Help with school

I'm a SENCO and do teach my gang but I could not do my job and do normal teaching. I am completely overwhelmed with needs at the moment. I am in private secondary. I had five CAHMS applications last week. I'm on holiday now and already have had more in my in box. The SENCO is likely swamped which is why a lot is resting on the LM. I work so bloody hard to ensure that everyone in the school knows and understands my students. It takes hours of shmoozing, liaison, being very very nice and understanding to all staff from the canteen people, teaching staff, receptionists, slt to ensure that my pupils get the best care. We will not always get it right but we do try. I do think not being able to get hold of the SENCO is a bit piss poor from the school. This is a matter that could easily escalate to full EBSA. Everyone matters in their interactions with my ND community and it is not up to the ND community to solve any abelism just as it isn't up to the black and Asian community to solve any racism.

Be careful with SENDIASS. Some are good but too many repeat the LA’s unlawful policies.

Have you submitted a refusal to assess appeal yet?

Follow the complaints process for all your complaints. The school has shown they are not supportive. You know they must provide support and are discriminating against DD. They also know they must provide support. Follow the previous advice about the unauthorised absences.

IEP is now a MyPlan.

Not in all schools. MyPlan and MyPlan+ are specific to some schools/areas. It is not universal.

Get the ehcna application in again and use this as evidence as thy a plan is needed. If they say no appeal. It's rare to lose.

Ask for a meeting with the Sendco and head of year in September to discuss how they are going to support your DD. Refer to the Sen code of practice assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7dcb85ed915d2ac884d995/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf

Particularly section 6.2 which states that "Every school is required to identify and address the SEN of the pupils that they support" including "use their best endeavours to make sure that a child with SEN gets the support they need – this means doing everything they can to meet children and young people’s SEN"

Have a look on the school website for their SEN information report - this should state how the school supports students with SEN. If they are not doing what they say they are, highlight this as well!

If you google your Local authority"local offer" it should also tell you what is expected in your area.

Do everything by email so you have a paper trail.

Reference the need for the school to assess and plan support given her diagnosis and the need to include parents in the planning of any provision needed.

Not sure on your area but look into speaking to inclusion or SENDIASS (or equivalents!)

It's bloody hard work to get people to actually do what they should be for our children.

Keep going!

Senco? Even without EHCP the senco should be supporting

governors will also have a named person responsible but you should go to the head first

Does she have an official diagnosis?

IEP is now a MyPlan. You do not need any medical evidence for a MyPlan - it's the first step in the SEN graduated pathway and can be for many different needs - cognition, social, emotional etc.

You can apply for an EHCP as a parent - worth looking into (currently doing this for my eldest)

I think you need to throw in something about disability and reasonable adjustment. ' Due to x's diagnosed disability, reasonable adjustments need to be made (as per the 2010 Eqiality Act) such as the one in place for her yesterday instigated by her LM. It seems that x has been the victim of a lack of joined up thinking and I would like a meeting to discuss how her needs and reasonable adjustments are communicated to all staff (not just teaching staff and those directly involved with her via the SEND department). I am now in a situation where we have gone from x having anxiety attending Drama only to her having meltdowns about attending school at all. Please could we discuss this as a matter of urgency so things are in place for September.

I best there is a SENCO and LM spitting feathers over what has happened. The attendance officer needs more training.

Email is good but you are missing an ask on it, it's just an account of what happened and its impact. You need an "ask" ....what is the outcome you want basically.

We used to take photos of key places, like the hall, entrance area, Learning Support, toilets, so they had some knowledge. It wasn’t always possible to photograph key people because that might change between the end of term and September.

Maps, colour coded timetables when available and as much TA support as possible at the start of term.

Assuming your child is going into Year 6 in September, you should be asking for extra transition visits for your son to give him opportunities to become familiar with the school. Discuss your concerns with the Primary School SENCO to flag them up, they should be telling the Secondary School of any pupils that will need extra support.

As SENCO, I went to meetings at the Primary School to talk about strategies that we could put in place - giving child an example of the timetable to understand different lessons/rooms, provide a map of the school with key rooms marked ( form room, toilets, dining room, quiet room etc) and arrange a visit out of school hours when the building is quiet.

Planning with the Secondary School is key!

I think your email needs to be brief and to the point which is that you want a meeting with relevant staff ie Learning Mentor, Attendance Officer, Head of Year and your self ( possibly the SENCO as well)

Such as

Following the problems we had getting my daughter, E, into school this morning, please could we arrange a date for a meeting with LM, AO and HOY at the start of next term to discuss consistent strategies which can be written into an IEP to prevent this from happening again. I am obviously concerned on the impact such incidents have on her attendance.

I retired from being a SENCO a few years ago and at my school, I would have been involved with your daughter. I assume IEPs are still used!

Not sure if you've realised OP, but your daughter's name is in your first post. You might want to edit her name out. X

Sorry your school have been so rubbish. I'm dreading yr7 with my 10 yr old as he has anxiety issues. I would echo, that you need to push for a meeting with the head and LM, and also the attendance officer, so that everyone is on the same page. Yes, keep a record of what happened, but i wouldn't start arguing your case in emails. I think you need to be clear that you want a meeting before/at the start of the next term (date set now) with these 3 people, and at that meeting aim to get it agreed that where LM has put measures in place, others (Attendance officer, teachers) don't start trying to change them ad hoc. Make it very clear that if your DD is to continue attending school, then she needs to have confidence they are going to support her.