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Original poster

ASD child reduced timetable primary school

87 replies

Redwineandcheeseplease01 · 20/09/2024 09:53

My ASD diagnosed son has just started reception at a mainstream primary. Has an EHCP and 1:1 due to impulsivity and lack of danger awareness. Since he started 2 weeks ago he has been on a graduated start, so he spends a couple of hours in school and then I pick him up. The other children are obviously in all day.
just wondering if any other parents of ASD diagnosed children who have also started school in this way would be able to please
advise on how long this approach usually lasts? I have had to leave my job to facilitate this and can’t afford for the household to be
down an income for long!

OP posts:
Tohaveandtohold · 20/09/2024 10:40

The school might be doing this just to make their lives easier and it might not be in the best interest of your child. My DD2 is ASD diagnosed and started mainstream reception last year and she also has an EHCP for a 1 to 1. Before she started, the school told us about a reduced time table and we shut it down immediately. I know my child and she’s very capable of being in school full time as she has been in nursery 4 longs days a week for 3 years. They have not even allowed her to come in before they were already asking to make her come in part time and it’s like they forget that it’s a spectrum and each child needs to be accessed in their own right before they start proposing what’s not legal.
The school had a reduced timetable for the first 3 weeks for all children and that was all she did. She went in full time at the same time as everyone and has had a fantastic year even though she doesn’t get the 1to1 every time. M She even goes to the school’s wrap around care 2 days a week and she’s happy there.
You need to ask the school what their plans are and don’t let them fob you off.

Darkflames · 20/09/2024 10:38

Not what you want to hear but DS wasn’t consistently in a full time table until he started at a specialist school in year 9. He had periods of a few months when he would be full time but not every school year.

Kitkatfiend31 · 20/09/2024 10:38

Is his 1to1 full time hours? If so then there is no reason not to work up to full time fairly quickly. Lunchtime tends to be the biggest issue as hours rarely cover it. Ask the school to meet to make a plan and go with a clear idea of how long you can go on for. There should have already been some increase really.

Mrsttcno1 · 20/09/2024 10:38

Janedoe82 · 20/09/2024 10:37

It really depends on whether he can actually manage a full day- regardless of what the law says. If he goes in, can't cope and causes the rest of the class to be unsettled, you run the risk of the school simply refusing to have him and saying they can't meet his needs. It is a fine balance.

Agree with this. It’s all well and good saying “just send him in they have to have him full time” but actually if he isn’t able to cope with that then it can end just as badly.

Janedoe82 · 20/09/2024 10:37

It really depends on whether he can actually manage a full day- regardless of what the law says. If he goes in, can't cope and causes the rest of the class to be unsettled, you run the risk of the school simply refusing to have him and saying they can't meet his needs. It is a fine balance.

Corksoles · 20/09/2024 10:33

Enforced part time timetables, albeit cast as in your interests or the interests of the child, are still illegal exclusions if you don't agree to them. You can't continue limping on part time and he needs a school setting that can meet his needs from 9 to 3.30.

Ask to see the senco and put a plan in place that either gets him full time and happy or look at specialist provision. Good luck.

CrossUniStudent · 20/09/2024 10:32

It's unlawful. Tell them he's coming full time next week and do it.

Brieonlybrie · 20/09/2024 10:19

It's not a one size fits all approach. If he gets the right support as per ehcp and is able to cope full time, I wouldn't agree to a part time timetable. But obviously depends on your child. Any change the school put him part time to make their life easier as opposed to helping DS? Happens to often sadly...

TerrysOrangeScot · 20/09/2024 10:17

Legally they can't enforce this, ask them to go full-time if that's what you wish. If they can't provide the right support they must look into sorting that asap.

BeMintBee · 20/09/2024 10:14

They can’t legally enforce a part time timetable so you are more than within your rights to insist on full time. If they can’t meet his needs they need an emergency review of his EHCP and you should consider if this is the right school placement setting for him. Even with an EHCP and 1:1 mainstream isn’t always the right choice for a child.

Lostatsea10 · 20/09/2024 10:09

It’s so variable. My son has just started a specialist school (in the equivalent of year 2) and now attending full time in terms of 5x school days. Previously, including pre school he has never attended for more than 4 hours a day, at its worst it was for 30 minutes. Typically it would be 90mins.

Mrsttcno1 · 20/09/2024 10:07

There isn’t a straightforward answer to this unfortunately, it depends on lots of things. Did you agree to this with the school? Have the school given you reasons for this decision, or was it your decision? Have the school explained what the difficulty’s are which prevent a full day, and I’m assuming the school haven’t said “this will be for X weeks”? Is there a plan in place for getting this up to full days? If not, you need to ask them for one and discuss with them to get one agreed.