School grrrrrrrr

[sylv]

Hiya all,

 

I am very sad right now as you know we have problems with school again. Yesterday they didnt even had the decency to call us even Nick was 3 times in the medical room with cough and headache. Today in the morning I went in and had a word with the medical officer...gave her 4 more pills of Ritalin as she is permitted to give them to Nick at lunch time and then asked if she could give me the others she still had, my counting was she only has one left but she had three, makes me think because I keep record of this and I thought she is not giving him them regulary. Then I asked her very politely to inform us if Nick is not feeling well....Well guess what at 2:15pm I had a call on my mobile, as Nick was in with her again because of stomach ache. He is still getting bullied at this school and I have had enough. We went there and got him. She was like "quick get the problem out of my way". My husband wanted to raise some fight and see the head I refused. We never even got a reply to our last letter and bullying hasnt stopped for our little lad yet, so I suggested to write to the new head, get copies to LEA and Governors and hope the next 6 weeks make them think a little bit....I hope....Tomorrow morning we will go to see our GP and get him to sign off Nick sick, because I am NOT prepared to let him go back till Friday anymore.

 

I am so annoyed all about this. Nick is becoming sick now of bullying and I will not help those kids who wind him up and when he explodes they treat to go to report him to the teacher that he gets a red card....it is ridiculous.

 

 

Sorry for the rant....

 

Sylv

[phasmid]

You need to ask for copies of the schools SEN policy and Behaviour and Discipline policy (this covers, or should, bullying). Check the review dates on these, they should have been reviewed within the last yr.These are public documents and they cannot refuse to let you have them. They can make a small charge for them (5p a page is about the going rate). Once you have them read through and make sure they are being followed. If not complain, in writing, to the Head. If you are not happy with their response then you complain to the Chair of Governors. If they fail to satisfy you then (and only then) can you complain to the LEA.

 

As ritalin is a controlled drug a school should keep a writen record of when this is administered and, to whom, by whom. The fact that they had more tablets then you believed they should have would indicate that not all doses have been given. Be sure to check that this isn't due to child being sent home before it should have been given at any time. You could ask for a copy of his administartion chart to check.

 

Hope that helps a bit.

[sylv]

Thanks phasmid...

 

I have access to their bullying policy even online...and we have written to the head already, didnt get any written response, had several appointments before head changed but nothing helped...see my post about the school report.

 

The school doesnt accept my sons medical report as it is from a foreign country and we had an appointment at CAMHS because of his ADD and the doctor there said he would refer Nick to several other specialist also agrees that Nick shows autistic traits....so school denies to help my son at all...all he does is down to himself....which makes me having tears and being very proud of him too.

 

Now he just cant no more, he cant cope anymore and I said I would take him off school if that happens anytime again, so we do...even only some days left.

 

Thanks so much for helping and letting me rant...

 

Sylv

[phasmid]

You mentioned something about a new head. Are they in post now, or starting in September? If they are starting in September I suggest writing to them over the holiday via the school, I am sure they will be in, with your original complaint to the last head. Ask them to indicate to you what they intend to do to avoid the problems you are currently having.

 

If, however, this is the same head you have already complained to then it is time to write to the CoG. You may not get a response before the end of term though. They must follow up a complaint and write back to you.

 

As for ranting, if it helps....go for it!

[sylv]

The new head started begin of June...will be the permanent head now for a while...so we will write to her...I am just said...now...I am so tired of fighting...but I wont stop.

[oracle]

I agree with Phasmid. Write to the Chair of Governors and make sure you ask for it to be brought before a full Governing Body meeing. Their next meeting should be September/October. That gives the Governing Body lots of time to add this to their next agenda.This will then be recorded in the minutes and there will be no side stepping the issue. Also say that you expect a response after the meeting. I would also give a copy of the letter to the SEN Governor.

 

Carole

Edited July 19, 2005 by carole

[sylv]

Thank you Carole, I will do this. I always take letters as a target if that makes sense, as my English isnt that good yet, but hope it will be good enough...OH always when he needs to help me, but I said to him, we need to write and do something...

 

Thanks for all the support. We are off to the doctors later, I wont let Nick go back to this school.

[phasmid]

Send a copy of the letter to the chair of governors and, as a matter of courtesy, the head. But do not send it to anyome else at this stage. Follow the schools's complaints procedure to the letter. Do not try and skip a stage as this will only hamper things. If you recieve no joy from the CoG then you complain to the LEA. But they will not entertain a complaint if you have missed part of the schools complaint procedure. Tedious I know, but it is better to follow it then have to repeat it.

[sylv]

Thanks phasmid...I will follow the procedures....we already had written to the that time acting head, but never received any response back. And as I am depending on oh to help me writing those official letters.....

 

Anyway, I will have another look at the bullying policies later. Thing is, Nicks TA yesterday saw him "verbally exploding" but as far as we know he didnt punish Nick but also didnt do anything towards those girls...anyway, I will keep you informed what we do or dont.

 

Firstly I want to keep Nick home the next days till end of the term. He was bullied in Lux where we lived before, but after talking to the teachers there it was sorted, it seems to be much harder here, but I dont give up, and I never ever had my boy in a stage that he didnt want to go to school anymore, or felt sick/ill because of it, which rings my alarm bells.

 

Thanks for listening