Schools-why are there such gaps in SEN provision/attitudes?

[amberleaf]

Hi ive not posted on this board before but i wanted to open a discussion about the differences between individual schools [often in the same borough] and the way SNs are addressed.

I have had personal experience of more than one school and have heard many a tale from friends and also read lots on boards such as this one.

Some schools are woefully inadequate yet some are great [like the one my DS[ASPERGERS] currently attends.

Clearly it can be done well as i'm experiencing that now, so why is it some schools have such a poor attitude [unhelpful/obstructive at worst] towards children with SNs and their parents?

When children with SNs are supported well life/working life is so much easier for all concerned-i struggle to understand why some schools don't/won't do more.

Maybe this is a silly question? but now ive seen how well a school can work it amazes me all the more that so many schools are so bad at supporting children with SN.

[SparklePrincess]

I have no idea. I currently have the opposite experience. My dd (who has ADHD & ODD, no official diagnosis as yet, still in progress 3 years in) attends a small village school. The SENCO is the headteacher, who has willfully obstructed the diagnosis progress. Dd has a very nice, but woefully inadequate teacher who hasnt a CLUE how to handle dd. I feel like im banging my head up against a brick wall. Im desperate to take her out, but as we may be moving area in the future I dont want to make too many changes for her. Its driving me NUTS!!!! On the other hand, my eldest had 5 good years at the same school, but with different teachers. It seems to be the luck of the draw in part, & partly a national lack of understanding of how to handle certain SEN children.

[LucindaCarlisle]

Some teachers seem not to care nor to understand conditions like ADHD. There are a lot of prejudiced teachers.

To SparklePrincess, Why dont you try to get your Doctor to arrange an appointment direct with CAMHS for the diagnosis.

[Goblinchild]

Teachers are under pressure to ensure that children make progress, and it's based on % within your class. That's how your performance management is run, targets set and you are evaluated at the end of the year to see if you met your targets.
So, 85% to reach level x in maths and writing and reading and science and IT skills.
For some teachers and some schools, sn children get in the way of achieving targets.
Reasonable adjustment is inconvenient and extra bother, IEPs require thought and implementing and resourcing.
So much easier to teach a nice group of children without sn, EAL, behavioural issues and all from supportive and lovely homes.

[LucindaCarlisle]

Some teachers are biassed against SEN children.

[amberleaf]

Its depressing.

sorry, im not feeling all that positive today.

Thanks everyone for taking time to answer.

[carocaro]

I think it's down to the head, some, like ours, does not like to have a big number on SEN that show on the Ofsted. Goblinchild has is spot on, we;ve had two years of great actively involved teachers and TA's and this year so far has been piss poor; it is the case that his teacher can't be arsed with it, she a renowned lazy box ticker teacher, so I am upsetting her precious little apple cart of doing the bare minimum. It fucks me righ off that they have such minimal expectations of what they can acheive.

I am pissed off and fed up today also.

[Hulababy]

Unless things havechanged a lot there is very little training about SN and SEN in teacher training. Most of it has to be done once in a school and that is then very much dependent on the head teacer, the school financing, the courses available in your school and the school's development plans which matches trainin needs to school plans. So, often a teacher can't go on a training course about a specific SN/SEN unless they are directly involved with a child.

It is very uuusual for the problem to lie in a teacher who simply doesn't care, although like in all professions you will get some bad teachers.

Most teachers want the best for all their pupils - but the barriers involved can be difficult for an individual teacher to combat alone, without the support of management within the school.

[SparklePrincess]

Only just come back to this thread. I self referred to CAMHS through the GP at the start of the whole process LucindaCarlisle. Perhaps that's what's pissing the school off, that I did it myself. Well dd was due to have a NQT & I didnt want to waste anymore of her education. CAMHS are completely useless in East Sussex. They have gone from saying at the beginning that dd has either very severe ADHD or ADHD & possible Aspergers or something else to putting it all down to the break up of my marriage. Im fuming with them. The latest is that dd's behaviour has got so bad school are now unable to control her at all & CAMHS after my refusal to give up agreed to set up a meeting with school but are yet to phone them & bother to set things up. Whats another few weeks when theyve consistently failed dd on all levels? They are sooooooooo useless!!! Im at the point where im going to have to move counties in the hope of finally getting somewhere. If you have a child with an undiagnosed SEN & are thinking of moving to East Sussex, my advice is DONT!!

[LucindaCarlisle]

Many Aspergers children can be very high achieving but tend to specialise in one particular thing which they put all their energy into. Try to find a Special school which concentrates on Aspergers Syndrome.

Priory Group runs some excellent colleges in the tertiary education age group. google FCFE

[TheFallenMadonna]

Honestly? For us, it's because it is our USP. We are the pretty much second choice school in our town. We have lots of challenging students, and therefore our support needs to be good. And when you have a strong support department, that affects all your SEN provision, SN as well as other needs. There is more training, more in house provision, more awareness among staff. And it becomes a positive feedback loop. We do it well, so we attract more students with SEN. So we are more aware and there is more provision. And so on. We are often first choice for students with SEN for that reason, whereas we would not be first choice for most NT children. Again, sadly, the two things may not be unrelated.

[amberleaf]

Sorry i forgot about this thread!

thanks for the replies.

....Dont get me started on referal waiting lists gah!

O well boyo is quite happy at the mo so thats the main thing.