would a statement help or hinder my daughter ??

[mummyloveslucy]

Hi, my 3.5 year old daughter has verbal dyspraxia and goes to a nursery attached to a private school. I've heared people talking about getting a statement for their child and that they are very hard to get.
I just wondered what is the benefit of having one ? Is it to get extra help at school, and would this apply to private schools too ?
I wouldn't want the statement to hold her back in anyway, and would it affect her chances of going to grammer school?(if that was ever a possibility).
If anyone can shed some light on this, that would be great. Thanks

[susia]

I think a statement would give her priority for an oversubscribed state school plus help from a special teaching assistant but I don't know how that'd work in a private school.

[pagwatch]

you need to find out what your local schools position is on statementing. Tis a bit of a lottery.
For example a statement may help her if the school has a target number of SN kids but your DD needs less help. She may well qualify for extra support if she needs it. sadly the delivery of that help can be ...sporadic.
A private school may have a great LD support system - or they may have none and would not even consider her.
So consider her need for help/ the school in question and then choose

[pagwatch]

you could post this in SN or ed SEN

[mummyloveslucy]

Oh my god! is there a chance she won't be able to stay at her school?
She loves it there and has some really lovely friends who will be moving through the school together. She is more confident in small groups and would be lost in a large class room.
Do you think I should talk to the school about this? I know from there ofsted peport that they have never had any children with PEN's but it says that they have appropreate steps in place.

[wonderstuff]

A statement is a legal document specifying how a childs needs should be met, it is drawn up after consulting outside agencies including the LEA snd reviewed annually. You can only get into special schools if you hace one, although ikt wont guarentee you a place at any school. They used to come with funding but dont any more. The are very expensive and difficult to put together so schools are reluctant to go down this route unless special school is an option.

[pagwatch]

don't panic !!!!
Many private schools have fab learning support!
If there was a problem it would probably have been identified to you by now .
What does their prospectus say ?

[mummyloveslucy]

Oh that's O.K, she definatly won't be going to a special school as it's only her language that is affected.

[pagwatch]

TRUST ME !
getting into a special school is extremely hard and many parents have to fight like ..well you know...to get their child in.

They are extremely expensive and places are in very short supply.

A private schools promary concern will be can they meet that childs needs and , frankly, can the child keep up.

[wonderstuff]

If she is ok in mainstream and not needing continued support from outside agencies then she really doesn't need a statment

[cory]

On the other hand, if she does need support at school at any time (say, a learning assistant to do extra work with her) then a statement will help. And, as someone mentioned, a statement may give you priority to oversubscribed state schools.

[getbackinyouryurtjimjams]

If she has verbal dyspraxia the main point of a statement would be to get her SALT. You can do this in a statement if it's an educational need (and it would be in your dd's case I;m sure). You have to get it written in parts 2 and 3 of the statement and then the LEA have to provide it- even if there is no NHS SALT available. (When ds1's SALT went on maternity leave the LEA had to pay for a private one to go in as there was no maternity cover- because it was in parts 2 and 3 of the statement). In theory private school should make no difference. It could do though.

How much SALT does she get now? Really you want a lot for verbal dyspraxia but an amount that is almost impossible to obtain from the NHS. It's grossly unfair but I ended up talking to Nancy Kaufman (and found her very helpful).

[mummyloveslucy]

The prospectus dosn't say anything about SEN's and it is a highly accademic school, although that is not why we chose it.
We just want her to be happy and confident and reach her full potential (whatever that might be). I know that if she stayed then she would be really supported in an extreamly caring environment.

[mummyloveslucy]

Thank you, she has speech therapy with a SALT once a week but she sometimes dosn't even get that. She recently has 2 months off to let it sink in.
I definatly think she needs more than this as she has started to get anctious (I feel) as she has started grinding her teeth.

[mummyloveslucy]

Like any mum I just really want the best for her and will do anything possibe to help her. It shouldn't be so hard to get the appropreate support for your children.