Ok September is almost here

[lil_me]

My son will be going back to his mainstream school, he does not have a statement yet, but was given Band D support which in our area means anything from 25% to 75% I believe support. They recieved �7000+ in March this year to support Michael in school. So far he gets nothing from this apart from 1 hour per week with a small group teacher which even the children on school action plus etc recieve. I believe his review is due in September.

 

My son is 6 and has a confirmed diagnosis of ADHD and Dyspraxia and awaiting completion of an assesment for ASD as this is what his teachers, Ed Psycholgist and Consultant believe he has.

 

The main problems he has at school is to do with self criticism, self harm, he did no work in the previous class without someone sat next to him the entire time, he can't dress and undress himself for PE etc aswell as a few other problems mainly to do with sensory issues with noises, smells etc etc. We had meltdowns everynight after school and he just isn't getting the support he needs. His Headmaster who is also the current SENCO even said he needs more support in school ,but tbh this is his first school as headmaster and first time as SENCO so he's a bit clueless.

 

Firstly do you think its worth while applying for a Statement as none of his needs were being met last year and I don't hold out much hope for things changing this year as he will be going from Yr1 which was 50% play and with 1 teacher and minimum of 2 assistants, to a class with more children, one teacher, and sometimes one assistant.

 

Secondly any advice would be appreciated on how to apply etc and what I need to do, who I need to contact, anything that might help get him the support he needs.

 

I was going to phone IPSEA this morning but my voice has gone

Edited August 19, 2005 by lil_me

[nellie]

Hi lil_me,

 

 

If you believe and have evidence

 

1. that your child has a learning difficulty or a disability which is holding them back at school; and

 

2. that the school is not able to provide the help your child needs

 

You should ask for a statutory assessment.

 

You can find information on how to request an assessment here.

http://www.ipsea.org.uk/sevenfixes.htm#RequestingAssessment

 

Nellie xx

[lil_me]

I think that was what was done last year, but he needed to be on Band E to get a statement, and he was allocated Band D but thanks Nellie for that, it has a good letter suggestion on there.

[nellie]

The financial support that the school is receiving should be irrelevant. If your child is not making progress at school and the school is unable to meet your child's needs then you can request a statutory assessment.

 

Might be worth having a word with IPSEA.

 

Good luck.

 

Nellie xx

[lil_me]

I think I'll give them a ring when I can talk, I felt really guilty this morning,I rang and had to hang up as I couldn't even squeek a 'Hello' out. I forgot I had lost my voice when I picked up the phone.

[Suze]

Lil me your son sounds just like mine before he had a statement.Pre dx and statement he refused to do any work...... sometimes would write the date.Things got so bad school referred him to camhs and the dx and statement followed.Before dx my son recieved half hour per week with senco for his dyslexia and was on school action plus.We made a parental request and after some confrontation were offered 15 hrs.My son sounds just like yours at that age I,d definitelty speak to the head and think about applying.Good luck, the older they get the more pressure there is and this made my son fall apart.

[lil_me]

I must admit I'm really worried just by the fact he's changing classes, he's been in the same one for 2 years which his also attacthed to the nursery where he went for 2 years before that, so its all going to be new and scary for him anyway without thinking about the worry of lack of support.

 

He's such a bright kid which is why he didn't get statement last time they reckon, but without someone next to him he literally does nothing, or like your son would write the date. The headmaster was all for me going for additional support but thought it best to wait for his review and see how the first weeks go, but now I'm thinking he could struggle so much that yet again he doesn't want to go back.

 

I have however said that if he starts not being able to cope I will go into the school myself to provide support until it is sorted out as I don't want it causing any unwanted stress etc. Think the headmaster was a bit shocked by this and did comment that I am the only person who has ever offered to do so.

