GCSE advice needed

[lilbec]

My son is 14 and in Year 10. He has struggled for years at school and after multiple assessments it was eventually agreed in Year 8 that he had dyslexia (I had been saying that since Year 2 and asking for him to be assessed). Now he has also been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Unfortunately, after years of "bad behaviour" he has now dropped down to the level of studying for 3 foundation level GCSEs as a result of various exclusions and punishments for bad behaviour. This is despite an IQ of 122 and a keen desire to learn. Also unfortunately, his difficulties with reading mean that he will not read if he doesn't have to and when he does it is so slow that he forgets what he was reading about. He is also an end of August birthday. Because of this I discussed briefly with him the possibility of repeating a year at school so that he can make up for lost time but he is reluctant to do so. It might be better if he changes schools but he struggles so much to make friends and is so keen to have friends that I don't want to if I don't have to. Any advice?

[Sally44]

He has Aspergers and Dyslexia. Does he have a Statement?

 

He is not reaching his potential as proven by his IQ level versus his academic level in school.

 

He is not low IQ and therefore is not suitable for a LA maintained special school.

 

You could ask your school for their list of secondary maintained, approved and independent schools. There you might find one that your LA already uses for children like your son.

 

You can ask for him to be placed at an independent ASD/Dyslexia specific school, but he would need a Statement, and you would definately end up at an educational tribunal to secure such a placement. You would also need independent reports and those expert witnesses to attend the tribunal to answer questions relating to the findings and recommendations in their reports.

 

I have achieved that for my son, but it is a lengthy process and costs money.

 

He definately needs a Statement wherever he is placed. I suggest you write to your LA and ask them to carry out a statutory assessment for a Statement. Get a copy of the SEN Code of Practice and read the relevent chapters [7 and 8]. For example, a child with Dyslexia could have that need met by the LA funding a specialist dyslexia teacher to go into his school every week. [The LA will not tell you that or tell you anything you really need to know about your child's right to an education that meets his SEN].

 

This is the link to the SEN Code of Practice http://media.educati...of practice.pdf

 

You can have a look at the CRESTED schools [which are dyslexia specific and some also take children with an ASD]. This is the link http://www.crested.org.uk/

 

If he attends an LA maintained school his Statement could detail that he MUST have a specialist teacher for xx hours each week in school, xx for literacy and xx for maths. He could also have a 'reader' and a 'writer' in lessons and examinations. He could have a laptop with voice recognition software. There are lots of things he could have, but he needs to be assessed and have those needs identified. The LA should have done this. He has complex needs because he has an ASD and Dyslexia and possibility a sensory processing disorder and/or auditory processing disorder and/or dyspraxia.

 

You can also get advice from www.ipsea.org.uk; www.nas.org.uk; www.bda.org.uk, www.da.org.uk.

 

There is an EP that could carry out assessments for you regarding his cognitive ability and Dyslexia. He is not very expensive. But he does not go to educational tribunals, or write reports for them. Send me a PM if you want me to send you his details. He was recommended to me by the British Dyslexia Association. He did a report on my son which was good, but not good enough for an educational tribunal, so I had to get another independent EP about a year later. But you might achieve what you want with a report from him, especially as he can identified specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, poor short term/working and auditory memory.

 

Your son is intelligent and has the potential to achieve good grades, but he will not achieve that at his present school under the current support he is receiving, which sounds like he receives nothing at all.

 

In examinations you school can apply for your son to have extra time, and again to have a reader/writer and/or be allowed to use a laptop if that is his main form of recording his learning in school.

 

So lots for you to do. The LA may fight alot of this as it will all cost money. But under SEN law your child is legally entitled to these things if he has such SEN needs.

Edited February 21, 2013 by Sally44

[bed32]

I'm afraid there is not an easy answer - it seems that bright ASD children are some of the hardest to place. Our son (much younger) combines a high IQ with severe difficulties caused by ASD.

 

If he doesn't have a statement it is probably worth trying for one - but it make take so long as to be little practical good.

 

Dropping back a year might make sense (although I gather that schools are reluctant to do this) but not much point unless he will do better next time round - so unless he gets more support or moves to a different school.

 

There are a number of schools around that cater for children who struggle to achieve in mainstream, but who don't necessarily have a diagnosis. These tend to be smaller and more understanding than mainstream and I know that ASD/Dyslexic children often do well there. Then there are specialist Dyslexia schools that also do reasonably well although I am not sure how good they are for an above average IQ. I am sorry to say that most ASD specific schools seem to be totally inappropriate for intelligent children (even those that claim to be Asperger Specialists).

 

If you have the time it is well worth talking to, and going to see, a range of schools of all types. Just discussing things with people who are experts in that type of education can be very helpful in terms of demonstrating best practice and allowing you to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each option.

[lilbec]

Thank you so much for your extensive reply Sally44. No my son does not yet have a Statement but I have requested one and the paperwork should have been turned in last week. Oddly enough it was a friend who told me I could request one early this year even before the AS was diagnosed. And when I did the school said he was one of the pupils who needed one the most in their school. But of course this was never mentioned to me until I had found out already. This is despite frequent meetings and emails between myself and various heads of departments regarding his behaviour and my concerns about the reasons for it. I requested the Statement near the beginning of the school year and it has now just been completed and handed in.

 

I also requested a referral for assessment for autism last July and which the GP promptly sent off. We finally had an assessment in Feb and would not have had it then if I had not pursued it relentlessly and to the point of literally yelling at someone down the phone and putting in a complaint about the length of time the process was taking.

 

We have known that he was underachieving for years and dropping steadily but I could not seem to get anyone to act on it appropriately. I blame myself as well as I am a GP but did not recognize/admit the diagnosis as he coped so much better than my friend's autistic children. He does now have support at his main school from a dyslexia specialist, but a comment that she made at a recent meeting makes me concerned about her expectations. She basically implied that he would not be able to hold down a regular job due to his time keeping which I thought was laughable if not so absurdly wrong. He currently has done his brother's a paper-round for over a year and if her feels he needs a break from it arranges for a friend to do it for a short period. Perhaps it is because she doesn't understand Asperger's. And of course he is not getting it at the moment because he is currently at the County School as a result of his continuous disruptive behaviour.

 

We had him assessed twice in primary school by the EP and which was eventually undertaken at great reluctance when I finally resorted to threats. First in Year 5 and repeated a year later when I insisted in preparation for secondary school. This was when his underachieving first became formally and blatantly obvious but his dyslexia was not diagnosed and neither was anything else. Then despite contact being made between the school regarding his transitioning, the secondary school was completely unaware of his needs apart from occasional meetings with a mentor. He frequently missed these meetings due to disorganization so it was assumed that he did not need them. Nothing was said to me about any of this course.

