My dd is 17 and was helped through High School with mental health issues. She had an eating disorder in year 8, lost lots of weight, was under CAMHS. She regained the weight and since then she's had issues with severe anxiety, OCD and school refusal. Her High School were fantastic and the education inclusion officer helped with a reduced timetable and allowed her to do some work from home. She was barely in school during year 10 and 11, but managed to get mostly A*, A and a couple of Bs in her GCSEs.
When she started at sixth form college, they were aware of her problems and said they'd be supportive, but when her attendance started to struggle (she was fine initially for a few weeks then anxiety meant she just couldn't get in) they asked for a meeting re their 'fitness to study' policy and said that she'd have to restart. They said it wasn't possible to be supported in the College and that she'd have to be in the classes. Her teachers apparently said she'd missed too much of College to continue. (despite her attendance being much better than it was at school). I've sent messages to the College continually and got no response whatsoever. I did get a response from the head of year 12 yesterday. In my email I'd listed some of my concerns and they just reiterated that she'd have to leave and restart without addressing any of my concerns.
I just feel that they gave up too soon.
We're looking at independent study from home as the best option now.
Do sixth form colleges not bother trying to help students like my daughter because it's non compulsory education?
I know up to the end of year 11 it's a legal requirement to be at school, but nobody seems to care if they go to college/school beyond that (from my googling it seems that they're 'supposed' to be in education or training, but it isn't enforced). I'm assuming that schools/colleges only help students up to year 11, as school is a legal requirement? This is an ofsted outstanding college too with an amazing reputation, so I was shocked at their coldness and lack of help.
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is it normal for sixth form colleges to offer no or little help for mental health problems?
18 replies
yellowapples987 · 07/01/2020 09:31
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