1:1 Support at school

[Firsttimeasdmom]

Hi,

I have a 3 year old asd son. He is currently is nursery 3 hours daily 5 days a week. His development worker and I managed to apply for funding for a 1:1 starting this september. The school got approval, but when the year started it seems they hired an assistant teacher that was there the previous year in another class. She doesnt have experience in PECS or speech and language. We had a lot of hope this year with him having this 1:1 but unfortunetly It was been a pretty rubbish experience so far.

Firstly, my son seems agitated a lot at nursery even though he has been there for half the year now, and she doesnt seem to know how to connect with him or calm him down. He kind of tries to do his own thing and avoid her.

Secondly, his class always has 1 main teacher and then the 1:1 who has to give other kids her attention too.

Thirdly, I once saw her teaching another class when I went as they were short staffed. and she took my son in and was trying to do both jobs, until she called me to collect him as he didnt seem himself.

Another issue Im having is that he has been getting ill every week almost. Is this common? Almost every week he misses at least a day because he is constantly getting ill. Either flu, cough, dry cough, mucous cough, viral infection, tummy bug, everything.

We are so confused as to what to do.

[Kuponut]

Can't speak for the 1:1 situation but ill with everything when they start nursery or school - that one is totally normal for any kids! It's a nice bubbling cauldron of germs, lurgy, worms, nits, snot and seriously never ever let your mind think about what's crossed the average infant carpet area!

[10brokengreenbottles]

You should think about applying for an EHCP. Given the support your DS is receiving at nursery he is likely to need one for school anyway. Also, that way you could get PECS experience and SaLT written into it. Has the Area SENCO or school SENCO if the nursery is attached to a school provided advice?

Why does the 1:1 have to focus on other children too? With an EHCP you would have more power to enforce the 1:1.

As Kuponut says, getting ill a lot when starting nursery is common for some children.