 

It was spotted early on however that he needed to get some Key Skills in numeracy and literacy and he was moved into a class that provided that. And despite his difficulties he was in top set in English. Unfortunately he dropped back rapidly from above average to below average in his favourite subject-science partly because his daft teacher insisted that he must learn to work with a partner even though he consistently worked better on his own. But he has had a few really superb teachers that have just "got him". One of them requested he get some extra 1:1 tuition from a specific learning needs specialist who was brilliant and eventually went on to do his dyslexia assessment privately. She gave us a really full and comprehensive assessment and report which the school immediately accepted and acted on. She identified multiple problems which you mentioned above. How do you know if it is a good enough report for a tribunal? It looks pretty comprehensive to me. He was also assessed at the end of Year 9 and has been told he could have a reader, scribe and prompt for exams. He even has his own laptop at home but is not allowed to bring it in and doesn't have one provided on a regular basis at school although some computer work is done.

 

But he isn't getting exams anyway because his behaviour has meant that he was excluded first from various GCSE options and then finally sent to the County School for just over a term. Everyone agrees that he doesn't belong there but he got sent there anyway. They are only able to teach 3 foundation level GCSE topics. There have been so many exams while he has been away that there is no way he could catch up. When I ask about it I am given evasive answers (it is his fault after all for not behaving when he was told the consequences for not behaving...) and I have simply realized that this will be the case and they don't want to admit it.

 

Having said that they have given him one chance after another when I thought surely he would have been permanently excluded long ago. I now wonder if this was such a good thing. They have tried hard to keep him there instead of giving up on him and I must give them lots of credit for that. And surprisingly old attitudes did change somewhat towards him after his dyslexia diagnosis. But I have grave doubts that they will be able to cope appropriately with him without 1:1 support throughout the day and they are agreed that that is what he really needs to succeed. He also really needs to repeat Year 10 so that he can prepare and sit for exams properly and achieve something closer to his potential.

 

I am thinking that I just need to request another school and to repeat Year 10. There is one school not too far away that is supposed to be good and that has a 6th Form attached if he decides to continue. But he would need to be accepted and would need transport. And he would need to agree. He would need to make a lot of adjustments and would not be near any of his friends. For now, he will be returning to his school after Easter and has been fairly happy there in spite of everything.

 

What do you think are the chances of any of this happening and how do I go about requesting a move and transport if we feel that is what is best for him in the long run?

 

 

[lilbec]

Thank you bed32. Just got your reply too. I spoke to someone yesterday who said that the school he taught at did have some children who had repeated a year. Just a bit too far away for us though I think. I had been thinking of contacting some of the schools. I do have friends with ASD children locally so may get more good ideas of schools through them. And may even get them to give me tips about the specific school that might help.

[bed32]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Having been through it I would advise people to make the application for assessment themselves rather than relying on the school to do it. As a parent all you have to do is write a short letter to the LA and then they have the responsibility of getting all the information together, and there are strict timescales they need to adhere to. Letting our school do that for us cost as at least 6 months. As am I sure you are aware a statement is essential if you need additional support because it is the only way that support with be funded.

 

Again you probably know this already - but don't make the mistake of thinking the either the school or the LA have your son's interests at heart. They don't (at least not above their own) and also don't think that they or any "experts" know what is best for your son - it is shocking how inappropriate some of the advice we have had from so-called experts. Make sure you listen to the opinion of people from the other side (our side) - other parents, the independent charities and advice lines - and forums like this Even advice from other parents of ASD children needs to be taken with a large pinch of salt. Our son is totally different from any other ASD child I've heard about - and I am sure yours is too, and what may be great advice for one child might be totally wrong for another.

[Sally44]

As you are a GP you are an intelligent person.

The SEN process is just that. It is a process and you have to be methodical and follow it through. Rather like how you would refer a patient onto a consultant etc.

Get a copy of the SEN Code of Practice and read it [chapters 7 and 8].

A Statement must be unambiguous and it must be specific. It must quantify and specify by law. If the Statement is so specific it will detail the kind of provision and environment and peer group your son needs. That will be the placement.

If you ask for a place at an independent school [ASD specific or Dyslexia specific, or both], the LA must go with your parental choice UNLESS they can prove it is not suitable, or if they can prove it is not a good use of their resources ie. they can meet ALL of his needs [including therapy needs such as SALT, OT, Specialist Teacher etc] at the LA maintained school.

 

You will most likely need independent reports from professionals that have experience of writing reports for SEND Tribunals, and who also have experience of attending as expert witnesses. This is not cheap. But you need that level of expertise if you want to win the placement you think can meet his needs and where he will make progress and achieve his potential.

 

You will find alot of information on the links i've posted above. It is possible to achieve. We achieved it ourselves and so have other parents on this forum.

 

You need a school that has other children with a similar cognitive ability [which must be assessed], and similar diagnosis. It sounds like he cannot cope in mainstream, but is not special school material. So he is one of the minority of pupils that needs an ASD specific independent school.

 

If he is currently at a school for behavioural issues which is not ASD specific then he is in the wrong placement. Many children with an ASD have behavioural issues because they are not coping, or the learning approaches do not make sense to them, they are bullied and excluded by other children, they have a low self esteem and confidence etc. My son has made incredible progress since he joined his new school. He has just gone on a ski-ing trip to Italy with his school. Two years ago he attempted suicide because he was so unhappy. He developed an Anxiety Disorder and OCD. So the right school can make all the difference.

[bed32]

 

You need a school that has other children with a similar cognitive ability [which must be assessed], and similar diagnosis. It sounds like he cannot cope in mainstream, but is not special school material. So he is one of the minority of pupils that needs an ASD specific independent school.

 

If you have not started the statement process then I would expect it to take at least a year to get to the stage where you would have an expensive independent school on the statement - 26 weeks for the initial assessment (assuming they agree) and then almost certainly an appeal against Part 4 (the placement).

 

I would caution against assuming that an ASD specific school is the correct placement. We have looked at a couple that are widely regarded as among the best in the country and they really don't cater well for pupils of above average cognative abilities. If your son has survived to Yr 10 in mainstream then he is unlikely to need the environment provided by the ASD schools. Only a very small proportion of pupils in those schools get the 5 good GCSEs that are ranked on the league tables.

 

While each child is different it may well be better to consider a better "mainstream" environment, or failing that a dyslexia school which will tend to have much better academic results.

 

Not sure about your financial circumstances but you should also consider a mainstream "independent" school at your own expense.

 

The school we think would give our son the best education is a school like that (we have a couple nearby)

[Sally44]

Could you clarify what type of school your son currently attends.

