niki Report post Posted July 3, 2004 have just received tristans proposed statement. have just about fathomed it and discovered they have awarded 15 hours a week (hurrah) however what seems to really confuse me (which isnt hard!) is section 4 school placement apparently i need to advise my preference of which school tricstan is to attend. Has anyone actually been able to send their child to the school of their choice? i have one in mind but i wonder if its worth doing so. I will anyway, but i spent most of the day in celebration only to acctually read in thoroughly to discover it didnt actually meant what i thought it meant! thanx niki Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted July 3, 2004 Hi Niki - Conratulations! At the risk of appearing a right nin, I'm going to try to answer what I think you mean, but if I'm wrong about what I think you mean just ignore it (?!) Preference for school is an indicator for the LEA on where your son is likely to be taught... It won't give you any headstart on getting him into that particular school... If you have a school in mind, I'd get in there as quickly as possible and make an appointment with the head to see if he/she thinks they could meet Tristan's needs and whether they have any available places... It's a good idea to make a (or have a mental) list of Tristan's support needs, and to ask very specific questions about how they might be met within the school. Also very important to check out the school's "attitude" (if you're thinking mainstream) to inclusion policy - many of them talk the talk, but don't walk the walk if you follow my drift... ask about any SN chilren already placed with them and how they are supported, and any strategies used within the school to promote that support. I know some parents who have to support their child through lunch hours because the school "doesn't have the facilities (staff) to do so" and have heard of situations where toileting has been an issue where parents have had to "make themselves available" in case of accidents. Both of these situations, to my mind, raise the concern I expressed earlier about "walking the walk"... Hope this of some use, and if I have got the wrong end of the stick, please accept my apologies Good luck with the rest of the process; I hope Tristan gets off to a good start. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Helen Report post Posted July 3, 2004 Brilliant news Niki! Well done! Section four is always left blank in the proposed Statement - this is procedure. Once the parent has informed the LEA of the name of the school, the LEA will record that information in section four, before it issues the final Statement to the parent. Although, sometimes it isn't as straight forward as it sounds, e.g. the parent could want their child to go to an Independent school which the LEA may not be too keen on (for money reasons) - the LEA could then suggest a local state maintained school instead, which the parent possibly wouldn't want for their child - it all comes down to negotiation after that. Helen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nellie Report post Posted July 3, 2004 Niki Great News. Well done! Regarding choosing a school on a child's statement. Parents may express a preference for the maintained school they wish their child to attend, or make representations for a placement in any other school. LEAs must comply with a parental preference unless the school is unsuitable to the child's age, ability, aptitude or special educational needs, or the placement would be incompatible with the efficient education of the other children with whom the child would be educated, or with the efficient use of recources. LEAs must consider parental representations and arrange any meeting(s) with LEA advisers or officers the parents seek, before issuing the final statement. Schedule 27 Education Act 1996 I would advise you to look through the topic Statement? Does your child have a statement? and other topics dealing with statements. This is a link to the afasic site which gives very good advice on checking the proposed statement. Look for proposed statement under education. http://www.afasic.org.uk/f_pub.htm It makes good sense to have someone check the proposed statement, parent partnership if they have some knowledge of ASD or telephone the NAS advocacy line for advice on your proposed statement. Many parents are so pleased to receive a statement with provision that they don't check the wording. Provision must be quantified and qualified, and you must make sure that all the needs are mentioned and provision provided for each and every need. Nellie. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kazzen161 Report post Posted July 3, 2004 Before stating your preferred school, you should check that they would have a place for him in Sept. The LEA must give your choice consideration, but the "efficient use of resources" is often used to rule out expensive schools! If the LEA refuse to name your preferred school, then they will name a school of their choice and you can take them to appeal - but you then have to prove that their school cannot meet your son's needs and that your school can, and obviously it takes time for all this too. Good luck Karen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pookie170 Report post Posted July 4, 2004 i spent most of the day in celebration only to acctually read in thoroughly to discover it didnt actually meant what i thought it meant! The devilish ploy of LEA's everywhere strikes again!! Really glad that you've had success, overjoyed that Tristan's getting help!!! Everyone's advice looks good to me but I can't really give any myself as in Scotland things are done differently.... I think, however the advice to quantify everything is good advice though.... The very best of luck, hope Tristan gets into the school you'd prefer!!! Esther x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elefan Report post Posted July 4, 2004 Hiya Niki, news about the statement. I hope you get it tweaked the way you want and need it to be. Please keep us posted. I have recently submitted a parental request for a Statutory Assessment, but was told last week that my little girl is unlikely to get a statement (by a Educational Psychologist she has met previousy). Kind of feel like I am just doing a paper based project for the sheer hell of it now!! At least if they maybe agree to conduct the assessment it will at least draw out appropriate things for a revised IEP. Good luck. Elefan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
