Mumsnet Talk

I have been taking a MN break for a few months but I could really do with some help and I know all of you on here have lots of knowledge.

DS started in MS primary in September, at first it was quite a bumpy ride but once they made some adjustments to what as expected of him it smoothed out. He has 20 hours a week 1-2-1, which worked out at full time as he was there mornings only.

The plan was that he would increase the time he spent in school slowly, this was agreed at his last review meeting. I was also informed that they would be applying for High Level Needs funding because they felt he needed 1-2-1 all the time.

2 weeks ago I was told that he wouldnt be able to stay past 2.15 in the afternoon as the school cannot fund a 1-2-1 after that time, until they hear back from the HLN bid at the end of this month.

Now he turns 5 at the end of the month too, so he needs to be in full time school by the beginning of Summer term. The school seem very positive that they will get the funding, but his Inclusion Support Officer told me that she feels its unlikely.

The school have been fab, his TA and the SENCo have worked really hard but I am worried about how things will go if he doesnt get the HLN funding. Is there any way around the full time by 5 rule?

He doesn't have to be in school full time when he turns 5!

If both you and school are happy with him going part time, he can do that for ever.

It's called 'flexi-schooling' and it's totally at the school's discretion. ie they can grant it to any kid they want to.

It is up to the LA to provide you with a suitable school placement for your ds once he turns 5.

do you have a case officer at the LA? does your ds have a statement?

would the school be prepared to put in writing that they are unable to provide for him, and that he needs additional funding? (sometimes what they say to you will not be what they say to the LA).

the law says your ds needs to be in fulltime education (and you have chosen school - obv home ed is an option for some, legally speaking) the term after he turns 5. so the LA need to find him somewhere that can take place, or provide the funding for him to access the place he has.

it is their problem, not yours.

Do not agree to take him home at 2.15 for the forseeable - this will just leave you in the lurch.

I already have been taking him home at 2.15 .

He doesnt have a statement - we are in Nottinghamshire so its hard enough, plus it wouldnt give him any more funding.

I would rather him be in PT school and be happy than be in full time and be miserable, but I dont want this to carry on forever.

I cant fund the extra hours myself can I ?

work out hwat you want, and then work out how to get it.

in an ideal world, would you want your ds in school fulltime, or part time?

do you work/would you like to be able to return to work?

if the school are saying they are unable to meet his needs, then the LA need to work somethign out.

whether that is another school placement, which might be more suited, or additional funding via a statement or otherwise (although only a statement is legally binding) is up in the air.

so:

where do you want your ds to go to school?
what does he need to go to that school?

there is no reason why you shoudl be (sorry for the wording) inconvenienced by having to collect your ds earlier than any other reception child because he has additional needs.

you don't want to start down the route of funding things yourself, unless you can carry on forever.

1. Don't fund the hours yourself

2. Apply for a statement yourself. Today.

3. Keep asking the school every week can he go full time next week? - until they get so sick of you they sort it out.

4. Ring up parent partnership.

I would certainly apply for a statement myself. If they issue one without the necessary amount of 1:1 hours specified then you can appeal. Try to block out the unofficial statements of 'you won't get funding' from various professionals and do everything in writing. They may not wish to give him a statement because it is a legally binding document but thats not your problem. Offering to fund yourself is also totally unfair on you. However, I did vaguely offer to do this once for a course for dd's TA. School were v embarrassed and lo and behold the money was found for the course. As long as you enable them to send your ds home by being grateful and saying OK (I totally get why you are doing this by the way) then they will continue to take advantage of this arrangement.

What I have been told is that because Nottinghamshire do things differently the statement wont give him specific funding so while we can apply we wont be any better off. I dont really understand it, am I being told something that isnt right?

I want him to be in school FT because he is really starting to enjoy its once he is there. I posted before after school said he wasnt 'accessing the curriculum', but since they changed it and lowered their expectations and the work he is doing he really has settled in and is doing well. But I know he needs to be supported all the time as he just cant do very much for himself - he cant even hold a pencil yet.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that he gets the HLN funding then this will all sort itself out, but I am not hopeful.

