Can I do a mini-survey of those of you who have DCs in m/s with 1:1 please?

[sphil]

1. How often does the school change your child's 1:1?
   
2. Is this a general policy?
   
3. How do you feel about it?
   
   Thanks very much - I need to get some sort of perspective on this (and also marshall arguments for meeting with Head)

[Hassled]

DS3 had 3 different 1:1s in Reception - no-one's fault really, just bad luck. The last of the three is still with him at the end of Yr2. He's moving to Junior School in Sept and getting a new one, who should stay with him for at least a couple of years, all going well.

[Hassled]

Sorry - there is no official policy on 1:1s. Not part of the Inclusion Policy - just a general staffing/management issue.

How I feel - it's mostly been good. I've felt a bit iffy about the 1:1 a few times over the years (she's lovely, but not always very clued up - I wasn't really sure how much she understood) but at this stage both DS3 and I are very close to her.

[maddiemostmerry]

1, Two boys in mainstream no change in their ISA's.

2, School sems to like same ISA through infants, my sons is the first that they have had that has agreed to transfer to Juniors.
School does worry about children becoming reliant on one person but feels the benefits out weigh this.

3, Am glad ISA's have remained the same it takes time to get to know a child and their needs. Also provides some stability during class changes etc. I think we have been very lucky though as lots of my friends with ISA's supporting their children have been through a number of staff.

[anonandlikeit]

ds2 has had the same 1 to 1 each yr, she will initially move with him to yr2 but gradually (Within the 1st term) she will back off & the yr2 TA will become his 1 to1 .
It is however a small school (only 4 classes) so the TA'S know all the children & they all cover for each other at break times, sickness, courses etc.

I feel its agood balance of consistency but not allowing ds2 to get to set with only allowing 1 TA.

[anonandlikeit]

Sorry same 1 to 1 this yr, not each yr.

[sphil]

See, this is what I would have wanted - I can see that DS2's 1:1 may need to move on, but surely they could have had a gradual hand-over process?

[HecatesTwopenceworth]

got 2 boys with autism. both in mainstream with full time 1:1

1. How often does the school change your child's 1:1? - rarely. 2 of them they have had since we moved here and others have been introduced to make a larger team of people who can work with them. Only 1 person has left in, what? 4 years now.
   
   
2. Is this a general policy? Yes. consistency is key.
   
   
3. How do you feel about it? Happy. I am happier that they have a small team than I would be if they had 1 person, because I don't want to create reliance on one individual. They should be able to work with different people, plus if they do rely on just 1 person and that person leaves or is sick, then they are stranded, whereas if they have a few people, then they can be covered.
   
   When ds1 goes to secondary school next year, he will lose all the current lsas! As the school has its own team and they have 1:1 by subject rather than by child iyswim, so they have maths 1:1s to help children in maths lessons and english 1:1s to help in english etc etc. This reflects the higher level of subject knowledge they require at secondary school

[anonandlikeit]

I would not be happy with them introducing someone new at the same time of changing classes, just too many changes in one go otherwise.
Everyone would suffer, the school, ds2 & us at home.
Can you ask for a gradual transition.

[daisy5678]

J had ten different TAs in the first 3 years of school - I think he was so challenging that they decided to make him have a couple of shared TAs each year so that they didn't get too tired (or bruised ) as J has full time 1:1 but then they kept leaving...can't think why. Also, every year they tried to swap them round a bit because J gets a bit dependent and attached.

This year, for the first year ever, he's had just one TA all year. It has worked well having all that consistency and also all the training's gone to her, but she's leaving at the end of the year. Had she stayed, he was going to have her, but, tbh, I think he gets too informal when he knows someone well and starts to treat them like he treats me - which isn't conducive to learning! So I'm OK with him getting someone new.

At secondary, TAs tend to change each year, to keep the TAs learning new skills sets and also to stop the children becoming depdendent. I only know of one boy (autistic) who has kept the same TA for 4 years, and that wasn't great because he was then downhill all his final year because he'd got so used to the original TA.

Hope things go well in the end.

[Widemouthfrog]

Ds has 2 1:1s - one works am and the other pm. It helps keep cover if one is sick, and works well. It also helps the sanity of the TAs when he is having a difficult time as they support each other brilliantly. Both have been with him since reception (now year 1). One TA is changing when he goes into yr 2. I'm sad the change is happening but realise that it is good that he is not over-dependant on one person - the change is a staffing issue rather than policy. School ar doing a lot of transition work to prepare ehim for this and he already knows his new 1:1 as she was the class TA last year.

[madwomanintheattic]

also a job share here. different 1-1s am and pm.

dd2 had 1-1 in nursery and i deliberately asked for it to be different people who provided the support as dd2 does become overly reliant on people that she is very familiar with - she is the sort of child that will take any support that is offered even if she doesn't need it lol (a very fine line between giving enough support and waaaaaay too much - dd2 is a milker lol)

interestingly, by the end of this year at school they have come to the conclusion that she thinks she is the queen and they are her servants...

for her it is essential that she doesn't keep the same TA for too long lol (or find her one that makes her do stuff herself )

she's blonde and blue eyed, and a minx, and gets away with murder.

[Widemouthfrog]

You could be talking about my DS2 madwoman -
I am sure he thinks we all exist as personal slaves to him . If he becomes too familiar his behaviour becomes more and more controlling and aggressive (just like at home).

In contrast DS1 needs the consistency to build that relationship of trust, or he just does not function in school.

This is why changing TAs should never be policy - different children have very different needs with regards to consistency, and decisions should be made accordingly.

[sphil]

Absolutely Widemouth - DS2 is like your DS1.
I am gaining many good points from this thread - thank you all.

[Phoenix4725]

ds will hav just th 1-1 when he starts ms , did ask what happens if she was sick but there is aslo another girl goin to be in ds that will have2 1-1 as there going to jobshare half day each so if needs head said would use one of these to fill in for ds 1-1.

lluckily in some ways both my ds and the othe little girl have simlar needs,