 

"She basically implied that he would not be able to hold down a regular job due to his time keeping which I thought was laughable if not so absurdly wrong. He currently has done his brother's a paper-round for over a year and if her feels he needs a break from it arranges for a friend to do it for a short period. Perhaps it is because she doesn't understand Asperger's. And of course he is not getting it at the moment because he is currently at the County School as a result of his continuous disruptive behaviour.

 

Having said that they have given him one chance after another when I thought surely he would have been permanently excluded long ago. I now wonder if this was such a good thing. They have tried hard to keep him there instead of giving up on him and I must give them lots of credit for that. And surprisingly old attitudes did change somewhat towards him after his dyslexia diagnosis. But I have grave doubts that they will be able to cope appropriately with him without 1:1 support throughout the day and they are agreed that that is what he really needs to succeed. He also really needs to repeat Year 10 so that he can prepare and sit for exams properly and achieve something closer to his potential.

 

From the above, and once you have an updated independent EP advice, you need to think about what type of school he would make progress in. He has gone from being above average to needing 1:1 support throughout the day and now needs to re-sit a year - and on top of that you say he is at risk of permanent exclusion. That does not sound like the right placement to me.

 

If he is very cognitively able then you need think about a suitable peer group. Some CRESTED schools also take pupils with Aspergers. The EP may recommend small class sizes, specialist teaching from teachers who have additional qualifications for teaching children with dyslexia. If those are his main difficulties then that is the best way to go. My worries are that if he just moves to a smaller school environment, they still will not have the dyslexia or ASD expertise and he could still have all those behavioural issues that are currently getting him excluded.

[lilbec]

Thanks for your advice.

 

My feeling is that he would do better in a mainstream school but one that will understand his behaviour and respond appropriately. He is registered at the local community college that his brother and sister attend and which has just been given academy status. However, he is spending a term and a half at the also local county school for children with persistent behavioural problems that get them permanently excluded. The idea I think was that his local CC really is trying and did not want to exclude him permanently. I suspect that is because they realize that he is not just being naughty and because I am so willing to work with them. But perhaps it is also because they recognized that something else was the problem and did not want any legal ramifications. Who knows.

 

I think the biggest problem will be that the dyslexia tutor and the SENCo have likely not dealt with children with AS before. And the main reason for needing 1:1 support is that he needs extra attention in the classroom and when he doesn't get it he becomes disruptive. He genuinely doesn't understand with the explanation given and so asks for help but doesn't get a response because there isn't enough time to help everyone plus him. Also he is easily distracted from what he is doing and then finds it difficult to get back on task so distracts others around him. Then doesn't understand why he is in trouble for what he sees as asking for help and not getting it. Once he is in trouble it escalates from there with him refusing to accept punishment or isolation. Etc etc. I'm sure you are aware of what it can be like. And unfortunately I don't think he is a "rule follower" unless it is his own set of rules!

 

There is a state school not too far away that seems to have developed an excellent SEN reputation and goes through 6th Form. He would need transport at least until he is old enough to transport himself. The local independent schools I have found are either unsuitable for his abilities or have no experience of AS and little with dyslexia. They are also tend to be very expensive and we just cannot afford it.

 

Now that we know all of what is going on then I agree that he is a placement that is far from ideal. Even those teachers who like him and want him to succeed may not know how to help him (although he has definitely had a few who were exceptional!) The disadvantage of moving him is partly social and partly geographical. He does not want to move and lose his "friends". He does not want to undertake yet another new environment. He is concerned that he will be viewed as disabled. Having said that, when he got the diagnosis of dyslexia he initially didn't like it until he learned that teachers were able to be more understanding and fellow dyslexics understood some of his difficulties and celebrated his achievements with him.

 

It is just deciding what might be best and going for it. And then accepting that your decision might be wrong whatever, but it was a decision. Certainly made some bad ones in my day! Like not getting him assessed much, much earlier when it might have meant he would not have landed in this educational nightmare.

[Sally44]

Are there any Crested schools in your area?

 

The thing is that his placement must meet his needs. And if the mainstream one isn't doing that, you have to either get the professional input/support/specialist teaching and therapy into that school - and also change the teaching approachs/strategies to ASD friendly ones whilst also delivering a low arousal enironment and small class sizes. I don't think mainstream can do that. That is why they are called mainstream.

 

Could the school teach him in smaller groups sizes? If there are other dyslexic children in the school could his Statement detail specialist teaching in groups of no more than 8 pupils and could the school deliver that? In that way he would get the specialist teaching whilst still mainstream. I have heard of another mainstream school doing this, but I think it is near impossible to achieve.

 

The cost of placement is irrelevant if you have reports that state that is the only placement that can meet his needs. My son's Statement costs about £70,000 to fund, which includes an independent placement, SALT and OT therapy, specialist dyslexia teacher and one night sleepover a week. And we got that because we could prove that that is the level of provision he needed to make progress.

[bed32]

Ouch - an EBD school is totally inappropriate for an ASD child. I would get him out of there as soon as possible.

 

Firstly the sort of behaviours that an EBD child shows are likely to be very distressing to an ASD child, and the sort of behaviour management systems used for EBD won't work either. If the school does not have experience with AS, and an AS specialist on staff - then it is wrong for an ASD child.

 

Firstly make sure that you have sent in a request for statutory assessment to the LA - you only need to write a couple of lines and that will start the ball rolling. Then I would try asking the LA SEN department for a meeting saying that you don't think his present school is appropriate and see if they will agree to an immediate transfer without the usual delays associated with the statementing process.

 

I would also consider finding a doctor or psychologist to say that the EBD school is inappropriate, or causing him stress, or whatever - and if you can point to a significant drop in his performance so much the better.

 

Note that if you get a statement then it gives you a lot of freedom to choose whatever Maintained school you want.

[Sally44]

I also agree that a ESB school is inappropriate, if that is where he is at. It is for children who have emotional and behavioural issues which maybe due to neglect or abuse, or because they have a personality disorder etc. It is not ASD specific. There will not be teachers trained in ASD approaches, and alot of the strategies and approaches they use do not work for ASD children.

 

Your son's behaviour is due to an ASD - therefore that is the educational environment he will do best in. I think a dyslexia school that caters for Aspergers too might be the best way forward.

 

You already have evidence that he has fallen further behind academically, he is not making progress emotionally as he is part time in an ESB school which is inappropriate. So where can they say he has made progress? He hasn't. Therefore that is your evidence.

 

His mainstream school maybe very good, and they have be really trying to work with him, but if he is not coping, learning, or making progress there then you are wasting your time - and his - but more importantly his future prospects.

