Would a statement be useful for changing schools ?

[mummyloveslucy]

Hi, I am going to try to get my daughter a statement for her speech disorder so that she can get the help she needs in school. I've heard that if you have a statement, you get your first choice school if it caters for their needs.
My first choice is just outside catchment but has excellent facilities and would be great for her.
The thing is, she'd be joining primary school late as she's in a nursery attached to a school and is doing reception there.
Hopefully she'll have a statement in place by the time she's 5.5, but would she get a place in a school of our choice, or would she just have to take what evers offered?
I just wondered if a statement would be concidered if it's a change of schools?
Thanks.

[LIZS]

Think they'd have to have a place available, and if you join late other SN children may have already taken the priority places, Unless you apply for Reception at the same time as all her peers and take the space up as soon as it is available it could be a lottery. Once you have accepted a place offered you can theoretically defer within the same year (ie during Reception) but tbh it seems a bit pointless as she'd have to be in education once she has turned 5 anyway and if resources are then allocated according to her Statement.

[mummyloveslucy]

Thanks LIZS, I won't be able to get her a statement before october I don't think. She needs to have her form in by then with the school choices.
Maybe she could go on a waiting list at my prefered school?
I wish I'd sorted out a statement earlier.

[LIZS]

Apply in October for a Reception place and put a note explaining the situation (there is usually space for notes or to support the application) and lodge the request in the meantime so at least it is in the system. If needs be may be you would be able to appeal should she not get a place there anyway and you get a Statement naming it. Does your SALT think you'd get one or would she be prepared to write a letter of support if necessary ? Have you got a referral to a paed yet?

[jimjamshaslefttheyurt]

You still have to agree it with the school in practice. Theoretically you're top of the list after children in care, but it really doesn't quite work like that.

Sometimes a statemented child can take an infant class above 30- but only if there's physical room. So each classroom has the official maximum (30 for infants) but will also have a physical maximum. So if there are 30 in a class, the physical maximum is 32 and Lucy would make 31 that would be OK.

You need to ring the school and say you're applying for a statement and see what they say.

Remember you need to get the statement which isn't always that easy for speech disorders. Have you spoken to IPSEA.

[mummyloveslucy]

That sounds a good idea. What is IPSEA ?

I hope the SALT would support me in getting a sttement. I'll have a word with ther on tuesday.
It would be worth talking to my prefered school too to see what they say.
There is only one intake in September too, so that's more streight forward.

[jimjamshaslefttheyurt]

IPSEA they're the people to speak to really.

[mummyloveslucy]

Thanks cat64.

I hope she won't need a statement by that time, but I suppose it's better to be on the safe side.

[clam]

Have you had any feedback from anyone to say your chances of getting her statemented? It's just that, in my experience, it is very very hard to get one nowadays. I don't know your DD's case, of course, but we had a child in our school last year who we'd been trying desperately for years to get him statemented and they kept turning him down on technicalities. He's gone to secondary now, and is struggling big-time. It's very unfair.

[mummyloveslucy]

It probubly wouldn't be easy for us either as she is bright. It's just that she needs a lot of help with her speech.

[clam]

With a Specific Learning Disorder (SpLD) (depending on the issue) you have to meet certain criteria in the difference between attainment. So, for example, by Year 6, we once had a kid who attained Level 4 in science, but was only 1B in written English. She still didn't qualify, however, because other criteria weren't met. Crazy system. All about money, or lack of it, if you ask me.

[sinclair]

What LIZS said. I don't think that naming a school will automatically get you a place in Y1 - tho it might make you top of the list if a place comes available.

I think your best bet assuming the school is oversubscribed (sorry don't know why I assume that, if it isn't you may be able to transfer after R) is to apply for a reception place with a note on there that statement application in progress. School may fund support in the interim (equally they may not)

[clam]

Also, I think the statement has to specifically state that particular school is the only one that can deal with the special need. So, for instance, if you had a child with mobility difficulties, and there was only one school on a flat site with no access issues, then they would mention that.