of hope of substantial improvement, despite all that's go before, its has only gone from being totally unreadable to almost unreadable.

 

So the help he needs is:- to be organized, reminder of what he is supposed to be doing, help with note taking and for someone to lookout that he actually understands what it is he is doing as he will not ask for help.

Out of the class room he has all the usual problems with social interaction, and needs staff to be aware of this and intervene when needed. And help with any change in routine. The senco seems to be on the ball to a large extent and has only needed a little bit of nudging here and there in the right direction.

 

As far as going from class to class during the day, I think, despite my misgivings, he enjoys navigating his way round the building. Only thing he doesn't like is the crowding on the landing, which are fairly small.

Their moving into a new school building at in the spring so that will not be a problem for long.

 

A problem me have at the moment it reminding the staff that he will not remember or will fail to communicate to us what he has been told in school.

 

The EPs are very active in the schools here, as are autism outreach.

 

Our biggest problem is Home Work.

[Kathryn]

I had forgotten your school as an Academy too Chris. It's good that the SEN provision is working well so far, it will be interested to see what happens as time goes on.

 

K x

[Sally44]

I thought delegated funding did identify "how much" funding would go to each child, although the funding is supposed to support all SEN children within the school. In our area it is 15 hours a week, and if a child needs more than that in terms of hours, or needs additional therapy, then that is when a Statement would be issued.

 

So are you sure there isn't some guidance on how much "delegated funding" is allocated per pupil?

 

It is good that the EPs are so involved. Have you met with them and given them your opinion on the areas where your son could be supported more?

 

I think many parents have similar difficulties with their child ie. the child is either unaware, or unable to communicate they are struggling, or suggest what they need to help them. Not always, but often and I find that it is very rare that anyone is proactive to reduce anxiety, or pre-empt difficulties. Usually it is a wait and see where they fail or do not cope. But if you have a good idea it is worth talking to the EP, and making a file note of your discussions incase you need to refer to them in the future.

 

Hope it continues to go well, and hope you get either additional funding or some extra support for the problem areas you have identified yourself.

[chris54]

YES it should read "more than 15 hours" and not "20 hours or more" as I stated in my last post.

 

As I said right at the start, my son has a statment for 10 hours 1-2-1 support. It is likely that now he would not get a statement, or if he did it would not state hours only what his support needs are.

[chris54]

Up date.

 

First term over and I have no real complaints about the school.

Son seem happier than when at primary, he seems to get adequate support in lessons.

They are continuing to address his poor hand writing (and seem to be getting somewhere).

He even gets house point in PE which is his least favorite subject.

There is a lunch time social group that he goes to. And he has started doing circle time.

Bit of a moan about homework and lack (sometimes) of clarity but that's about it.

Got his first term report and seems to be at about the right level and Apparently is working hard.

I still have to walk with him right up to the school in the mornings but I now meet him at the end of school road in the evening.

 

Got his annual review in 2 weeks time and am thinking hard about what I should say.

[Kathryn]

Chris that's really good news. The first few weeks in a new school are challenging so it bodes well that your son seems to have negotiated everything so well, so far.

 

Hope the Annual Review goes OK. I suppose you have to be on your guard in case it's suggested that, because he's doing so well, your son doesn't need the amount of support he's getting in his statement.

 

K x

[Sally44]

It always helps to have any reports circulated to you before the actual AR, so that you have time to look through them.

Is there anyone who can come with you to minute the meeting, because I know it is hard to have all the paperwork on your knee, whilst trying to listen to what others are saying and formulate your responses to them.

Think about any areas you feel he may need more support or structure.

Do you know who the school has invited to attend the AR?

Ask your son if anything would help him or make him feel better.

If any suggestion is made about reducing or removing any supports you would want the individual professional responsible for that to put in writing that he no longer needs that level of support etc.

Any changes that are suggested are supposed to be for the benefit of your child and not for the benefit of the school or individual professional eg. suggesting fortnightly visits instead of weekly because of the travelling time of the SALT etc is NOT for the benefit of your child, but the benefit of the SALT.

Now he is in secondary school are there any life skills you think he would benefit from?

If you can't think of anything, that is great!

Edited November 6, 2011 by Sally44

[chris54]

Thank for reply.

 

The secondary school are overall providing more support under delegated funding than my son had at primary with individual funding.

Like was said I don't want to say everything is to rosy, That there is more that could be done.

[glyno]

help j started secondary school in sept they put him on a part time program things hav gone down hill j refuses to go to school and hasnt been there at all since end off oct school hav been brill and given him all the help he cud wish for but still refuses cahms were concerned about his state of mind and said they thought he was depressed put him on prozac plus melatonin to help him sleep something hes never been good at these dont seem to hav made any difference j refuses to leave the house at all wanting to sit on pc all day his state of mind seems worse than b4 and his sleep pattern is no better ive decided to stop all the medication and c how things go cant c the point in dossing him up with meds when theres no improvment hav to sleep with j everynite and must admit im now at end of tether driving me round the twist if i try to get out the bed even early hrs he wakes even after med i realy need him to go bak to school get him out of this hole hes in and me sum peace of mind i just dont no how were going to acheive it he said hed rather b dead than go to school but hes only 11 he cant not go bak can he

[Kathryn]

Hi Glyno

 

Sorry to hear that things are not so good with your son. Do you want to start a new topic of your own about this? You can copy the post you've done here. Then people might see it more easily and reply to it

 

K x

[glyno]

not that great on the comp where wud i put it lol

[sesley]

mine is into his first year as well,and so far very successful transition. the major hiccup we had last week,was science test where, he thought he could look up answers he did not know,and had he needed to explain and understand the tests are on what they know there and then.He has a high standard for himself and expects to win and be first and top and when he isn't he gets upset,so we have been working on him understanding that his best is good enough and he can't win,be top,be first etc all the time,this is the reason why he got taken out of PE/games in primary school because he got over competative and attacked the winners and had when things did not go the way he wanted it to.The support for learning unit at this school is very good and they are very good at keeping me informed through e mail and of course i can talk to them easily.his achievements have been fantastic so far, we had the joy of seeing him participate in the school christmas concert,where he sang with a choir,which he is a memeber of. In the mornings i let him across the road and he takes himself the rest of the way,home time i collect him from the gate,see him across the road and let him take himself home,i go another route.

[chris54]

Only 2 weeks and we 're half way through year 7, things are still going OK. Son has been moved up from group 4 to group 2 in maths and science. They had somewhat underestimated his ability in Science. His target for the end of year 9 is (was) 4c His current level is 6c. That is very much his best subject, always reading his science books, At the moment I'm keeping up with him but don't think it will be to much longer before I'm struggling. One of the few times he sits still for more than 2 minutes is when there is a science programme on the telly. Then its maybe 10 minuets of stillness.

Edited January 27, 2012 by chris54