i survived the meeting with the LA

[bjkmummy]

why do these meetings never go as we think they will?

was me, dh , sen officer and class teacher/senco - head of ill

school came with a new IEP - shes not achieved 2 out of the last 3 targets so they are continuing./ the target she did achieve the teacher said is at a level you would expect a reception/yr1 child to achieve - shes year 5

teacher handed over a programme of help she is given in school. and that's about it really - sen officer droned on and on about nothing - even the class teacher rolled her eyes. class teacher confirmed that under their LA policy as shes not 6 years behind she wont be statemented and on that basis school wouldn't apply or be calling in an EP or even specialist teacher for advice. sen officer confirmed their policy same so thats why daughter doesn t meet the criteria.

sen officer very interested to know about my dyslexia teacher and what she does with the school. school said dyslexia teacher was amazing and spends over and above time with my daughter than an hour and she is very impressed with her. sen officer asked what the dyslexia teacher was doing with her - I just kept giving vague answers as felt she was fishing

we just kept repeating we want a full assessment for all her needs. sen officer asked if we felt the dyslexia report hadn't identified all of her needs already? I said yes it had but there were other barriers to her learning

she made a comment about my daughter being cognitively able? she tried to infer that as school doing so much and I have no chance in hell of getting her assessed I should just give up.

we then left and the sen officer lingered behind. after school the class teacher told me the sen officer had asked her to go as a witness to tribunal = teacher said she will go but will say the same as today. the teacher didn't stab us in the back, we were polite and said we had no issue with the school.

I also at the beginning of the meeting handed over my daughters views which she was a bit taken aback with and made some comment she was going to ask the school to do them - I just cheerily said - no need, already done and all in her very own handwriting!

re her progress school said she had made some progress in handwriting especially in the recent piece of work where she had been kept in at school but then said it was not consistent and she couldn't grade her on one piece of work. she also said progress made in other subjects which is fine as I expect her to make some progress - I will be okay as long as its not accelerated and the teacher did say that although there was progess it was at her current rate still -

no one seemed to pick up on the fact that she is still falling behind her peers and I wasn't going to mention it - I will get her next lot of NC levels next month which means I can use them towards showing her progress to tribunal

I don't know - I don't know if I have handled this right - I always go to pieces at these meetings. class teacher/senco seemed genuine and knowledgable - she is dyslexic herself and told me her parents also had to fight for her but then she has offered no real extra support, LA didn't really demand it and just think we are idiots I guess for appealing as far as they are concerned shes doing fine

the la now have until next Thursday to respond to the tribunal

the sen officer made a big deal about how her last school hadn't put her on the sen register and this school only placed her on it in nov so there hadn't been enough time to see if the interventions were working - the school put interventions in a year ago and after 6 months said they had failed so really we are a year in with interventions.

[claw2]

You handled it well BJK, you already know this meeting would be a waste of time. File under 'crap meeting' file and focus on tribunal, after having a night off

[Ineedmorepatience]

Well done for getting through it!! It sounds like you did well.

Good luck with gathering evidence for tribunal, thats where I am upto too.

[bjkmummy]

oh and the sen officer trotted out the line about delegated funding and school to provide 15 hours of support - class teacher nearly choked on that one and said it was news to her! I had a bet with dh that if that line was trotted out he was to buy me a Chinese on Saturday evening!


see this is what I have been reduced to now - playing 'sen most ridiculous quotes ever' bingo - for my next meeting think I may ask you all for quotes to watch out for - just imagine if I got a full house and then id have to stand up and shout bingo!!!! now that would make for a more fun meeting

[bjkmummy]

or maybe I could shout - pass the duchy instead

[claw2]

LOL pass the funding would be more apt

[bjkmummy]

lol claw - am not sat here humming 'pass the funding to the left hand side'

[TOWIE2014]

Did you get them saying "we only have the best interests of your child at heart" or any of the variations?

[claw2]

Give me the funding, make me jump and prance!

[ouryve]

Apart from being an unlawful blanket policy, the 6 years behind thing is ludicrous in primary school. Even DS2's "only" 5 years behind, ffs. That means he's functioning as a child 1/3 of his chronological age.

[ouryve]

Oh, and if she's cognitively able, then all the more reason why your DD needs help to not still be 5 years behind in the one target she has met. But you knew that.

