what is contained in school records???

[mixedemotions123]

could somebody please tell me what information is detailed in a copy of a childs school records.
My seven year old son who is Autistic is at Mainstream school, and is being given a hard time(bullied?????????) by a child in his class. After speaking to the head and various mums on the Special Needs board, I have been told to ask to see a copy of his record. I have asked the school to provide this, but they want to know what information it is that i want to look for. I don't really know how to answer that adequatley as I don't know what information is detailed.

[ghosty]

I am pretty sure you are entitled to see all of your child's records.
Bumping this this for anyone who may know more ...

[Sparks]

If I were you, I would just ask to see the whole thing. You have a legal right to see your son's school records under the Data Protection Act. If you make an official request in writing, they can't refuse you. Here is \link{http://www.ico.gov.uk/documentUploads/Right%20of%20Access%20to%20Education%20Records%20in%20England.pdf\leaflet} about it from the \link{http://www.ico.gov.uk/\Office of the Information Commissioner}. They also run a Data Protection Helpline on 01625 545 745, if you want to find out more.

[robinpud]

Ask to see his IEP which you already should have a copy of.
Ask to be copied in on all correspondence concerning him, which you should be already.
Most importantly talk to the class teacher and find out how she includes him in the classroom, how she has explained any difficulties he might have to his classmates. How inclusive are they as a school? how are they helping him socially? The records won't tell you as much as talking to the teacher and the Head. Work with the school, don't waste energy on being stroppy if there's no need to. If you need to then do! Goodluck.

[mixedemotions123]

Robinpud, the IEPis something which we get termly so there is not a problem with that side of things. The child that he seems to be on the recieving end of has apparently got ADHD. According to the school, he is not only rough with my son, but with other children as well. Unfortunatley my son does not seem to be coping with it very well. He has come home on numerous occasions with bruises which he has said have been caused by this child, had work destroyed, been locked in the computer room etc etc etc.
I have spoken countless times to his class teacher who says that she does all that she can to seperate them. Unfortunatley the other child is also in my sons group when they do emotional literacy, small group work etc so this is not always an option.
When I spoke to the head recently she said that the teacher had not noticed any significant problems and that in her opinion there was no need to take any action or make any changes, but that she would be keeping an eye on the situation.
Since then things have not really improved, yesterday he came home from school with two massive bruises on his thigh. He had already told me earlier that this child had tripped him up in ICT, and that he had told the teacher. When I asked him at bedtime where the bruises had come from, he said it was from when this boy had tripped him. The class teacher confirmed to me today when I asked her that he had had a fall, this boy was behind him when it happened, but had said that it was an accident.
In short I cannot face sending him to school for the next seven weeks, knowing that the chances are he is going to be hurt in this way, and basically nothing is going to be done about protecting him. He has absolutley no confidence as it is, let alone subjecting him to this. He is terrified of people looking at him, and doesn't know who is likely to hurt him and why.
His class teacher had a recommendation by the Ed Psych to recieve training for teaching children on the ASD spectrum 12 months ago, and to the best of my knowledge this has not happened.
When I spoke to the deputy head today, I asked to see my sons school records, and he asked me what in particular was I looking to find. As I said in my opening post, I haven't a clue. I just want to put an end to all the crap that my son is having to put up with, as it feels as if nobody else is bothering to.
Thanks Sparks and ghosty for your messages too.

[robinpud]

It doesn't sound a if seeing the records will do anything to sort the problem. I suggest you find out who the special needs governor is and ask to talk to them. If you have a good relationship with the SEnco you could try talking to her. Explain your concerns about your son's well being and ask for advice as to the best way to get it sorted. Schools keep all sorts of records-but I really don't think that any of them holds the key for your ds.

[puddingz]

M123, I'm really sorry that your poor son is suffereing so much at school. Ask the school for its special needs and behaviour policy. If the boy has ADHD then the school should be providing some support for him, either a named support worker, withdrawn lessons, alternative timetable, drug review... something. Surely this boy is being punished for these deeds!? If he is unable to respond to a particular adult then the school needs to urgently review their policies/training/strategies and ask it self if their school is the right place for him. I would suggest you ask for the school's policies, read them and ask the the school to ask themselves what are they doing to help your son? Big hugz to you and your son.

