To wonder where these kids are meant to go?!

Same here. I adopted two traumatised, neglected children from the care system and surprise, surprise, mainstream school wasn't a good fit. They weren't even that disruptive but certain other parents were deeply unhappy and made my life hell - even the teachers were astonished at the behaviourof some of them and had to intervene. We had no option but mainstream for primary but secondary was two different sen schools, one LA for one child and one independent for the other.

Yep.

The posters wanking on about how my DS shouldn't be getting a private education at the taxpayers expense yada yada would be feeling quite different if he had been in their child's class a few years ago

At the time, I was devastated to find out that the other class parents had a WhatsApp group set up to "share their concerns" about DS's behaviour. He caused the classroom to be evacuated on a daily basis at one point. He screamed, and spat, and swore, and ripped wall displays down, and absconded, and locked himself in rooms, and threw chairs, and bit/kicked anyone who got too close when he was in meltdown. And no, it wasn't down to shitty parenting. I've got proof in the form of older DC who didnt throw chairs plus numerous professional assessments/reports (several of which I paid for myself in order to try and ascertain the full extent of DS's needs) that my parenting is fine. Not just fine but excellent, responsive, dedicated, and well informed, according to some of those professional reports.

Pretty sure some of the posters on this thread would have been front of the queue to suggest that he be moved out of mainstream and into a more suitable specialist placement!

Except that because this is a large rural county there are no suitable state specialist provisions for 40 odd miles, the only suitable placement was...the independent school he is at. Should he have stayed in mainstream fucking up not just his own education but that of all the other children? Or should he have been moved to a suitable school that could meet his needs? It's a real conundrum

In my opinion there is a bigger issue with trying to shoehorn all these SEN children into MS schools. Quite apart from the impact on the SEN children themselves, the disruption and staff time required to manage some of the more challenging SEN children is taking away from the education of the non-SEN chidlren.

My experience of MS is that it only takes one SEN child to ruin the experience of many others who are often experiencing low-level trauma in the classroom on a daily basis. Our good teachers are leaving in droves because of the behavioural issues that they lack the help and facilities to deal with.

I am not surprised that we are having to deal with a huge increase in SEN children when ND children are thrown into chaotic schools every day - I know I wouldn't have been able to cope with a huge modern school at all. The lack of ability to discipline and the lack of human and other resources in MS schools are making the school environment too hostile for many children, even those with relatively minor SEN.

Have you checked if you are eligible for legal aid? This can fund the pre-action letter. If you get to JR proceedings themselves, that will be in DD’s name and she can be eligible for legal aid in her own right, but the pre-action letter is in your name so legal aid can only cover it if you are eligible. SOSSEN can help with pre-action letter. However, they have a long waiting list at the moment.

Sorry, preaction protocol letters! Probably not for JR, but usually the letters work:

SOSSEN have affordable prices for JR. Many universities will also offer a similar service via their law students.

If the threat didn’t work, have you sent a pre-action letter?

The timescales of the normal complaints process mean it isn’t a suitable remedy.

Some schools are cagey about consultations. I would email them explaining DD’s actual needs and a copy of the current EHCP. The LA may not have been totally truthful.

Have you emailed the Director of Children’s Services threatening to pursue judicial review proceedings if they do not get their act together regarding the AR?

Exactly. Over the last 10 years, just under half the independent schools in my city have closed.

Was this in the SEN tribunal, and is it a decision that has been made?

Yes, heard the same from the lead tribunal judge. And I think only two year of support post 16.

And they have already stated that Wales is the blueprint

I think there will be a move away from the word SEN by the “system’ and the net affect will be kids won’t get support. It might be additional learning needs, which I think is the Welsh system.

Yep and that goes alongside the admission that they considered exempting any child with SEN from VAT but that would mean it wouldn't raise enough money so they didn't

Whatttttt??

FYI government KC just stated in court that if a child doesn't have an EHCP then they don't have SEN! Any parent with a child with SEN but without an EHCP needs to be very afraid of this government.

So start coughing up otherwise taxpayer is subsidising all of those!

‘If you want to go down "tax break" route then you reveive tax breaks on your: food, water, utility bills etc etc etc.’

yes, well we do. And books, which is nice.

The judge ruled that legally there are no "tax breaks" or "subsidies" and told Labour KCs to stick to facts not opinions.
If you want to go down "tax break" route then you reveive tax breaks on your: food, water, utility bills etc etc etc.
Maybe park your obvious prejudice and lack of knowledge and actually read + listen to what is being said!

I would support A tax break for children who have genuine need but of course private schools would just take the piss with this they way they do their ‘charity’ status and have every other kid declared SEN in some way.

Labour’s policy does tend to drive this.

Of course, so exactly the same as parents who choose independent schools then? Yet only 1 set is vilified for their decisions