[KOKOagainandagain]

Bjk - in the real world they both know that 4 years behind is not OK, that she is not making adequate progress and that the gap is widening AND new new funding arrangements - I think the oscar goes to the CT.

Claw ????

TOWIE did you hear that toss-pot on radio 4 talking at about 5.30 pm about his book that I can't bear to cite?

[TOWIE2014]

Keep - No, but I read Dyslexia Action's response - Dyslexia diagnosis has massive benefits - which I didn't think went far enough with the benefits of diagnosis

[StarlightMcKingsThree]

Pass the funding to the left hand side,
I say pass the buck to the right hand side.
It a gonna burn
(Give me statement, make me jump though hoops)
You gonna turn
(Give me the subject access data request)

It was useless meeting you this afternoon
(How does it feel when you've got no case?)
And I knew it 'cause the tribunal was soon
(How does it feel when you've got no case?)

So I met with you and listened to you talk
(How does it feel when you've got no case?)
Then I went back home and promptly popped a cork
(How does it feel when you've got no case ?)

Pass the funding to the left hand side,
I say pass the buck to the right hand side.
It a gonna burn
(Give me statement, make me jump though hoops)
You gonna turn
(Give me the subject access data request)

[bjkmummy]

claw - I think is singing

the class teacher later told me they had a child who was in the school last year who had a scribe etc and he got no help at all either - he was also refused a place at the local secondary school as well. the class teacher is sticking with the 6 year rule thing and will probably be singing it at the tribunal along with the sen officer - think its a case of give them enough rope whilst we remain our air of being reasonable and have not gone for the schools jugular. lets hope she sings in tribunal how valuable the dyslexia teaching has been like she was in this meeting.

[StarlightMcKingsThree]

I think the teacher is on your side tbh. but who knows what lies she'll be told in the tribunal preparation.

She openly admits she was put up to making your dd write a piece of work for evidence that isn't reflective of her ability.

[KOKOagainandagain]

Star

Inspired parody

[StarlightMcKingsThree]

We want what is best for your child makes me laugh now.

I didn't. I felt unable to refute it. But now I just say that I'm sure they mean well but they have a number of competing agendas only one of which is my child, whereas ds is my ONLY agenda and I am his advocate.

[StarlightMcKingsThree]

What tosspot?

[StarlightMcKingsThree]

Oh that tosspot.

[bjkmummy]

she kinda went back on that today star by saying that although it showed improvement it was a one of piece and therefore not a true reflection of her normal writing. she was at pains today to make that point to the LA officer.

the school have refused to tell me the sen budget as its such a small school but I know by other means its about £5K so its not going to go very far at all and I would guess the tribunal will ask her about it.

my senses tell me now the sen officer is busy booking a solicitor as response to tribunal is due next week - the tactic today seems to be that I listen to all the amazing help school have put in and as she is not more than 6 years behind I have no hope of getting a statement so no need for tribunal plus I haven't given long enough for any intervention to work and I know all her needs as ive had a dyslexia report done

[StarlightMcKingsThree]

You can get the tribunal to order disclosure of the budget. It is in the school's interest to disclose it tbh as if they don't they might well be expected to fund the first 15 hours.

[bjkmummy]

when the sen officer today told her that they would expect a school to fund 15 hours her jaw dropped and she said that's not what happens in their LA. I can get the sen budget from the s251 statement and print it off from there

[lougle]

They have to publish their school budget, online, by law:

"Local authorities (LAs) are required under section 251 of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 to prepare and submit annually to the Secretary of State separate budget and outturn statements about their planned and actual expenditure for their education and children’s social care functions.

Section 251 replaces Section 52 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 in England. Section 52 still applies in Wales."

You should be able to find that info on your Council's website. If you can't, PM me the location and I'll route it out for you.

[AgnesDiPesto]

Great star!
Bjk they backtracked on writing eg because they knew your dd blew the whistle on them and it would be really embarrassing at tribunal to be exposed by a child.
DS has had a statement since he was 3 so presumably he got it based on 3 years worth of developmental delay in a previous existence.
I hope they do say min 6 years in tribunal. That a child's whole primary school education ffs. If they say that in their response you will win before you even walk in.
How do they expect a secondary school to manage a 6 year gap exactly?