[lilbec]

Thank you so much for your support. I, the ESB school and his main school have all agreed that he does not belong in the ESB school. But they are doing a good job with the counselling side of things and they now know that he has been confirmed as AS. He is one of the favorites of the children there already and that is such a change in attitude towards him that he is already happier. Also there are fewer demands such as no homework and calm in the face of misbehaviour that are positive for him. But he is already talking about how hard the work is and I know that cannot possibly be true as they are doing such basic work below the level he was working at before. I think he just isn't understanding. And that is concerning.

 

I did not realize that the Statement process could be started so easily or it would have been done weeks if not months ago. As it is the SENCo said we needed to get all the paperwork together and send it off so that they would hopefully respond quicker. It should have already gone off by now but I will chase that up to find out exactly what day. I am hesitating a little about the idea of an immediate transfer mainly because he has missed so much in lessons and exams that I think there is no way he could take a decent number of GCSEs in Year 11. As much as we all hate the idea I think the only way will be to repeat Year 10 and at a new school. Although his main school does have a program for dyslexics with smaller classes and a specialist tutor I agreed that I don't see how they can meet his needs unless he has a 1:1 TA to explain things and support him appropriately.

 

I can see that I need to have the SENCo be much more transparent about what info has been sent in already and what the plans are with him. I feel so thick when it comes to understanding what our rights are and how to get them fulfilled.

 

Unfortunately I cannot find any dyslexia specific school in my area and only one for AS which I think would not be adequate academically. The maintained school I have in mind though does seem to have a good program and was recommended to me by two different friends both of whom have autistic boys. So I think should be good if we can get transport as well. Am I right in thinking that a Statement would allow for transport?

 

Also if the SENCo has sent in a request for a 1:1 TA to support him and I don't get this can I then transfer him and get arranged transport? If we do decide to transfer and drop back a year should we be pushing to do it now or let him go back to his main school at Easter the way he wants to do? He is really missing his friends and when we bump in to some of them they seem delighted to see him but I'm just wondering how that will be in reality. Maybe I'm just a cynic.

 

[Sally44]

Okay. You need to get the reports done via the Statementing process. This takes 26 weeks from start to finish. you need to write to the EP, SALT and anyone else who will assess your son as part of the Statutory Assessment towards a Statement and you need to ask them to carry out Standardised Assessments. These give a baseline reading of strengths and weaknesses.

 

Does your son already have a diagnosis of Dyslexia? The severity of that needs to be included and you need a report to state that he should have 'specialist teaching by a dyslexia teacher qualified to both teach and assess'.

 

When the Proposed Statement is sent to you, you need to post here again. Because the LA will try to word it so that it is not legally binding. I can give you links to websites that show you how to check the Statement is written correctly.

 

If you need to get an independent report you do that when you have lodged your appeal about the finalised Statement. You don't do it sooner because it gives the LA time to get their experts to re-assess. You want your reports to be the most up to date ones.

 

So check if the request for a Statutory Assessment has been sent in yet.

[lilbec]

Just got an email to say the statement request has gone off

 

"All the documents that you sent to me and the teacher feedback, including information from (dyslexia tutor) and (EP-who hasn't actually met my son yet) were sent off to the statutory assesment panel. I doubt that they would require anymore. I don't think there is anything that can be done to speed up the process. Let's just hope they get onto it soon."

 

Documents that I sent in included EP assessments from Years 5&6 (when everyone was still insisting that his lack of progress was due to behaviour). Also end-of-year school reports from Years 2-6 showing lack of adequate progression and other comments, and also a full dyslexia report which showed his IQ, dyslexia, low working memory etc. and stating the testing methods and results she had used to arrive at her conclusions. I also included quite a long letter from myself stating that I felt he needed 1:1 support in the classroom environment and why and some of his problems over the years. I did not however go into issues about all the bullying he has undergone over the years, frequently under the nose of staff at his school, and all of the emotional trauma he and our family have been through as a result of the attitudes towards his behaviour. Although it is relevant to his way of thinking now, I did not feel that was objective enough to put in the letter.

 

No mention of a report by the community paediatrician so I have asked if she has received one. Is that one that I should hold off on sending or having completed? She has not actually even met my son yet but arrived at his diagnosis from a very long meeting with me filling out a detailed questionnaire and by reading his school and EP reports. After that she said she was happy to wait to meet him as she was able to confirm a diagnosis already. Also should I go ahead and ask the EP to see him and carry out a standardized assessment on top of what has already been sent in? He doesn't need SALT as far as I can tell-very competent verbally and from early on. I don't know about OT because I don't know what they would be helpful for with him. He copes reasonably well with sensory issues. We certainly have a lot more understanding now though of those things he doesn't cope with! He has no signs of dyspraxia that I am aware of not being an expert in that area.

[lilbec]

AAhh! Frustration! Just has my son sent home from school because he would not do his work. Between listening to his explanation and the Head's I can see exactly why he refused. She eventually agreed with me about what would have started things off and was quite helpful in informing me about what plans were in the pipelines for him. Apparently his main school is talking about him returning part-time to each school! They were talking about him going back to some of his favourite subjects but since they had been taken away practically at the being of the year how in the world is he expected to get anything from it-the other students have already had some of the exams that count towards their final marks! And she agreed that she doesn't think he will do well because of his history with staff. So I guess that question is answered. More determined than ever to move him now but need to find out how to fund and arrange travel to and from school. Too far to cycle and I can't drive him because of work. I don't think a bus runs from here to there and an indirect route would take hours. Poo and double poo!

[Sally44]

Have you got a copy of the SEN Code of Practice http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/s/sen%20code%20of%20practice.pdf

 

Read Chapters 7 and 8. That is what is supposed to happen.

 

The Statement is basically a cut and paste job of the reports. So those professionals [EP, SALT, OT, any other NHS professional/Consultant] are supposed, by law, to identify each and every need. And then to quantify and specify in terms of hours per week/term and staffing arrangements and therapy input to be included in the Statement.

 

Your son is entitled by law to an education. These schools are agreeing they cannot do that. If he stays there he will probably leave with no qualifications regardless of how 'intelligent' he is. The reason his 'intelligence' or cognitive ability is important is because there is a stark contrast between what he could achieve and what he is/isn't achieving.

 

Is there no ASD specific or Crested school that can enter him for GCSE's within an hours drive from your house?

 

If the Statement names your choice of school the LA have to fund the taxi to/from school. My son's school is about 45 mins drive each way. The LA fund the taxi, the school placement, specialist dyslexia teaching and one night residential for respite. It costs the LA around £70-80K pa. to fund that.