 

Just got to pray the antibiotics the GP has given me take affect soon as I need to be able to shout if things don't go to plan

[lil_me]

Just found out our LEA is reducing the amount of statements and offering higher funding without statement and with the amount the recieved in total this year for my son on Band D as they call it they have had more than enough to provide a LSA for him daily all day,(they got more than the �7000 I thought) damn makes me angry. They are going to regret asking me to be a school governor by the end of this year the mood I am in now. LEA and his school be very afraid as I'm going to fight this until something is done.

 

Sorry just needed to get that off my chest, fight starts 5th September when I'll be walking into the school with my no backing down head on and demanding a meeting with the Headmaster. If they won't give him the support he needs, he will not be at the school much longer and they won't get any of the funding they made me sign forms for as they said it would help my son at school.

Edited September 2, 2005 by lil_me

[annie]

Hi lil_me,

 

The general idea with LEAs not issuing so many statements is that they are too expensive.......back to money again as usual. LEAs are now giving the extra funding to schools to use to support the child instead.

 

That is the problem as you are finding. Schools don't always use the funding for the purpose it is given.

 

As Nellie said earlier, you can apply for an assessment yourself. The link that Nellie gave gives you a model letter for applying to your LEA for an assessment.

 

Just curious, but what forms did you have to sign for funding????? I've always understood that funding is nothing to do with parents, let alone having to sign for it.

 

Annie

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[lil_me]

I just signed the application to LEA for assesment I think it was, at the time I was handed about 10 forms, most of which were not even filled in, one was for special needs register, one was an IEP which was also not filled in, just had his name etc on top of the form, but at the time they said 'this will help your son at school' so stupidly I just signed them. I was a Mum wanting the best for my son, had no idea how the system works so just trusted them. Now I know much much more about whats going on after constant research and advice seeking since I will not be doing this again.

 

Most of this happen under the previous headmaster, a new one has started and he is also the SENCO but has never been one before, so he doesn't seem to really know what he is mean't to be doing but so far I have found him extremely supportive and willing to learn, he does listen which makes a change. I'm going to ring PP and IPSEA today now I have my voice back.

Edited September 2, 2005 by lil_me

[annie]

Hi lil_me,

 

We all automatically put our trust in schools/LEAs to do the right thing. It's not until the s**t hits the fan (sorry) that we find out just how underhanded they are.

 

It's good that more and more of us are standing up to them and stopping them from getting away with what they are doing. We're all proving to be quick learners .

 

It's great that your new Head is listening to you and willing to learn, if only they were all like that.

 

Annie

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[lil_me]

Got in touch with PP and she was more than helpful, she's offered to attend any meetings with me as she has already attended meetings before about another child at the school and said the head who is the SENCO seems to have no idea what he is doing.

 

She also said my area pay the financial support in 2 sections, April and September, so they only got 5/12ths in April so the total funding for this year with they have done nothing with exceeds what I thought hugely, and the lady from PP said they should have been able to provide minimum 50% 1-1 support. I'm of course becoming more angry by the minute.

 

I've written a letter requesting assessment and I intend showing this to the head on Monday when he returns to school. Hoping I get his full support. Letter is as follows, any input if I have got anything wrong appreciated.

 

 

Request for formal assessment

 

I am writing as the parent of the above child to request an assessment of his special educational needs under the 1996 Education Act.

 

Michael attends ************************ school.

 

I believe that Michael?s special educational needs are as follows:

 

ADHD

 

Dyspraxia

 

Awaiting assessment for Autistic Spectrum Disorder after consultant diagnosis.

 

My reasons for believing that the school cannot on their own make the provision required to meet my child?s needs are:

 

My son is currently on Band D support, with this the school have been unable to provide the support Michael needs in school and all the professionals involved believe he requires more support. I believe that with a statement setting out his educational needs and what the school must provide for Michael, he will receive the education he deserves and the support he needs to progress in mainstream school.

 

I understand that you are required by law to reply to this request within six weeks and that if you refuse I will be able to appeal to the Special Educational Needs Tribunal.

 

Yours sincerely,

Edited September 2, 2005 by lil_me