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Tez

What a cheek!

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Had a phone call from our local councillor who has been trying to mediate between me and the LEA over non-quantification of the statement. He'd had a word with A's school and apparently I'm a problem because I want the i's dotted and the t's crossed and I have to record everything in writing and that is unacceptable because they haven't got the resources to be tied down that closely. Furthermore, it's unnecessary to confirm in writing something that's been verbally agreed. Well, too bl**dy right I do because I've learnt the hard way that if it's not in writing it never happened or A was said to misinterpret things. I've learnt that you have to challenge in writing minutes of meetings that are ambiguous, have vital information missing or are just plain wrong because other wise they come back to haunt you. I'm sorry that my officially recording everything causes them problems...but it did make the school start to take my concerns seriously after years of fobbing me off and it has got A a statement that everyone said he wouldn't get because my records showed his needs were not being met despite the school's saying everything was hunky dory.

 

My recording everything shows the errors in the school's and LEA's case statement for tribunal and of course they don't want the i's dotted and the t's crossed because I might then have a statement that was enforceable in law. I am just so angry, just where do they get off putting the blame on the parents all the time and making us question ourselves? When are they going to start complying with the law instead of forcing parents to fight for their rights?

 

Sorry rant over. Just needed to get that off my chest. I think I have been overly reasonable with both the school and the LEA but the gloves are now off. The school are just about to get another email asking why work submitted in December has still not been marked despite 3 chasing emails.

Edited by Tez

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You need to let your councillor know that 50% of the cases that go to SENDIST are about the contents of the statements, not about whether a statement is issued; that parents are overwhelmingly successful at appeal; that OFSTED have found evidence that SEN budgets are used for other 'priority' areas; and that you'll not take the chance thankyouverymuch.

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Oh my god, I can't believe the school are being like that, basically they just sound peed off cos you are getting the things you need for your son and showing that all that has been said in past is not always the case.

 

Sod them and keep it like this if you need to prove that they weren't meeting his needs etc at least you have evidence.

 

>:D<<'>

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If its any consolation we went to level 3 county complaints panel last week and the school said that it was up to the parents to initiate meetings to deal with disputes. :blink: They also said that the school objected to us putting dealing with the matter in writing, as they preferred to deal with everything verbally, cos it was less susceptible to misunderstanding. :lol: The one thing they came up with that wasn't in writing they thought was going to bite us in the bum. Although we argued it pretty well at panel, I kicked myself for not sending confirmation of my understanding of the incident they were talking about. But fortunately I made notes after the incident which are still held on computer disc showing the time and date my record was made. The incident in question was also prior to the completion of the school's position statement for panel, which does not make the allegation. So immediately following panel we have made another complaint, as it constituted an unsubstantiated public allegation that we can prove is false.

 

Kids have been out of school for weeks now, and there will be no chance of reconciliation without an unreserved apology. Its either unreserved apology, or it looks like home tuition next. If we think its affected the conclusion of the panel, its ombudsman.

 

If they are moaning about things being in writing, you've got em worried. Keep writing :thumbs:

Edited by sue1957

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I'm with you on this Tez

 

Unless you get everything in writing, it very rarely happens .

 

 

 

They don't like the fact that you are very efficient keeping records of meetings etc, stick with it Tez and dont let them get you down you've come this far and there is no turning back.....(they are trying to rile you and dont let them)!!!

Edited by justamom

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sue1957: The one thing they came up with that wasn't in writing they thought was going to bite us in the bum. Although we argued it pretty well at panel, I kicked myself for not sending confirmation of my understanding of the incident they were talking about. But fortunately I made notes after the incident which are still held on computer disc showing the time and date my record was made.

 

Isn't it always the way, the odd thing that you forget to officially confirm in writing is the thing that they chose to use against you. Like you though I usually find if I search my files hard enough I have the evidence to prove my point.

 

Good Luck with the panel's decision. I'll keep my fingers crossed it goes your way. When will you know their decision?

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Tez, our primary school are exactly the same. The HT has told me in quite a bullying way, when I've asked why she has not responded to a letter, that she prefers to do everything verbally as paper work is time consuming and you can get your point across more clearly verbally. TOUGH I thought to myself. What she actually meant was 'it's easier to brow beat and bully, and dive down rabbit holes verbally than it is in writing'. It was your parental evidence that made me realise I had to start putting every single thing in writing. Since doing so I have begun to unearth so many policy violations that I know I've got them rattled. And thanks to Phasmid's help I've actually got the local documents to prove these violations of policy.