 

SEN Statements are rather like algebra. You name the need - you detail the provision to meet the need = the placement.

 

And you need professionals to see him. You cannot really submit information from professionals who haven't even bothered to meet him! How do they know what his individual needs are? Aspergers is not a one size fits all.

 

Also regarding speech and language. It doesn't matter how verbal he is, or how advanced he seems, he MUST have clinically significant difficulties with speech and language [which includes social communciation, social interaction etc] to have got a diagnosis. He needs to be assessed in ALL areas such as comprehension, inference, receptive speech, expressive speech, forumulated sentences, word meanings, emotional literacy etc - there are many different sub-tests that would be carried out using standardised assessments. My son's scores came back ranging from <2 - 15 [where 8-13 is average]. So he is above average in some skills and worse than severe in others. His lack of understanding of what is expected of him in class is due to his speech and language difficulties otherwise he would understand and get on with his work and not need 1:1 support [although I understand that that is also due to dyslexia].

[lilbec]

Thanks. no I don't have a copy of the code of practice but have looked it up with the link you detailed earlier. I just need to find time to sit and read it along with everything else. Very steep learning curve at the moment!

 

The only ASD specific school that is not for more severe problems is independent and not far at all from us but I think not suitable for him. He really does come across as quite "normal". But I also have a friend who is a SALT who I can ask for further advice regarding getting him fully assessed from that point of view. She is the person who has encouraged me to chase up with the school regarding applying for a statement etc and also was the first person who listened to my "woes" and said it sounded like a specific diagnosis. That started the ball rolling. And you are right. The incident today reminded me of just how much that is the case.

 

There is a school not too far away with an excellent SEN reputation which includes ASD and another a bit farther away that does as well. I am thinking though that the move needs to come asap rather than waiting for a statement to provide funding for transport.

 

I will get busy and read Chapters 7 & 8 thoroughly asap. Thanks

[Sally44]

If it is a move from one mainstream to another then if they have a place you should be able to move him to that school but would be responsible for providing transport until the Statement and probably appeal have been finalised - so 26 weeks to end of Statement process, then another 6 months before appeal.

 

Does this mainstream SEN school have post 16 provision?

 

I know you keep saying that he appears 'normal', but he obviously is not coping or making progress and so you really need him in a peer group where he is at the same level, but one that provides therapy and can arrange for him to do GCSEs.

 

His current placement is talking about part time. So he is not going to be taking all the subjects anyway is he.

[lilbec]

Thanks for that info. I will have to look into the transport issue with the College.

 

Yes it has a 6th form attached and I know that he would like to go to 6th form if possible although I'm not sure that he understands what it will involve. For instance homework is a nonstarter at the moment and has been very difficult for years. But if he could go and in the same place I think it would help.

 

I agree that he is not coping and needs a different kind of support. We are still trying to work out what that needs to be as he was only diagnosed a few weeks ago. He comes across as being "normal" but refusing to do what he has been told or rude or just generally annoying.

 

This school has a specialist Asperger's Unit and the school seems to take it's SEN program in general very seriously. This includes making sure ALL teachers understand how to deal with ASD kids. They also have visual and hearing impaired, wheelchair users, dyslexics etc. AS kids have Centre with specialist support staff so they can be integrated to the extent they can manage with a bolt hole if required.

 

Meeting up with my friend who is a SALT tonight so I will pick her brains regarding getting him assessed as you mentioned earlier. I had no idea it was all so complicated!

[Sally44]

My son's cognitive ability is also assessed as average for most skills, but he performed poorly with working memory and short term memory [which could be due to ASD or the severe dyslexia/dyscalculia he has]. He is 12 and is not reading or writing independently.

 

He was mainstream up until the end of primary year 4. He became anxious and mentally ill and did not attend school for most of year 5. He had very poor self esteem and confidence. He was able, and yet unable at the same time because whatever the work involved here was some aspect of it he did not understand or could not do. He was intelligent and yet could see that other kids were getting on with their work when he could not.

 

If you think that completing any task is rather like a 100m hurdle race, with each hurdle being a "skill", then if the child fails at one of those hurdles they will not complete the task will they. So on the 'surface' things seem typical, but it is only with a fuller investigation that difficulties can be identified and support provided.

 

From what you have posted currently he is not on track to take or pass GCSEs or go to college. You need an indepth Educational Psychologist assessment to put you in the picture as to what his needs are now and what he is realistically capable of achieving in the right educational setting now and for him to receive that support, approaches, therapy, specialist teaching etc to see what progress he makes over the next couple of years. And it may take that long or longer for him to sit GCSEs if that is a realistic option.

 

But I really think a thorough SALT assessment would highlight any difficulties he has processing language or formulating language, as well as social communication and interaction skills.

[bed32]

It sounds as if the school you mention is almost ideal - have you been in to see them? It may be worth seeing them and if they think they can help then approach the SEN department and ask for a transfer - they may be amenable to that without having to wait for the statement process.

[lilbec]

AArgh! I am so frustrated I want to hit something! We have been told multiple times that as soon as all of the information is in our request for a statement will go before the panel to decide if an assessment for a statement will go ahead. Our SEN said gather everything then put in a request and it will go through quicker. What a load of BULL. Someone at the LA also said once we have signed and returned the second letter and my son filled out his questionnaire which they sent us then it can go ahead. What a load of BULL. There is a panel tomorrow. ALL of the information is in. They are just going to sit on it for another 2 weeks. He has been p***ed around for so long it seems like 2 weeks should not make a difference but in my book every day makes a difference. It seems like everyone is just happy to sit on their butts saying "oh well we haven't reached to longest deadline yet....Better just give it a little longer in case someone thinks up a tiny detail that might change the whole outlook!" Or maybe it is the attitude that if they p**s around long enough we will get fed up and give up and they won't have to spend the money.

[bed32]

Yes - I'm afraid that is pretty much par for the course. There is absolutely no incentive for the LA to move any faster than to hit the longest timescales laid out in the legislation - and you will probably find them using all sorts of other tricks to extend it even further than that.

 

You need to realise that you are in this for the long haul and that no amount of frustration will move things any faster

 

However feel free to continue to vent your frustration here - you'll find we've all been through it so can sympathise. For us it took about 9 months from initial request to them agreeing to assess. First time they "lost the paperwork", the next time they just refused with no reason. Then we had to apply to the Tribunal and they gave at the last possible moment rather than define the refusal

[Sally44]

Get yourself a copy of the SEN Code of Practice. There are timescales which the LA must keep to when they are requested to assess for a Statement. The LA can either decide that the child does not need a Statement, which you MUST appeal as alot of LAs give that answer as standard and wait to see which parents do appeal that decision. From your post I think you would have sufficient to justify them assessing him for a Statement.

