Statement problem

[LKS]

Going into school next week to discuss daughter's I.E.P. When she was in the infants she had daily access to the computer. It was used to reinforce lessons and sometimes as a reward. The juniors have been to put it mildly less than willing to be so accomodating In her statement it says **** will have frequent opportunities to access appropriate IT resources in order to further reinforce existing non-verbal and verbal skills, to develop reading related skills and to allow her access to the curriculum.This ain't happening and the head keeps coming up with exscuses about how hard it is to install programmes on the computer blah blah. What should I do. The E.P. also recommended that the school make use of the outreach support staff available to them. This isn't happening either but it is not in the statement. Believe or not her report was received 2 months after the statement was finalised.

[Helen]

In her statement it says **** will have frequent opportunities to access appropriate IT resources in order to further reinforce existing non-verbal and verbal skills, to develop reading related skills and to allow her access to the curriculum.This ain't happening and the head keeps coming up with exscuses about how hard it is to install programmes on the computer blah blah.

LKS,

 

The information in the quote sounds quite wooly, not at all specific, you need to get this amended for more specific terminology.

 

I suppose if I were in your position I would write to the LEA stating that it's in breach of the Statement as it's not fulfilling the necessary provision mentioned in the Statement. Tell the LEA how the headteacher has made his/her excuses.

 

Then suggest that the LEA's ICT advisory teacher visits school to assess your child in order to find out which programme(s) suits your child best, for this data to be put on the computer.

The E.P. also recommended that the school make use of the outreach support staff available to them. This isn't happening either but it is not in the statement.

You don't have anything to lose by making a request to the LEA for this type of assistance.

[LKS]

Thanks Helen I really really tried to get the bit about the IT a bit 'tighter' but they wouldn't budge, the school or the LEA. It was at first worded as **** would benefit from regular access to....... yes that old chestnut Any ideas what wording I could go for when it comes to review time? I didn't even know the LEA had an ICT advisory teacher, so it would be quite simple for the school to get advice.

[Helen]

It was at first worded as **** would benefit from regular access to....... yes that old chestnut

Statement writers must go on some type of course because they all use the same useless terminology.

 

Did the school involve you during the time it was considering withdrawing the IT support? It should have done.

Any ideas what wording I could go for when it comes to review time?

If it were me, I'd want to know why my child wasn't receiving this support. When you go to your review ask the head/Senco for a specific explanation as to why your daughter isn't receiving IT support even though it's written in her Statement. Say you want their reason for breaching the Statement to be officially recorded in the minutes of the meeting because you're considering legal action.

I didn't even know the LEA had an ICT advisory teacher, so it would be quite simple for the school to get advice.

My LEA has an ICT advisory teacher - I've met him. I once worked out of county with a child who has CP, the use of a laptop was vitally important to him. The LEA's ICT advisor visited me in the school where he spent the entire day training me up on the basics, e.g. how to use certain programmes, enter data, set up the laptop, charge the battery, change the cartridge in the printer, print out data, etc. I didn't know a computer from a donkey at that time so one day was enough for me. He tested me at the end of the day to make sure that I knew how to use the laptop. He was a lovely chap who gave the school's admin office his office phone number/mobile number for me to call him at any time should I need some help/had any queries.