what is school action, and should I have known ds1 was on it??

[thisisyesterday]

it came out during our parent's consultation that DS1 has been having "narrative therapy" all year at school. we didn't know about this

his teacher also mentioned updating his IEP. we didn't know about this

at the time I thought well, it's fine, it's needed (he has ASD) and y';know they're doing what needs to be done. But when we got home DP expressed concerns that we hadn't been told about any of this, and he is right isn't he? They shouldn't be deciding IEP's and giving him therapy without telling us about it, even if it is a good thing

anyway, this morning DP dropped him at school and popped his head into the office to see if he could arrange a few minutes with the SENCO to discuss this. He was met by the headmistress, so had a word with her instead and she informs him that DS1 is also on School Action... again, we had no idea!

is this normal? I don't even know what school action is!

[thisisyesterday]

ok, have googled school action and am now even more confused. teh teacher said he was average or above average on everything... so why would he need to be on school action?

[kickingking]

School action means that he is having some additional help within school - usually means they get a bit of extra help from a TA at some point during the week. Not usually a big deal at all.

School action plus would mean that they are having help in school with the involvement of an outside agency - something like speech and language therapy, usually.

I am suprised you didn't know. I would ask for a copy of their IEPs (individual education plan) every time it is updated in future and be looking at their targets and asking if there is anything you can do to support them at home.

[IndigoBell]

School action means he is on the SEN register, and yes, they should have told you. Legally they have to.

Also you should have been signing his IEP, which should have been reviewed each term.......

Presumably, if he has ASD, but is academically average or above, he is on the SEN register for social problems....... It's probably a good thing that he's on the SEN register - but yes you should have been informed and involved.

[throckenholt]

It means they have identified him for some extra help in some field.

I would just ask the teacher what it is for and what is involves.

IEP is an individual education plan (I think) where they write down what is to be addressed and how they will do it.

"narrative therapy" - no idea what that is - maybe helping to verbalise or concentrate through story telling.

[kickingking]

They don't need to be below age appropriate to need extra help - gifted and talented children are classed as having SEN.

They are probably trying to address a barrier to him progressing at HIS level. A good anology, from my own experience, would be a very bright child with terrible handwriting having some help to improve their fine motor skills.

[thisisyesterday]

hmm well i've never even seen any of his IEP's, let alone signed them

i have no issue with him being on school action if it's the right thing for him, in fact I have no issue with them doing any of the stuff they're doing... but i do want to be told about it! not find out in June that this has been going on since September

his school is lovely, but the lack of communication is really beginning to wind me up now

[thisisyesterday]

i think the narrative therapy is to help teach him to take turns in conversation and stuff like that, which is a good thing

and of course the other issue is that had we known about all this stuff, and what they're doing with him in school then we'd have been able to back it all up at home and practise doing the samet hings with him

[kickingking]

I would complain (politely!) in writing about the lack of communication, and say that if you are not kept better informed in the future you will be writing to the governing body.

It is my understanding that it is primarily the SENCo's responsibilty to keep you updated, not the class teacher.

[IndigoBell]

It's a really, really bad sign that they didn't tell you he was on the SEN register and didn't discuss IEPs with you.

My prev school did this to me - for both my kids :(

I had to move schools once I found out - that my DS had been on the SEN register for 3 years and I hadn't known.

(Of course there were other problems as well - but they were all down to the mismanagement of my kids SEN....)

It is illegal. You should be very upset. Complaining to the board of governors is one option......

It is unlikely that this is the only thing wrong with the school's SEN provision....

[thisisyesterday]

thanks for the replies :(

he is actually moving to a different school in september anyway, but do you think it's worth us writing to the governors or whoever about this anyway? or just having a meeting with the headteacher/SENCO and saying that this is not acceptable?

i mean, it won't affect us much longer, but obviously there may well be lots of other children/parents going through the same thing

[IndigoBell]

If you're moving schools, then it's def worth writing to the governors.

They approve the SEN policy and are in a position to demand it's updated..... And also to hold the SENCO to account that she is following the policy they have approved.

And hopefully it will help other kids in your school.......