niki Report post Posted July 4, 2004 hi guys and thank you soo much for you prompt replies and neelie great advice as usual. The school i have in mind for tristan is a state maintained school and is a "unit within" mainstream for kids with asd. for tristans needs is perfect and am having meeting on tuesday with "head" of unit who just so happens to be trickys autism outreach worker. thanks again for all of your advise shall keep you posted! niki Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lisa Report post Posted July 5, 2004 Elefan, Don't worry about the Clinical Psych, that's only her opinion and it's not up to her. The panel will review all the evidence and decide and that includes your evidence. My friends son just got 10 hours 1:1 and she was told by many professionals that he wouldn't get support because he was doing "too well" academically. He is so good at maths that he attends extra hard maths sessions at a secondary school funded by the gifted and talented programme. From the posts you've made on this site, you have lots of evidence that your daughter isn't coping on school action plus. Hope this makes you feel a bit more positive. Good Luck. Lisa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elefan Report post Posted July 5, 2004 Thanks Lisa. <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gita Report post Posted August 3, 2004 Hi all Just thought I'd let you guys know I've just received the proposed statement for Shaan by email, all 11 pages of it! It's now a matter of sifting thru it & making sure that it includes verything that we think it should. The LEA have provided 26.68 hours of support. I've had a very quick glance thru it, & it doesn't appear they've quantified anything apart from the number of hours. I know that I have 15 days within which to write to them if I don't agree with it. Does anybody know if there is a standard letter? If there is one, can you PM me. Thanks for all the help and advise so far. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nellie Report post Posted August 3, 2004 Great news Gita. I am very chuffed for you. Nellie <'> Copy Letter Dear...(Names Officer if possible) Thank you for sending me a copy of the propossed Statement of special educational needs for my child (full name/date of birth). I would like to arrange a meeting with the Named Officer to discuss the proposed Statement in detail, as is my right under Schedule 27 of the Education Act 1996. (You may wish to give very general reasons for your meeting but detailed comments are not required at this stage). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gita Report post Posted August 3, 2004 Thanks a lot for that Nellie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gita Report post Posted August 3, 2004 PS I see that you're approaching the magic 1000. It would be great if this could be achieved by the site's birthday. <'> <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nellie Report post Posted August 3, 2004 I was hoping no one would notice. Are you aware of the information on checking a proposed statement from Afasic? http://www.afasic.org.uk/f_pub.htm Scroll down, it's under 'getting extra help for your child'. Nellie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Helen Report post Posted August 3, 2004 Congratulations Gita! Helen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Helen Report post Posted August 3, 2004 Hi Gita I was so pleased for you earlier, that I forgot to tell you something. You mentioned that you received 11 pages in all, well you should also have received copies of everything that has been submitted to the LEA for the statutory process, you should have been sent a copy of: *your parental representations *the educational psychologist's report *the school's report *and any other report from any other relevant department who has contact with Shaan. Your LEA really should have sent this information to you - otherwise how can you challenge any professional's opinion, if there's a piece of information contained within a report that is inaccurate? You cannot be expected to wait until you receive the final Statement to view these reports - it could be too late by then for you to perhaps raise any possible concerns which you may already have at the moment. Helen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Helen Report post Posted August 3, 2004 (edited) Sorry Gita, it's me again - phone your LEA and ask why you haven't received all copies of the reports, which have been submitted to the LEA for the benefit of the statutory process. The proposed/final Statement is made up of a number of appendix. *Appendix A - Parental advice (your advice) *Appendix B - Educational advice (school's report) *Appendix C - Medical advice (medical officer's report) *Appendix D - Psychological advice (the EP's report) *Appendix E - Social services advice (SS report if applicable) *Appendix F - Other advice obtained by the Authority (if applicable, e.g. a MENCAP letter of support) Does the proposed Statement have the word 'DRAFT' typed on it? - because that's what it is at the moment (a draft Statement). Also, your 'draft' Statement ought to have a specific date on it - the date when it was written up. Helen Edited August 3, 2004 by Helen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gita Report post Posted August 4, 2004 Hi Helen Thanks for your advise. The reason why I haven't recd all the accompanying bits & bobs is that the proposed statement was emailed to me. I recd the email @ aroung 7 pm yesterday and the LEA have told me the reports etc with the original proposed statement will have been put in the post to me, so hopefully I'll receive it all by tomorrow. Gita Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steviegirl Report post