annual review

[LKS]

Had my ds's annual review at secondary school yesterday, very different from the ones we had at primary! An SNO had been invited from the LEA but didn't come. The Senco told me that for high incidence statements the LEA rep. hardly ever shows up as any support will come from funding already devolved to the school so they don't seem to be particularly interested This was a pity as we agreed that there were things on the statement that should be changed, very out of date now. The main area of concern seemes to be his huge difficulty with writing and presentation of his work. Lap-tops were mentioned but the senco was concerned as to whether he would be able to look after it being only 11 and very disorganised They mentioned a dana which is a step up from the alpha-smart. Ds attended for the last 10 mins. first time he had ever come and he looked very uncomfortable but answered questions well including how it really gets on his nerves when teachers keep on about his handwriting.

Senco said she thought teachers now had a good understanding of his particular difficulties, had to diagree on some counts with this. When ds came home from school he said he wanted to mention something else at the meeting but was too embarrased. They had a test in RE. when they'd finished they had to swap books with pupil next to them. Boy next to him couldn't read sons writing, says to son what does this say, ds starts to explain. Teacher shouts **** what are you doing, ds says telling *** what my answers say, teacher replies if he can't read it I certainly won't be able to You shouldn't have to be telling him what it says. Ds said he just wanted to walk out he felt really humiliated. I'm not going to accept this any more. How often do these b****y teachers need telling. Interestingly in the meeting his form tutor was there she is a science teacher and said as a teacher she would find his pupil profile and I.E.P. too much to read before a lesson Is it me or does this seem all wrong.

[phasmid]

Teachers need to be aware of IEPs! They contain targets a child is working towards, there is noe excuse for not making themselves aware of the general points and keeping them in a folder for a quick glance at every so often.

 

As for the handwriting issue - that should not have happened. That sort of exercise can be a good one, but not for those who have trouble writing. It also puts a lot on the pupil the work is passed too as well. It needs to stop in your sons case. Laptop is a good idea - or the alternative. They need to do something!

 

If he has something else to add to what he said in the meeting write it out for him and get him to sign it and ask for it to be added.

[Tez]

Hi LKS,

 

I think it's a common problem in large secondary schools that individual teachers aren't as committed to helping SEN pupils and make no effort to learn of their specific difficulties or make reasonable adjustments for them. I found that the help A got was very much down to an individual teacher's personality.

 

When I went through A's school records, I noticed that either the Deputy Head or the Head of Year (note not the SENCO who still maintains he has no problems) had written to all his teachers on a monthly basis reiterating his dx, what it meant, and any particular difficulties he was having at the time. In each memo there were particular instructions on how they were to differentiate their approach to him. Each teacher was required to sign and return a slip stating that they had read and understood. I believe that this approach was taken because teachers were claiming that they were unaware of his dx and his problems despite his IEPs.

 

I also think that some form of word processing would be a good idea. We had all sorts of problems getting A a laptop due to logistical problems but my argument was that if organisation safety, and care was a problem, then an adult such as an LSA would have to take responsibility for it.

[LKS]

Thanks both. I have just received an e-mail from the senco and she said in defence of the RE teacher she only has ds for one double lesson a week (yes and, is that it, is that the defence)She asked whether it would help if ds had a laminated card he could hand to teachers which mentioned his most immediate difficulties. Somehow can't see my son handing this over. He would be really worried that some of the other boys might get to see it as well. Tez very interested in the bit about making teachers sign something to show that they are aware and have read the necessary info. I know they are very worried about the safety of ds having lap-top but as you rightly said they could make one of his L.S.A's responsible for it being in the class and charged whenever it was felt it was needed. After all it says 15 hours of L.S.A support on his statement to enable him to access the curriculum. The senco said that support is available to him for 26 periods per week but actually very little of that support is directed at son it is used to support several other children in the class that need it. Phas as you once said part of the L.S.A's job is to actually do themselves out of a job. It seems obvious to me that with the right technology Ds might be able to manage quite independantly and it would remove the necessity for him of having to have L.S.A's writing down notes which is very time consuming for them and something he is going to enjoy less and less as he gets older. Perhaps it is about time that they started using some of those 15 hours to actually support him and not just everyone in the class that needs it. (sorry don't mean that to sound as harsh as it sounds)

[phasmid]

Perhaps it is about time that they started using some of those 15 hours to actually support him and not just everyone in the class that needs it. (sorry don't mean that to sound as harsh as it sounds)

 

Not harsh at all - it is a fact, one that perhaps the school ought to address!

[LKS]

Phasmid I was really looking forward to perhaps stepping back a bit when ds started secondary. I feel completely overloaded at the moment what with this and the pathetic exscuse for a senco at dd's primary. Obviously the battle never ends does it.