HLN funding will only sort it out for now. the same will happen next year, or when another child with higher needs comes along and 'needs' the HLN funding more.

a statement is legally binding. the LA will say they have already given the fudning to the school, as part of SEN budget, so no more forthcoming. but the fact remains that someone, somewhere, has to see to it that the provision outlined in your (well written, properly structured) ds' statement is provided. and that someone is not you. it is up to the LA to provide (bottom line) - whether thye have 'already given funding within SEN budget' or not.

it is illegal to 'not issue statemnts' - an LA cannot have a blanket policy like that.

have you spoken to IPSEA, or SOS!SEN (or similar)?

Agree with all the abvoe.

It might also be a good idea to write to the school clarifying the request for you to take your child home at 2.15pm as this might provide written evidence to back your request for full-time support.

Do you have evidence of all this in writing? If not get it all down and email to everyone concerned exactly what the current situation is.

I dont have anything in writing - the TA told me when I went to pick him up 2 weeks ago, he should have been staying until 2.30 that week but he hasnt been able to go past 2.15. The TA told me he couldnt stay any later because they didnt have the funding until they hear the decision of the panel.

I thought everything was going so well . I know our Specialist teacher wont support my statement request and I am unsure whether the school will. DH is being useless too and I feel useless.

is this the specialist teacher at school?

you really do need ot apply for a statement.

get all this i nwriting first. email the school to 'confirm' hat the arrangements are for yuor ds (ie that he is supposed to be staying until 2.30, but cant due to needing 1:1 which is not available). they will either accpet your confirmation of events (which is, after all, what was said to you) or deny - in which case they are saying they can suport him there for longer.

then, once you have it clarified in writing, apply for a statement. it's a simple letter, template on the IPSEA site.

and then the fun starts. but one step at a time. do not get brow beaten into accepting a situation you do not want. do not let a situation you do not want occur by not standign up for what your ds needs. dont' let your current situation slide even more.

your ds is entitled to a full time school place. he needs supprt to access that, and so he is entitled ot that support. but you are the only one who will care enough to get it put in place.

you need it in writing...write it up and email the Head, Senco and any other agencies involved. Then print it out and give them a paper copy.

The specialist teacher isnt in school - she is part of the LA's inclusion service and she visits once a term.

The agreement at his last review meeting was that he would increase the time spent at school by half an hour each week - so that by this week he should have been in FT (finishing at half three), but he obviously isnt.

When you say that it needs to be in writing, do you mean confirming that he isnt in school full time and why?

Should I tell the school that I am applying for a statement?

I feel like I dont know what I am doing and I need to try harder. Thank you for all your help.

Also, How long is HLN funding awarded for?

it won't make any difference whether you tell them or not that you're applying for SA.
Write up the current situation. Try to be objective - just state facts and dates. cc everybody in at the bottom.

I dont have any email addresses so it will have to be done the old fashioned way :D

I don't know about HLN funding.
Phone IPSEA and SOS SEN. It may be difficult to get through but keep trying.

if you're posting it send it recorded.

I will hand it in to the school office when I drop him off tomorrow.

hi voidka i have had a lot of dealings with nottingham education, do not give sa letter to school,(school files them in the bin) send it to education dept yourself. i have been down sa route twice. if you need anymore advice pm me.

Thanks Davids - can you tell me if a Nottinghamshire Statement will or wont give him extra hours/funding. The Specialist teacher told me that it wouldnt.

statement should give full funding for hrs, or they can name another school if thats what you want, it just depends on how much of a fight you put up as to getting sa. sorry but i had major issues with nottingham, they didn't want anymore bad publicity, so i had statement issued in 6 weeks.

I really want him to stay at this school - he is doing well there and is starting to thrive, but only because he is getting 1-2-1.

If that is true then I feel like I have been misled by Inclusion Support, which makes me feel even sadder.