Flora Report post Posted June 7, 2006 Some of you will know I wrote to the school re-Luke and applied for stat assessment at the same time, and as Luke met all the criteria that they turned William down for I was wondering how they'd wriggle out of it this time. Just had a meeting with the HT... She acknowledges Luke's complex learning difficulties and his autism (A first) She acknowledges that he has profound difficulties with numeracy and isn't making progress All good, until she pulled this out of the hat: Between January and the end of April Luke had 18 days of absences because of chronic ENT problems, not consecutively just a day here and there. That's why he hasn't made progress in maths.....according to HT... !!?? I said that I didn't accept that as a cause. She agreed to some extent but said it was a contributing factor...I couldn't argue with that because it may well be but it doesn't explain his lack of progress between September and December when he'd had no days off... She then told me that he had made progress in maths then but had no evidence to prove this (he certainly didn't make progress) She told me that he and 2 other kids have 'extra' support from their teacher during maths lessons. She told me that another teacher takes the 3 of them on Thursdays for 40 mins but that as Luke had been off alot he'd missed most of them. I pointed out that nothing was done before he was sick and nothing has been done afterwards, and could I see her register to see how many times she'd had him. Blank look, 'oh I'll check it'... OK She then asked me, if he was assessed what would I expect from the assessment that they aren't already doing. I said identifying the difficulties and providing tailored teaching sessions. She said 'but we already are providing tailored teaching sessions, but he missed most of them because he was ill'... And I said to her well the assessment is a means to establish what the child needs and it may well be that he needs several hours of support tailored to his complex learning difficulties, she then said that I would have to think about the setting because the ethos of her school doesn't allow for children being withdrawn from the class, she likes to keep them all together and deal with it that way. I am so confused, and I'm so p'd off that she would use his being ill earlier this year as a reason for his lack of progress... almost like it's my fault. Then suggest that the whole statementing thing was a pointless exercise unless I was willing to remove him from the school.... Oh she didn't use those exact words but that's the jist of it. Lauren Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suze Report post Posted June 7, 2006 hi loz ..........Ive gotta be honest and say that the school does,nt appear to believe he needs any more help over and above what he already has..........or has,nt depending when he was ill.Sounds like she,s trying to excuse why they haven,t offered him more help with...........well he,s been off school we,ll blame it on that.You also wanna point out that an ed physch should be assessing him as do they actually know what his complex needs are??.........and you wanna tell her an assessment/statement will be hugely beneficial at high school.Your not just thinking for now but in the future.She should stop worrying about how your application reflects badly on the school and start thinking of how to help Luke.I feel pi**ed off for you.Suzex. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flora Report post Posted June 7, 2006 I have had a very long conversation with my parent partnerships support lady, she told me that at a county meeting last month someone from the LEA was there and mumbled something about our LEA not doing any more statements. The PP spokeswoman at the meeting asked about the legality of this move and at that point the chair closed the meeting. My own LEA officer told me something similar but didn't mention that there aren't going to be any new statements. This just gets murkier and murkier. She also said that she has absolutely no faith or respect for the ed psych serving our area and it was such a relief to hear someone else say that as I had already decided that at a meeting last December. I might have to relocate if this doesn't get any better. Lauren Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justamom Report post Posted June 7, 2006 Aw honey i feel for you at the mo its one fight after another for you. Hang in there. Its certainly not your fault that he has not made any progress in Math, how very dare she! Its the schools fault for neglecting his needs.... I think she is contradicting herself by saying:_ The ethos of her school doesn't allow for children being withdrawn from the class, she likes to keep them all together and deal with it that way. But yet she allows 3 children to have extra support on a thursday?? She just does not want to give Luke any extra support. I feel really cross for you!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suze Report post Posted June 7, 2006 lordy lauren I,m feeling realy down for you.Don,t let this swamp you........if relocation is an option you go for it..........better to be pro-active than to let them grind you down.But it may not come to that .........who knows.........pigs can fly and I,m sure I saw a cow fly over the moon last night.Big hugs suzex Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flora Report post Posted June 7, 2006 I got through to IPSEA and the lady on the phone didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know. She did say that while many LEA's are not issuing statements for funding purposes, they still have to assess and provide a statement of needs to ensure the school provide the appropriate level and type of support, and it would still be a legal document. So that's something I suppose. The hardest thing to deal with is this, and I wonder if anyone else has this problem. The HT/SENCO is all sugary nice to me when we are having meetings, she tells little funny stories about the child. I'm so defensive and cynical now that I think she's doing this to soften me up before she goes in for the kill. I find it very hard to be firm with someone who is being nice to me However, I'm convinced she is feeding me lines and I don't know why. It can't be funding, the money IS there and it's no skin of her nose to spend it on Luke, is it???? Or does she genuinely believe that her approach is the right one? I can't believe that it is. My intuition is telling me that is all hot air and my instinct tells me not to trust her as far as I can throw her. It's not the first time she's tried to turn the tables on me. I won't give up but I am totally and utterly fed up. I'm at that horrible stage where I want to just curl up in a dark room and cry, but I know I can't do that. I sometimes wonder if I'm expecting some sort of miracle if he gets the help I believe he needs and that maybe I should just relax and accept that he's going to skim along the top of the education system and leave school at 16 with no qualifications. It's all so ###### depressing. Lauren Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