 

Without a paper trail you've got nothing but your word against theirs.

 

Fiddlesticks to them if they thing you're pedantic; you keep doing what you're doing because you've got them on the run and they know it.

 

Lauren

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Isn't it always the way, the odd thing that you forget to officially confirm in writing is the thing that they chose to use against you. Like you though I usually find if I search my files hard enough I have the evidence to prove my point.

 

Good Luck with the panel's decision. I'll keep my fingers crossed it goes your way. When will you know their decision?

 

Should be the end of the week latest. But as the kids are out of school, the result doesn't matter so much. They have to reconcile. The LA have previously tried to get us to put in writing that we will take them off roll, find another school or home educate. We have flatly refused, our children will not be punished for something that is not their fault. They are now classed as "children missing from education" so the LA have to act under the policy guidance under the Dfes Every child matters and "no child slips through the net." Our county policy guidance makes VERY interesting reading. The panel would have been stalled for months I reckon, except that the kids are not being educated at all. Suddenly a panel meeting that normally takes months for diaries to be synchronised appeared in less than a fortnight. Four days before the panel, a second "independent" investigating officer's report arrived, with a letter for us to sign saying that we had received the report and all attachments. Needless to say we didn't sign, and lodged a written statement concerning that at the start of panel, saying that we were so desperate to get our kids back into education that we would accept the panel on the second report, on the understanding that it did not override our rights under the FOIA and complaints procedures to query the 2 versions of the report we held to date. :devil: The fact that the panel went ahead meant that we can ask questions - in writing of course :devil:

 

Before the kids were withdrawn, we told the LA several times that contact restrictions placed on us because we had lodged a parental complaint constituted a health safety and welfare risk, which they ignored, our daughter had a head injury, we weren't informed, and the kids have been withdrawn until the health, safety and welfare has been sorted to OUR satisfaction. I said at panel that I wouldn't leave my kids with a babysitter who wouldn't tell me if one of them was injured, and I wasn't leaving them with a school that wouldn't.

 

The LA have tried to force attendance meetings, (including one immediately after the panel). We agreed to a "reconciliation meeting" provided all our outstanding issues were addressed (and we listed them) and that a parent governor was present plus one other from a list. Just before panel they tried to fob us off with another governor (ex staff) and insisted it was an "attendance meeting" so we refused. Our emails all show how keen we are to have a meeting as soon as possible to reconcile our differences (which is quite true) but that certain criteria must be met, i.e. parent governor, health and safety issues, etc. Lets see them try and take that to court. :)

 

But we've done it all in writing, making sure we don't make any complaint about any individual, we've kept it completely non personal. If we get a letter or email that makes us fume, I've typed a draft rant email or letter but then left it at least 24 hours til I've calmed down before careful editing to calm and reasonable mode before sending it. Rant emails and letters are just the ammo they need.

 

Sorry that turned into a bit of a novel, :oops: but its the waiting that's the worst. I'm a bit stressed in case you haven't noticed :lol:

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I'm not surprised you're a bit stressed. Hope reconcilation comes soon. I think sometimes these authorities forget that there are children who are suffering because of their actions. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

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Tez,

 

You are absolutely right.

 

I learned the hard way to keep detailed records of everything after falling victim to our LEA's creativity with the truth - seeing our words twisted and used against us, important information left out of minutes and points made and later denied or conveniently forgotten.

 

Fingers crossed for you, Sue and anyone else locked in battle at the moment. Stay strong! :ph34r:

 

K x

Edited by Kathryn

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Totally agree - put everything in writing.

 

Also agree, it is the things that you don't follow up in writing that are the things that come home to haunt you (two things in the last few weeks).

 

I have done two letters today, one asking for clarification and one recording what was said in a meeting (as what was agreed, has not happened).

 

Karen

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Tez, am totally with you on this one. Before I found this forum I had been so caught out in meetings and during telephone conversations, they made me a nervous but compliant wreck, and I'm sure that is how everyone wanted me to be. I have never in my whole life been so involved in games of postal tennis with people that should know better :wallbash:

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Tez, keep dotting the i's and crossing the t's!! :clap::clap:

 

 

It's the only way to keep track of all that it's said and agreed.

 

>:D<<'>

Curra

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Stick to your guns and get everything in writing, i's dotted and t's crossed - you know that they'll wriggle if you don't :)

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