 

And if they do agree to assess for a Statement there is a legal timescale they have to stick to. And at the end of it you are going to be presented with a woolly, vague and ambiguous Proposed Statement [because that is what all LAs do], and again you will have to lodge an appeal so that either the LA does tighten the Statement up so that it is legally binding, or you end up at an educational tribunal, which is most likely from the kind of school you are seeking for your child.

 

In my experience the SEN team were not about meeting childrens needs, they were about budget control. That is not what the Statementing process is about. So please don't give up because as frustrating and lengthy as the process is, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

 

If parents knew the true length of time it takes to get a Statement and the right level of support and placement, they would get the ball rolling in nursery or reception year. But everyone keeps telling you to wait and see, and the months turn into years and suddenly you find it is all falling apart and the length of time needed to get the assessments done to the Proposed Statement is 6 months away.

 

I requested an assessment for a Statement when my son was in year 2. We finally got what he needed [after two educational tribunals and a year out of school] for the beginning of year 6. And I started the process after 'waiting to see' for 2 years and sweet FA happened and I could see my son was getting more and more anxious. Really, my son should have been picked up and diagnosed at nursery, but although the nursery teacher did raise some issues with me, I was fobbed off by my GP and Health Visitor and TBH I wanted to hear that everything was probably okay. So I let it ride. And years later I felt like I had wasted so much time and so many missed opportunities.

Edited March 13, 2013 by Sally44

[bed32]

Sally is spot on as usual.

 

The thing I most regret so far is the delays in getting the right statement. Had I known then what I know now I would have started at least a year earlier and pushed much harder - we've really wasted a year of his schooling, and given he is only in Yr 5 that is a huge amount to lose.

[lilbec]

You are so right. I was prepared for it to take a long time but l kept being told that "if everything is sent in already together it will speed things up". (hysterical laughter) What a crock. And like you Sally we were offered sops and parenting lessons etc for years because of course the problem was in our parenting. And like you we probably did not really want there to be anything diagnosable.

 

I remember speaking to an old friend I had bumped into years ago and her saying her son had AS and it had taken them 5y to get diagnosed and statemented. I listened and remembered but really thought that things had moved forward since then. I also remember another friend whose son, in retrospect, very likely is AS who was told they would have to do "super-parenting" and that was all they could do. Never given a diagnosis as far as I am aware although I believe he did get a statement for a little extra support. Unfortunately I think if the LA don't really get a move on it will be too late for my son given his age and stage now. Like you this year is completely wasted in my book and if he had been give the right support early on it there is no telling where he might be now.

 

On a more positive note-I went to visit the SEN at the school we want to move to and she was so helpful. They have an SEN support unit as well as a dedicated Asperger's Unit and an excellent reputation. As I was leaving a young lad threw a wobbly during a 1:1 session in a side room. She mumbled an aside to me about him being an example of one who really needed the AS unit as this was what we had been discussing. But although the other children perked up and watched the goings on with interest, not one adult turned a hair and he was allowed to stomp off out of the room and outside to cool off. You just had this feeling of relaxed tolerance in the room instead of tension and anger. And the adult working with a student in the quiet outside the room was alert to the situation but relaxed and smiling about it. I was so impressed. And another friend whose son attends this school told me yesterday that her son who was completely anti-homework had come home and told her that he was going to do 2 hours homework every night so that he could get the GCSE results and A levels he wanted. Amazing. Will just have to keep at it and get my son there too.

[lilbec]

New developments. Just had a meeting with head at the county school that my son is currently attending. She is a dyslexia specialist and the unit is geared towards teaching for dyslexics although they are not a specialty centre. She had to observe some class teaching and my son was in some of the classes and she commented on the level of attention he needed to keep him on task. She also has told me a bit more about what they can offer now and what they do to support students moving on to further education. He is taught in very small groups, has a heavy counselling support, and most importantly, they like him.

 

Also at the meeting was the inclusion coordinator for the school whose register he is still on. We were trying to arrive at a decision regarding whether he goes back to mainstream after Easter rather than staying at the pupil referral unit in the short run while waiting to see if a statement assessment will be granted. The end result was that he gets a high level of support where he currently is placed and would get very little to none in mainstream without a Statement. The inclusion coordinator felt that he would get into trouble as soon as he went back to mainstream due to the new super strict behaviour policies. He would then be sent to work in their "unit" under her supervision and be even more limited in the level of teaching he received. And the specialist dyslexia tutor that is attached at present is now at the end of her 2 years which was all they were allowed to have! In the long run he would get more qualifications and way more support at the pupil referral unit than he would get at mainstream as well as enjoying school more. He needs so much attention to keep him focused and on task and can get some of that at the pupil referral unit whereas he would get none at mainstream.

 

The alternative school with the AS unit attached has a place in Year 10 available and he would be accepted in Year 10 if he went now even if he went without a statement. However their Year 9 is full with a waiting list and so it is very likely that they would be unable to move him back a year if he joined as Year 10. Also the criteria for being accepted into the AS specific unit is quite strict and he may not meet it and can only be accepted into it if he meets the criteria and it is one of the stipulations of the Statement. (Still haven't been able to talk to the head of that unit and he is known for not answering emails!) The inclusion coordinator felt that it was extremely unlikely that he would be given adequate TA support for mainstream school as the government funding for our county is the lowest in the country, and so even children with very high needs but not suitable for a special school usually only get given 5-10 hours a week. But if he does get a Statement he will then not be allowed to continue at the county school even if the support he gets there is better than he would get in mainstream!

 

So we have to decide if we 1-abandon attempts to get a Statement, stay at the county school with some support where he is likely to get 3 GCSEs and maybe a couple of BTECs and be close enough to home to transport himself, or 2- continue trying to get a Statement with adequate support and if successful, be forced back into mainstream. In which case he would be better off to move to the new school, but then he is likely to have to remain in Year 10 and so he would still only get a very limited number of GCSEs as a result. I just don't know what to do.

 

I suspect that although his ADHD assessment years ago did not show ADHD there is still likely a component of ADD involved. Will a statement assessment check this out? Should I push for a repeat assessment? Will it make a difference if it is proven? Whether or not it is proven it is obvious to everyone who teaches him that he needs the 1:1 or close to it during all classes and when he gets it will be quite capable of doing well on his academics. (apart from English which he will not do so well in simply because he can't spell worth a toot!) But funding is so bad here they are reluctant to given anything like an adequate amount. Really in a tizz now.