curra Report post Posted June 7, 2006 Lauren, It's just excuses for not giving the right support...It sounds sooooo familiar! Until my boy broke down emotionally and his work got a lot worse, his school did not think there was any need to have him assessed. Don't give up, if the school acknowledges that Luke has complex difficulties and his autism it's a start. You can ask for a statutory assessment yourself, but first ask for advice (parent partnership, LEA SEN officer for example) because if there's something missing they turn it down (as it happened to me). Curra <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sue1957 Report post Posted June 7, 2006 I might have to relocate if this doesn't get any better. Lauren Hang on in there. <'> Having reached rock bottom recently after something trivial escalated, its almost as if things can't get worse so they can only get better IYKWIM. Can't give you any advice - I've somehow managed it that my kids are out of school, getting no education at all, and we're being ignored completely by the LA and the school. But on the positive side ( is there one?) I've finally reached a point where I've moved through being depressed and anxious, and now I'm just completely focused (or totally obsessed depending on your viewpoint ) on getting things put right. But whatever you decide, I wouldn't relocate here if I were you Don't let 'em grind you down. Good luck <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flora Report post Posted June 7, 2006 (edited) UPDATE briefly cos I'm making the tea: picked up Luke from school and the HT was waiting to see me. Full of apologies that she felt she has brow beaten me (she wishes.... well maybe a little ... but not FOREVER). She's had contact with our LEA officer and obviously filled her in on the meeting, it's my guess that the LEA officer may have rapped her knuckles for trying to hide behind his absences; the result is that starting tomorrow he is getting 1-1 teaching 3 times a week with their part time special needs teacher. Talk about an about turn! Now I can get on with my supporting evidence for the stat assessment Thanks for all your advice and support guys <'> Lauren ps... I didn't even know they had a part-time special needs teacher Edited June 7, 2006 by Lauren Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sue1957 Report post Posted June 7, 2006 Brilliant news Lauren You've obviously got what it takes Any chance of you coming here and sorting my problems out? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zemanski Report post Posted June 7, 2006 remember that funding is not your concern - they like to use it to make parents feel guilty but even if they delegate all the funding meeting a statement is still the LEA's responsibility, they can't delegate the responsibility to assess for, make and maintain a statement whatever their policy is. stay strong Z Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flora Report post Posted June 7, 2006 Thanks everyone. zemanski, that's what IPSEA said, the statement would be the LEA's responsibility but the funding would come from the SEN budget that the LEA had given to the school. I wonder if anyone could answer this: When I was talking to the HT at home time she said that earlier in the year when she did 3 sessions of 10 min maths lessons with Luke and another boy that she'd had funding for that. What I can't understand is that she's there anyway, she's the HT and SENCO, so why would she need funding to spend 30 mins in total with three kids when she's already there??? Lauren Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suze Report post Posted June 7, 2006 flippin heckers!!.......bit of a result!!........I,m so pleased they,ve eased off a bit and are now finally accepting that your boy needs some help!!...........it does sound like the conversation the head had about luke went perhaps in your favour.Keep going loz I,m flexing me muscles for ya if you need a bit of argy bargy in the playground.LOVE SUZEX. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BusyLizzie100 Report post Posted June 7, 2006 Wow, Lauren, I've just whizzed through this post (also trying to feed kids at the mo) and I can't believe your HT! Well, actually I can because she sounds just like my son's. She also asked how I would like them to support him, but that's why I want him assessed! His difficulties are far more complex for me to come up with a solution to a question like that! If she doesn't know, then a full and comprehensive assessment with a view to Statementing is absolutely essential. Got to go, natives are attacking... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jen Report post Posted June 7, 2006 If your child has difficulties than it makes no difference him having 18 days off. If he went to school when he was unwell he would not be able to work so what does the headmistress want "a sick child in school." She is using your child absences as an excuse. You child needs thought plannings and advice from outside professionals. This can only come with a statement. Fight for the statement and go to tribunal if necessary. Good luck. Jen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flora Report post Posted June 15, 2006 It's just over a week since the above occurred. Every day I've asked Luke if he went to have a special lesson with Miss SN teacher, and he's said no. One more day left this week for this to happen. What do I do if he comes home tomorrow and still hasn't had 1-1 maths lesson? Do I contact the school or the LEA?? Lauren Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PinkSapphireAngel Report post Posted June 16, 2006 My instant reaction would be to say BOTH, but I guess asking the school first and seeing whether there is any sort of real reason then take it to the LEA if need be. I have had this so many times with my ds school saying they will do something and then not bothering, LEA are not much better either. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flora Report post Posted June 16, 2006 Well, still no result. Asked Luke after school and no extra maths on his own, zero, zilch. That's 7 school days, 9 days in total since the HT told me they were going to arrange 1-1 in numeracy. I'll be 'knocking on their door' first thing Monday morning I will. Lauren Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suze Report post Posted June 17, 2006 <'> ............it,s ust a constant battle isn,t it!!!...........she,ll have a perfectly good viable reason of course ..as to why he has,nt had his 1-1....... 1.There was,nt an inclusive(!!!) area for him to have his 1-1 in. 2.The photo-copier broke and they could,nt copy his work sheet. 3.The teaching staff were all tied up sorting out heats for sports day 4.Luke is now doing very well at maths and working towards a level 5 5.OH ....did,nt we tell you his 1-1 numeracy starts in sept in the next school year!!! .........take care lozza suzex. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justamom Report post Posted June 17, 2006 <'> ............it,s ust a constant battle isn,t it!!!...........she,ll have a perfectly good viable reason of course ..as to why he has,nt had his 1-1....... 1.There was,nt an inclusive(!!!) area for him to have his 1-1 in. 2.The photo-copier broke and they could,nt copy his work sheet. 3.The teaching staff were all tied up sorting out heats for sports day 4.Luke is now doing very well at maths and working towards a level 5 5.OH ....did,nt we tell you his 1-1 numeracy starts in sept in the next school year!!! .........take care lozza suzex. Sounds bout right Suze Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