Posted August 30, 2004 My grandson Steven has received a proposed statement, he is eleven. My daughter has wrote the name of a school a week ago. How long do they normally have to wait before he goes to school. The localschool has not the facilities to teach him. He is aspergerges/adhd. thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted August 30, 2004 That's brilliant! Sorry, I'm still going through the statementing process, so I'm not sure about time scales. But Nellie or Helen will know for sure! Bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nellie Report post Posted August 30, 2004 Brilliant news Steviegirl, I have given you a couple of links about checking the proposed statement. If you are not sure or can't make sense of them, you should telephone one of the education help lines and ask them to check it. Maybe parent partnership could do it for you. http://www.afasic.org.uk/f_pub.htm Scroll down to proposed statement and click on PDF. http://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=565 I'm afraid I don't have an answer about the school it will depend on the arrangments being made by the LEA, if and when there is a place, and any other factors that they may take into consideration. Contact the LEA and ask them or you could have a word with the school. Hope it all goes well. Let me know if there's something you don't understand. Nellie. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nellie Report post Posted August 31, 2004 Steviegirl, In order to get the information on the AFASIC site you will need to have Adobe Reader installed on your computer. It's a small piece of software available free from http://www.adobe.com/. Nellie. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kazzen161 Report post Posted August 31, 2004 It also depends if the LEA agree with your "choice" of school. If they insist on naming a different school, you may have to take the LEA to Tribunal. This is why it is very important to check what is specified in the statement - so it backs up your "choice" of school. Karen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Helen Report post Posted September 2, 2004 (edited) The localschool has not the facilities to teach him. Hello Steviegirl, Is the above quote a fact, or is it your opinion/your daughter's opinion? The reason why I ask is because unfortunately LEAs don't have much regard for the opinions of the parent during the statementing process - LEAs deal in facts. Is there any information in the EP's advice to support the claim that the local school is unsatisfactory for your grandson? Part 4 in the proposed Statement is left blank until the parent specifies in writting which school they would like their child to attend. As your daughter has only recently written the name of her preferred school, she could contact the LEA to arrange a meeting, so that she could explain all her concerns to her son's key worker. It could be a case of you and your daughter worrying needlessly, simply because the key worker hasn't fully informed your daughter of the LEA's procedure in the 'naming' of the school in the proposed/ final Statements. But, as Karen has correctly said, if the LEA choses a different school to the one which your daughter has in mind, then she'd have the option of appealing against the LEA's decision which would lead to a tribunal. If she decided to appeal, she would have to prove that the local school is unsatisfactory for her son. Helen Edited September 2, 2004 by Helen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nellie Report post Posted November 12, 2005 ACE: Advisory Centre for Education produce the following guide. Getting the Statement Right: A Practical guide to parents? legal rights http://www.ace-ed.org.uk/advice/booklets/G...gStatement.html Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
taggingalong Report post Posted August 14, 2007 Hi Gita hi could anyone tell me how long the statementing process takes. my son is to be statemented when he goes back to school in september. i am new to this and dont have a clue what it is all about. also could you please tell me what all is involved in the process. thanks everyone. I was so pleased for you earlier, that I forgot to tell you something. You mentioned that you received 11 pages in all, well you should also have received copies of everything that has been submitted to the LEA for the statutory process, you should have been sent a copy of: *your parental representations *the educational psychologist's report *the school's report *and any other report from any other relevant department who has contact with Shaan. Your LEA really should have sent this information to you - otherwise how can you challenge any professional's opinion, if there's a piece of information contained within a report that is inaccurate? You cannot be expected to wait until you receive the final Statement to view these reports - it could be too late by then for you to perhaps raise any possible concerns which you may already have at the moment. Helen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
laine Report post Posted August 17, 2007 have just received tristans proposed statement. have just about fathomed it and discovered they have awarded 15 hours a week (hurrah) however what seems to really confuse me (which isnt hard!) is section 4 school placement apparently i need to advise my preference of which school tricstan is to attend. Has anyone actually been able to send their child to the school of their choice? i have one in mind but i wonder if its worth doing so. I will anyway, but i spent most of the day in celebration only to acctually read in thoroughly to discover it didnt actually meant what i thought it meant! thanx niki Hi well done, Charlie was awarded 7 hours statement, which is not bad for a start, anything longer would send him into mass overload. I also got a load of bumf, asking if i wished to send him to another school. I did not chose to and kept him where he is for now. Congratulations, as i know it is a long labourious process and takes a lot of letter writing planning etc. Hope all goes well Lainexx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