[bed32]

It sounds as if he is in a good school there - a number of experts have told us that the Dyslexia schools tend to be better environments for bright ASD children than the specialist AS schools. Reading your post you now seem to think that that is the best

 

I am unsure as to why you think that getting a statement would end up with him being forced into mainstream. Once you have a statement you aren't going to be forced in anything. It gives the parents a lot of control over placement. If your preferred school is a maintained school then you stand a good chance of getting it, and certainly you have the right of appeal if you don't - that does not apply if you don't have a statement.

 

Note that being named on Part 4 of the statement is pretty much absolutely binding on any maintained school. Things like "criteria for being accepted" don't really apply.

 

The inclusion coordinator is correct - without a statement no mainstream setting will have the resources to give him the help he needs - that is one of the main reasons for getting a statement as it guarantees the resources required to meet his needs and is not constrained by budgetary concerns. We decided we wanted to keep our son in mainstream and as a result the tribunal gave us most of the support he needed to make that happen and the only way you will get 1:1 support is through a statement.

 

I cannot see any reason not to press on with the statementing process - I have never heard of anyone who regretted getting a statement, and many who have regretted not getting one, or not getting one earlier. The important thing is to carry it through and get a good working statement and that is a slow process.

[lilbec]

The reason for my concern about getting a statement forcing him into mainstream is that, although the school he is registered with is a maintained school, he has been sent to the pupil referral unit for students with behavioural problems while remaining on the mainstream school's register. While there he is getting very low class numbers with teachers experienced in teaching children with dyslexia. But it is not a dyslexia specialty school, it is for behavioural problems. If he gets a statement he will not be allowed to stay at this unit.

 

At first I thought this was fine as he was underachieving there and would leave with only a few basic GCSE qualifications as well as being in an environment that was not suited to his needs. But I have been told by all 3 places that he was extremely unlikely to get all of the support he needed on his statement (assuming he even gets one!)due to the lack of funding for education in our county. Without that funding he may well not be able to cope in a mainstream classroom mainly due to his inability to stay focused on his task. Also he is working on some BTEC type qualifications at the behavioural unit which would be on top of the GCSEs.

 

If he gets a statement and so cannot remain at this behavioural unit, and he is not allowed to repeat year 10, then the qualifications he will finish with after year 11 will be fewer, as the mainstream schools would not be able to offer any more than the 3 basic GCSEs he is currently doing. So the problem really is that he needs to repeat year 10 with a high support statement or remain at the behavioural unit.

 

We will be hard pushed to get a statement through by Sept as the request only goes before the panel next week. so really early in the process. And won't leave any time for appeal. But I suppose now that the minimum age for leaving education is increasing the age for supplying a statement will increase as well so he might get longer support than just one year. Oh why didn't I know to do this earlier!

[bed32]

I see the difficulty - but as he is in the referral unit he is unlikely to be allowed to stay through GCSE - and when he does leave you will need the statement in place to get him the help he needs. It is possible that you will be able to keep him there at least through the statementing process and subsequent appeal - the LA should not usually move him during the process (at least if you don't agree on part 4) but I don't know if that would apply to you as he is nominally on the role of the mainstream school. You would probably need specialist legal advice on that.

 

The whole purpose of the statement is that it must provide for all his needs. But you will almost certainly need to go to tribunal to get it. The first statement is likely to be pretty useless and you will need to appeal to get a proper one. Then if you get the right expert reports you will get the support he requires. Unfortunately that is probably about a year away.

 

A good policy would be to get professional advice that said he requires small class sizes as that would preclude them trying to put him into a mainstream class with just a bit of TA time thrown in It is also important to stress his high cognitive ability and the need for a peer group and role models.

[lilbec]

Unfortunately we don't have a year. If he continues in Year 10 he will start Year 11 next Sept which is anticipated to be the earliest a Statement might be in effect. And unless he repeats Year 10 beginning next Sept or soon after he will be unlikely to get qualifications to get into 6th form.

[Sally44]

You have been told a load of bullxxxx about "lack of funding for a Statement".

 

A Statement is put together from correspondence and reports. All of the needs/diagnosis are included in part 2, and part 3 must quantify and specify how each of those needs will be met.

 

There is NO MONETARY LIMIT ON THE AMOUNT OF MONEY NEEDED TO FUND A STATEMENT. If you have he evidence of need, and have provision detailed on how to meet each need, the Statement must include it. If it does not you go to an educational tribunal.

 

I don't know what to say about the placement. The placement should be clear from the Statement. For example my son's statement says xx hours a week 1:1 SALT, and group SALT sessions with a suitable peer group [ie other ASD pupils]. Weekly 1:1 OT for Sensory integration therapy and dyspraxia. Specialist Dyslexia teacher for xx hours a week. Small class sizes of no more than 8 pupils. Teachers to have addtional qualifications in teaching children with an ASD. All therapy/teaching to be delivered flexibly across the week.

 

The above provision can only be delivered in an ASD specific school, which is where he is placed.

 

You are being told the reverse, ie. what placement options there are and how your son has to fit into one of them and if he has a Statement he won't get this, or can't be placed here or there. That is not how it works.

 

Is the PRU ASD specific? Probably not. So what is it about that unit that is helping him. Probably small class sizes, more specialist teaching, and you say a dyslexia specialist too.

 

If he needs small class sizes, then mainstream is never going to work. If he can cope with larger class sizes then any support or therapy can be included in the Statement.

 

However from your posts, I don't think he does sound like he is coping or able to stay focused in a distracting mainstream environment.

 

Is there an ASD specific, or dyslexia specific school near you. Because if your son also has dyslexia, many dyslexia specific schools are also small class sizes, and also have SALT and sometimes OT too on site. And how they structure the learning is often ASD friendly because those with dyslexia also tend to have dyspraxia, poor short term and working memory or executive function difficulties.

[Sally44]

So in the PRU they cannot take examinations?

If he remains mainstream he may not get any qualifications either if he cannot cope or attend.

 

Because you are saying he should get 3 GCSEs, I think, if he does also have a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, that it might be better to search for an independent dyslexia school that also takes Aspergers pupils. ASD specific schools for aspergers children taking GCSEs is harder to find.

 

And if, as an example, if you went to a tribunal for a dyslexia specific school, which did not have a speech and language therapist on site, and you had a report that detailed he needed xx hours of 1:1 SALT a week, then the dyslexia school would have to buy in that additional therapy, and the LA would have to fund it. It is a matter of proving need, and quantifying the provision, support and/or therapy needed to meet that need.

 

That is what we had to do. We sought an independent ASD specific school. They did not have any dyslexia specialism. My son also has dyslexia. So we had him assessed by an independent EP, who detailed how much specialist teaching he would need, and we got two quotes for it. And the Tribunal found in our favour and Ordered that our son goes to the ASD specific school and the LA pays their fees, and also funds xx hours per term of specialist dyslexia teaching.

