Newbie confused Sen etc

[Derdu]

Hi. I wonder if anyone can help? My DS 7 just came home- with a letter saying he's being put on the SEN register. No warning. Nothing. No indication there has been a problem. He just sat his SATS and scored a 6 in all his tests. I phoned school and I was told he was being put in a handwriting group? Does he have to have a diagnosis for this? What kind of problems could he be experiencing? Help. So confused.

[Girlwithnoname1]

I’d ask to set up a meeting with your schools SENCO hopefully they’ll be able to answer any questions you might have, the school certainly should have discussed this with you beforehand. Putting him on a SEN register requires a bit more than just needing a bit of help with hand writing, and the school must know this. There has to be an IEP in place to be added to a SEN register (Idividual Education Plan) from what I understand, which I believe you have to sign although I’m not all that clued up on these things.

[Derdu]

Hi. Thanks so much for replying. Yes. I was wondering that there must be a bigger process and that I should have been made aware of this. I'm not sure, but I think there might have been a mix up of letters as there was another name mentioned in the letter as well. Perhaps someone's private letter might have been given to my son. I reckon my DS might need extra help with handwriting but I think I should've been told if there was something else going on. I phoned to make an appointment in the morning to see what's going on. I'm really not happy that someone else's private letter has been bandied about. Thanks again.

[Girlwithnoname1]

Oh no! How awful! That’s not ok to send you a letter for someone else. How did you get on with the school? Xx

[Derdu]

Hi. It was all a bit of a nightmare really. The letter was for someone else but that's the standard letter they send out when they offer extra help. DS was supposed to join a group so they could have 15 mins of handwriting practice extra a week. They were also keen for some groups to socialise together. So they needed permission. However- the practice where we live means that they had to put his name on the Sen register to have this. I asked if there was any concern as in dyslexia or dyspraxia or something but no- he has messy handwriting and needs practice????? So they wanted him on the register for 15 mins practice a week and to socialise? I said that if he had a need then that would be fine or if I had been given a warning to practice with him and hadn't- then fair enough. So I told them I'd work with him at home and review the situation in several months. It was handled really badly and I don't understand why they don't practice a bit at lunchtime or whatever instead of taking a formal step??? My DH was wondering whether it was anything to do with funding? I'm just confused by the whole thing.....??? Do you find this bizarre or is it just me?

[Derdu]

Sorry- I should mention that nothing was mentioned about this before now and that everything was supposed to be hunky dory.....

[DrJLee]

Seems a little too formal to be honest but since I joined the world of SEN a lot has changed.

Probably worried about being sued!

Don't worry, they are putting in extra and I'd be glad. Keep an eye and chat to the clsss teacher in a few weeks to see if they think there is progress.