SEN & KS2 SAT'S.....

[MrsFROSTgetful]

DS1 WITH as AND adhd SITS HIS SATS(THAT HAS A RING TO IT!!!!....SITS HIS SATS.....!my sense of humour!!!)this year

he is not statemented and i am about to make a written request to the school with regard to him having extra time,a scribe or using a dictaphone etc to help him through them.

I wondered if any of you have ideas on things to ask for....or indeed teachers ouit there may know what i can ask for???

Basically...his handwriting is like a 5 year old...he prints letter after letter with no gaps between words so reading his work is a bit like doing a wordsearch puzzle ()

this causes real problems in literacy- then in maths he cannot line his numbers up- so his working out is jumbled and numbers are often misread

creativly- he can verbaly say a 'complex' adjective/verb ridden sentance....but when it comes to writing it down he loses the creative spark

he gets physically tired/arm/hand ache after too much writing.

works well with quiet music playing (i think it's useful as it masks some of the noises that would distract him- such as the clock ticking or even the flickering noise of fluorescent lights)

Soooooo what can i ask for to help by 'HFA AS/ADHD' son.......

[Blossomhill]

Mrs F - I am sorry but I don't have any practical advice but is there any way ds can be statemented? It makes life So much easier. I know not every child qualifies but it's worth a try. I mean dd got one with a langauge delay dx.

[MrsFROSTgetful]

BH- just that both the old school and this one say 'he's too able to get a statement'...and i know I can request it...but i just wish i had the schools backing!
he goes to secondary in september and my friend who is a TA there reckons he'll need statementing.

it's just the fact that he doesn't hurt anyone...is not disruptive...and is very able....that i suppose go agianst him...IF HE WERE NOT TAKING HIS ADHD MEDICATION I AM SURE HE WOUKLD HAVE BEEN STATEMENTED YEARS AGO....

[Blossomhill]

Dd is very able too Mrsf. They just used her language difficulties and problems with social interaction/communication as to why she needed it. She was 3 and a half when it came through.
I just find that statementing makes everything so much easier. Again it's all down to money but it means your child gets the help stated, no question.

[Blossomhill]

I wish I lived nearer as I could help you. Although I still can through e-mail or even msn messenger. Mine is working now

[JaysMum]

Oh Blossom...if only that were true....the statement is a legal binding document.....but not alwyas do the schools carry out what is written word for word....just look at J....who's educating him and ensuring his needs are being met???? I darn well know the LEA aren't!!!!

Mrs F....have you tried your Parent Partnership???? They may be able to help?

[Blossomhill]

I know Jaysmum we are extremely lucky and not everybody gets the help as easily as we did.

[popsycal]

MRS F i have posted on your other thread in education....

[mfh]

Mrs F, do persevere with trying to get a statement. I don't want to depress you, but my DS1 is on School Action Plus at secondary school. The deputy head, no less, told me that the school gets no funding for individual children unless they are statemented. Anything the school could do for my child meant less it was able to do for other children who (in his opinion) needed it more. (You can guess my opinion of him.)

DS1 does get access arrangements for exams, and yes, it is worth asking for specific things. The exam officer at our school has asked me to phone her the week before DS1's exams to remind her about the arrangements - it's not that they can't do them, more that they forget! So it might be worth you having a word with the class teacher in the week before the SATs - in all the stress of the KS2 SATs it would be understandble if a teacher forgets.

[MrsFROSTgetful]

what you say- is exactly what i fear.....i moved my boys last year to a new school to get away from a Head like your son's school head.....She more or less told me that there were more kids 'more' deserving than my son

But he's MY son and i cannot bear to see him put to the bottom of the pile.

i just feel so overwhelmed by it all.

i looked at 'self- requesting' a statement- and feel sick at the thought of being asked to provide evidence...i have mental health issues myself- and for the past 2 or 3 years have been in total chaos- and do not have a clue where important documents ...examples of his work etc are...my husband kept moving the piles of 'stuff' into the attic....so that the house looked 'nice'...and i am now feeling miserable as i know that i should get started now...but feel they will laugh at my lack of organisation.

[Blossomhill]

You don't have to provide evidence MrsF. You can request statutory asssessment yourself but once the lea agree to assess they will send in all the pros and it is down to them to provide evidence. Yes you will need to write a report but I am sure once the ep has seen ds at home and at school then you will get a statement, fingers crossed.
I just think that with a label such as asd,AS,ADHD statements should automatically be awarded. I have yet to find a child with these kind of disorders to not have difficulties at school.
Good luck, I know it's hard and very daunting but it'll be so worth it in the end!"

[MrsFROSTgetful]

thANKS...I WILL LOOK AT OLD THREADS ON mn TO SEE WHAT I CAN DO....just feel so low at the moment- my antidepressants were changed last week- and i'm weaning off the old ones (which was a high dose) ...and on a low dose of the new ones...so i am in some kind of 'cold turkey'...tomorrow i take the last of the old tablets and begin the full strenght of the new ones....and am told could be 2 weeks b4 i feel more 'upbeat'. will be off the pc for an hour....back at 10.30 if you are arounnd

XXX

[JaysMum]

Aww Mrs F....submit that request for a assessment....we will all help you with your supporting evidence. It's not that hard....you just write about how your child really is and what the real difficulties are.

I worried more about the thought of J moving on to secondary school without a statement.....that was my driving force to ensure I got it well before he would be left in a place so huge he really would not have coped. Seems silly to be wishing his life away like that....he has two years to go before secondary starts....but I knew I would have a battle...and boy was I right!!!

Good Luck Honeyxxxx

[Blossomhill]

Mrs F - I am on msn messenger if you ever need a chat. I'll help as much as I can and go through dd's statement if you want, if it helps to see what they are looking for

[janeybops]

The school will have had a book with guidelines for special arrangements for children with SEN amongst all the other arrngements for administering the SATs.

I haven't taught in year 6 for a while but when I did we were able to apply for scribes and extra time for children who needed it and were on the SEN register or were statemented. However, this may have all changed. One point to bear in mind though is that there is a deadline for this (or there was). I think it was the midle of Feb time. I used to basically apply for all my SEN children!!

The SATs authorities are very strict about all the administration of the test and inspectors do spot checks during SATs week to ensure they are being done properly. Therefore if they haven't applied then it might be too late.

[MrsFROSTgetful]

is it the LEA that agree the scribes etc??? If so i could ring them tomorrow to find out the deadline...i know they will still have to get the request from the school.

thanks J'smum & BH

[popsycal]

mrs f - going to reply to your other thread in a bit...

schools do not need to apply for scribes so dont panic.....

will explain in a bit
no deadline

[popsycal]

here you go Mrs F