 

If my son's needs had been more dyslexia and secondary ASD, then I would have sought a dyslexia specific school. But my son's needs are firstly ASD, then sensory processing disorder, then specific learning difficulties including dyslexia.

 

If you are seeking a Statement your son should remain where he is now, until the appeal Decision. I am assuming you will have to appeal and you will go to an educational tribunal. Whilst this process is going on the LA must fulfill the finalised Statement wherever he is placed.

 

BUT if you are seeking an independent ASD or Dyslexia specific school you will almost certainly need independent reports and you will need them to attend a tribunal.

 

Most independent schools go up to age 19.

 

If there isn't a suitable placement, then you may have to go with mainstream, and get whatever he needs included into the Statement. Again you may need independent reports. But if the EP says that your son is capable of gaining GCSEs, but that he needs small class sizes of no more than 8 pupils, then the Tribunal Panel will have to include that in their decision. Unless the school can prove that your son is capable of attending in class sizes of 30+ pupils.

 

Special schools do have smaller class sizes, but they are for children with learning disabilities ie. low cognitive ability - which your son is not. So they cannot place him there.

 

The Tribunal can certainly order that he receives specialist dyslexia teaching IF you have a report stating he has dyslexia and needs specialist teaching. This is what I mean. you need the evidence in reports/correspondence.

 

Regarding the ASD Unit. What is the criteria for the Unit, and in what way do they say your son does not fit it?

 

A SEND Tribunal Panel is not working to any budgetary limit. They make decisions on 'evidence' not 'cost'. My son's Statement costs about £70,000pa to fund.

Edited March 25, 2013 by Sally44

[bed32]

It is the time issue that is critical here. It does seem that the best approach is likely to be for him to repeat a year while you continue to fight the statement battle.

 

Do you have a route for him to repeat yr 10 in either the PRU or a MS setting you are happy with?

[lilbec]

Thank you for all of that. Very helpful. The mainstream school I am interested in has a specialist ASD unit and I have now spoken to the man that runs it and arranged to take my son to see the school, unit and meet the people. He said it sounds like my son meets the criteria and my feeling is that it will be a very good place for him giving him the specialist help and support he needs while making him feel "normal" as he puts it. He wants to go mainstream but is beginning to see the advantages of extra support. But because the unit has limited spaces and the need is so great only children with the unit designated on their statement are allowed in. There are however other children at that school who are ASD but not in the unit and the SEN department copes with them pretty well for the most part.

 

The place he is now attending is not dyslexia specialist but rather for children with behavioural problems that get them excluded from school. Since this frequently happens to students who are dyslexic (unfortunately) they simply have lots of experience and extra training. My son copes better in a small class size simply because the teacher can notice that he has lost his focus and try to bring it back and they are used to children acting out so they tend to stay calm. I'm not sure why statemented children are not allowed to go there except that perhaps they are perhaps perceived to be more vulnerable. He can get GCSEs but they are only geared up to do the 3 basic English, Math and Science. They have said he would probably do better in English Lit than English because his dyslexia means his spelling is appalling and he would lose points but they don't offer it. I have also just found out they can do some other things like team building skills, construction, cookery diplomas etc that hopefully help their children find a niche.

 

The place we want to move him to is happy to take him in Year 10 but say that the LA is who would have the last say in whether he could repeat year 10 as their current year 9 is over-subscribed with children ahead of him on the waiting list. He would need a statement to say this almost certainly. It also has a sixth form attached so if he is able to go that route he could stay in a familiar environment. Not sure if the unit includes 6th formers though. At present, repeating year 10 would largely only be helpful if he was able to do more GCSEs ie double or triple science, double English etc as they already feel he will be able to achieve grade c or above in all 3.

 

So the only way to repeat year 10 in a suitable environment is via a statement.

 

There is only one ASD specific school anywhere nearby but does not sound like it would be suitable for him. I will have to check up some more on dyslexia specific schools. There may be a small independent one that I have missed. And I think that the funding difficulties I have been told about are not just for statemented children but for all the education system in our county. Agreed once the statement is granted and the provisions are set out the funding must be provided. But getting there may take so long at this stage in his life that there is no time left. If we had been doing this 10 years ago or even 5 years ago I would have felt more hopeful that we would eventually get the best deal sorted.

 

And no there is nowhere that I have found yet that he could repeat year 10 with any decent amount of support and without a statement.

[bed32]

If there are no hold-ups then you should at least have a statement in place for the beginning of next year. The best case seems to be that you at least get your choice of school named there. If you have to wait to go through the tribunal (for Part 4 - the placement) then you will have some problems as it may all be too late, although the fact that you are appealing part 4 makes it harder for them to move him

 

Have you tried having a meeting with the SEN department? It is unusual to do this before they have agreed to assess but if you can get a meeting you might be able to bypass some of the usual LA delaying tactics. If you can build a good relationship with the SEN dept then you may be able to persuade them to see things your way.

[Sally44]

Yes that is the major difficulty, getting the 'provision' your child needs quantified and specified in the Statement. NHS and LA professionals don't do it, although by law they should. So when you get the proposed Statement, if it does not quantify and specify you should arrange a meeting to discuss this. Otherwise you need independent reports that will quantify and specify.

 

Why do you want him to re-take year 10 again.

[lilbec]

Taking him to see the proposed new school/unit tomorrow so waiting to see until then. Also request goes before panel on Thursday so will probably contact my caseworker on Wed after seeing the school. Just to remind her. Interestingly I got a letter in the post from Child Health stating that they had been informed that he was having an assessment and gave me a questionnaire to fill in, then they decide if we need an appointment to complete their assessment and then send a report to the LA and me. But the questionnaire was ridiculous really. A few short questions aimed more at physical disability. So I tried to add bits to get in the diagnoses and that they were late. So will be interesting to see what happens. At least I have another contact to hassle ;-) .

 

I really want him to repeat this year for 2 reasons. One because his birthday is end of Aug and he is a baby in his year in fact and in emotions. Two because this first year of GCSE work has been missed for all subjects except the basic English, math and science that he is working on now. The mainstream school he is registered with and where he had already been in constant trouble decided to tighten up the disciple rules so much over the summer and without warning anyone, that he was in trouble within the first week, removed from his option subjects (as a punishment) and out of the school within the first half term. His AS tendencies seem to have spiked, at least as far as school is concerned, over the summer. So he didn't have a hope really of getting any subjects even before he was sent to the behavioural unit. So I want to give him a chance to grow up a little and a chance to do more subjects.