[mixedemotions123]

I had a meeting a couple of months back with the Senco after he had been locked in the computer room. She said that they would look into seperation, try to set up a 'safe place' where my son could go if he was anxious or feeling threatened, and for the posibility of a member of staff/lsa to spend a few minutes at the end of the school day to talk to my son about his day, and to see if anything had happened that they needed to be aware of. To the best of my knowledge this has not happened. To give credit to the deputy head I am aware of two incidences where he has had a chat with him but that is all. Having spoken to him yesterday about latest incidents, he told me that he would discuss things with class teacher and call me that afternoon. I have to give him the benefit of the doubt, as until now I have not heard back from him.
I don't want to go into school all guns blazing, as I do not think it will help and ds2 will be starting there in September. But as things stand at the moment, I honestly feel that if he comes home again having been injured by this boy, then I will be keeping him off until something is done. This has been going on since Sept 2005 and I will not allow it to go on any longer. My son is very much behind with his learning, and we are waiting to find out if he is to be statemented so I know keeping him away from school is by far not the answer, but at the moment his mental state and safety is far more important.
The school say that they are aware that this other child has problems, apparently he started medication a couple of months ago which they thought would help!!!! But for whatever reason they refuse to intervene and change the fact that he remains with my son in the class, during emotional literacy, and small group work when given.
I know the school pride itself on its reputation, and I am sure they deserve to, but when it comes to situations like this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mixedemotions123]

puddingz, thanks for your support too. I have been told that they do deal with things when they see them happen, but he seems to be quite devious too. He always denies things when my son tells the teacher. i.e when he fell in the ICT, the teacher asked him if he had pushed my son. He said, no it was an accident. He once told my son that he was "going to SEX me", which resulted in him coming home hysterical from school and terrified of what he was going to do to me. In the end I approached him with his mum, and "gently" asked him to tell Callum that he was not going to do anything. He denied ever saying anything, and his mum wasn't even aware that they were in the same class.

Really sorry for such long posts, don't want to bore anyone, but I really am at my whits end.

[puddingz]

M123, I think it's time you start some sort of official proceedings now before your ds is hurt. I would advise you write a letter stating your concerns, the effect this boy has had, not only on ds but on yourself as well and requesting a meeting with the HT. Because it is a letter, the HT is obliged to acknowledge and respond to it within a set time. If the meeting does not go as well as you'd expect then you should get a copy of the complaints procedure and start an official complaint to make your voice be heard. Good Luck

[mixedemotions123]

Thanks puddingz, I will put a letter together. My son has just been refused a Statement too, just to make things harder still. It never rains but it pours.

[Blandmum]

In our (secondary) we have information that has come from the primary. This will vary from some reports, to detailed work that the children have produced. We also have details of any SEN reports, copies of IEPs (both from Primary and any generated in the school) We also have 'Pink slips' which detail and behavioural/dicipline issues, forgotten homework etc etc, gold slips for praise. There will also be all the paperwork with regard to any incident in school that requites investigation (either as perpetrator or victim IYSWIM), witness statements and copies of any correspondance with parents/careres/ social workeds/ EBSS , EWO.

[mixedemotions123]

thanks Martianbishop, that is really helpful info. At the moment touch wood things seem to be relatively calm, but I will still request a copy.

[MLady]

So sorry to hear all you're going through.
As puddingz and martianbishop have said it is really important to write a letter. Can remember the 'eureka' moment the first time I wrote a letter to a school and the lightening speed at which everything seemed to happen afterwards..... (after months of seemingly pointless one to one conversations).
Also, keep a log, write everything down, every single thing that happens to your son, put dates and times and what exactly happened and present this in letter form to your HT too. Mention the effect on your child. This will help the school to help your son too, as hopefully it will accelerate whatever system this ADHD kid is being processed through- it seems to be increasingly difficult for schools to help kids/get them statemented etc.
Good luck.

[notagrannyyet]

One of my DSs was on the SEN reg and had a full statement of special needs. He's grown up now but from what I can remember very full records were passed from school to school and read by everyone who had contact with him not just his teachers. This included detailed medical records. I remember being most upset (more for him than me)when my SIL who was a classroom assistant at his secondary school let slip she knew about DS bed wetting problems. I would certainly find out what is written in your childs records.

[mixedemotions123]

thanks for your replies. We are off to Turkey today for a fortnight so he is going to have a lovely long break from it all. I will def be writing things down in future.

[puddingz]

How's things at ds school MixedE123?