What are the criteria for SEN label???

[overthehill]

My ds (11) has just started at secondary school, having done well in his Year 6 tests, with Level 5 in Maths and Science and a good Level 4 in English. Like a lot of boys, he doesn't really fulfil his potential in English and should be able to achieve a Level 5 in that too as he's a bright lad. He seems happy at his new school and as far as we know, is doing fine socially and academically.

However, we've suddenly received a letter saying that after discussions with his primary school they are going to put him on the SEN register .

He did receive an invitation to a preparatory morning for SEN pupils whilst in Year 6 and as I was puzzled about this I contacted the school. They said that they weren't sure why as they could see that he was achieving good results, but thought it must be something the primary school had said.

We did have one incident last November when he was apparently playing up a supply teacher and refused to apologise when asked to do so later that day by the head as he felt he had been unjustly punished. He subsequently lost control and became very upset and angry, trying to hurt himself by banging his head etc. (This was reported to us by another parent who helps out at the school and not the teachers).

He was obviously wrong not to apologise to the supply teacher but over-reacted because he was completely exhausted, which is something that has happened on previous occasions, but at home rather than at school.

The school reacted to this by excluding him for three days, which we thought was very harsh, particularly as there had been no warning, no build up or anything. We did appeal against this but the governors supported the head (not surprisingly).

This is the only reason we can think that he was invited to the SEN morning, but when we spoke to the primary school they confirmed that he had not been put on special measures and there had been very few further incidents of bad behaviour in the subsequent six months. They were also surprised that he had been invited to the SEN morning and I thought that was the end of the matter.

So now we receive this letter out of the blue and what do we do?

My instant reaction was that we need to phone the school and ask them again what it's for. It says that we can discuss it with his teacher at Parents' Evening on 20th October but I'm not prepared to wait that long.

Any bright ideas on the best course of action to take would be gratefully received.

[neolara]

I would ring the SENCO (special needs co-ordinator) and ask what it's about. It sounds like it could well be a mistake.

[overthehill]

Well, that's what we thought last time I rang her (in June) so why has it come round again? However, I wouldn't be surprised as this is the same school that gave my dd the wrong timetable for the whole of her first week at secondary school.

Let's hope it's mistake no. 2!

[inspireddance]

As a teacher I would expect a fully documented history of concerns for someone to be classed as SEN.

Ring up the school and arrange to speak to the SEN or his form tutor. Lunch/after school is the best time for this.

What could have happened is that the primary school has his name on a SEN list because of that incident, and when asked by the secondary school about your son has said he has SEN.