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School want to trial a part time timetable after just 2 weeks at the school - WWYD?

294 replies

PinkPandaas · 04/09/2026 13:26

DS is in his second week of Year 7. He has ADHD, an EHCP and CAMHS think he has ODD as well although they won't formally diagnose it.

He was permanently excluded from primary school last year and went to a PRU before starting mainstream secondary this term.

It's been a difficult two weeks. Lots of refusing lessons, swearing at staff, walking out of class and generally refusing instructions. He's got a 1:1 but at the moment he's rejecting a lot of the support because he says he doesn't need a "babysitter".

I've had a meeting with school today and they've suggested trialling a part-time timetable for a few weeks. They want him in every morning, then I'd collect him at lunchtime. They said they've noticed he seems much more settled in the mornings and most of the serious incidents are happening in the afternoons. Their thinking is that if he can finish each day on a positive note it might help him build up to full days.

Part of me understands the logic. The other part of me is worried it's just teaching him that if he refuses enough or struggles enough he gets to come home early. His primary school and the PRU used to send him home a lot to "calm down" and looking back I sometimes wonder if he learnt that kicking off meant going home.

I'm also worried about what it means long term. Is this the start of them deciding mainstream isn't going to work? Or is it actually a sensible way of helping him settle?

I'm really torn because I want to work with the school, but I don't want to make things worse by agreeing to something that isn't actually helping him.

OP posts:
JapanesePotWeed · 06/09/2026 13:53

Phineyj · 06/09/2026 13:11

I think most teachers, myself included, recognise that a lot of year 7s really struggle to begin with and would do our best not to take behaviour personally.

Having control of your own emotional response when faced with abuse or (what I would perceive) unfair working conditions is a very good skill/ability when it comes to keeping a paying job. Tellingly it seems that prisons, mental institutions, police and schools are the only places where you must provide a service to said abuser repeatedly as part of the wider expectations of your role. Transferable skills!

But I'd rather teachers be passionate about their subject and excellent at imparting knowledge and get regular training on how to lead, motivate and excite... Than go on courses on how to depersonalise or handle abuse or provide for special needs not compatible with learning.
As I mentioned - I have ADHD. And the sort of environment that is on offer in schools at the moment, would sink me. It would take my abilities and focus away from the studies and direct towards anger and finding ways to remove the trigger.
That's OK if teachers don't take it personally... But it is VERY personal to those whose education is affected.

drspouse · 06/09/2026 13:44

@JapanesePotWeed if you did that then it sounds like you'd be excluded yourself.

My DS is in a specialist school with pupils who swear and kick. He is used to it now and knows to ignore or report to the teacher.

Sounds like he's more mature than you at 14 TBH.

Phineyj · 06/09/2026 13:11

JapanesePotWeed · 06/09/2026 12:41

Stresses me out just reading this.
If I was at a Secondary, in a class with with someone like OPs son, I'd probably scream at him to get the fuck out, go to the Principal's and refuse to return to the class until he is removed.
I might try to stage an "intervention" of a whole class walk-out due to shite conditions for learning.
Yes, I have ADHD and have an overwhelming fight or flight response to aggression or perceived injustice. Sharing a class with someone extremely dysregulated would cause a mirrored emotional reaction in me, strong enough to disrupt my own learning and then add to the problems the school have to deal with.

Schools really are their own sort of hellhole these days.
I could never be a teacher -it must require a nervous system as blunt as a piece of foam.

I think most teachers, myself included, recognise that a lot of year 7s really struggle to begin with and would do our best not to take behaviour personally.

JapanesePotWeed · 06/09/2026 12:41

Stresses me out just reading this.
If I was at a Secondary, in a class with with someone like OPs son, I'd probably scream at him to get the fuck out, go to the Principal's and refuse to return to the class until he is removed.
I might try to stage an "intervention" of a whole class walk-out due to shite conditions for learning.
Yes, I have ADHD and have an overwhelming fight or flight response to aggression or perceived injustice. Sharing a class with someone extremely dysregulated would cause a mirrored emotional reaction in me, strong enough to disrupt my own learning and then add to the problems the school have to deal with.

Schools really are their own sort of hellhole these days.
I could never be a teacher -it must require a nervous system as blunt as a piece of foam.

Zerosleep · 06/09/2026 11:57

This is one of the mechanisms schools use to exclude ND kids so I think I would want assurances that they had tried various different strategies before they landed on this. You don’t have to agree, they need your consent to do this. From experience, schools are far too happy to move the problem and not try and meet the child’s needs. He isn’t misbehaving, they aren’t meeting his needs. That’s what causes the meltdowns and behaviours. It’s something that is hard to understand unless you have been there.

Phineyj · 06/09/2026 11:46

If the child in question has a 1:1, that's most likely being funded via his EHCP. If he's not using their services in the afternoon, that actually frees them up to work with other kids. So it's the opposite to what some posters seem to think. The child is bringing resources rather than taking them.

wombat1a · 06/09/2026 11:33

I'm so sorry OP but I failt to see why the schools teachers should have to put up with being sworn at by your DS. Yes your DS has special needs but teachers should not be swoirn at and be told to accept it because of special needs. Its also probably detroying the ability of the 29 other children to learn.

It sounds to me that this is being offered as a half-way house and if you refuse it then I think you can expect an exclusion to come quite soon.

Perhaps its time to get in touch with your local MP because there needs to be support for your DS and a MS school isn't really the place for it.

NervousSheepy · 06/09/2026 11:16

DontBuyAnotherBook · 06/09/2026 11:08

I hope they have two but if they only have one then yes the other children won't get much help because the TA will be focused on the SEN kids.

As they should as they will need it the most. Sadly though this is one of the problems of the chronic underfunding in schools, if we want to be inclusive they need to ensure that there is enough money to properly staff classrooms and support all children.

DontBuyAnotherBook · 06/09/2026 11:16

SockPlant · 06/09/2026 10:43

so the other kids don't get the benefit of a TA?

They will have a TA but how much the TA can help I don't know. I know three high needs autistic children starting next week including my son. Not very verbal, in nappies. Not the schools fault, not the parents fault but I think the TAs won't be able to help the other children very much.

DontBuyAnotherBook · 06/09/2026 11:08

SockPlant · 06/09/2026 10:43

so the other kids don't get the benefit of a TA?

I hope they have two but if they only have one then yes the other children won't get much help because the TA will be focused on the SEN kids.

SockPlant · 06/09/2026 10:43

DontBuyAnotherBook · 05/09/2026 11:30

It doesn't but the child is disabled so needs more help. My autistic son who starts school next week is probably going to take up most of the classroom TAs time and that is because is disabled. Should we lock these kids away especially as SEN schools are few and far between right now?

so the other kids don't get the benefit of a TA?

roaringdragon · 06/09/2026 10:40

Too many people demanding too much from it.

There hasn’t been such a big increase in the rate of SEN as some would like people to believe. The most recent statistics released this year show 20.8% of pupils have SEN. In 2010, it was 20.9% or 21.1% (depending on which statistics you look at - I think it is a rounding issue adding up SA, SA+ and SSEN). In 2005, it was 18%. Going back several decades to the Warnock report in 1978, “some 20% appeared to need some form of special educational help. This may even be an underestimate…”

DC don’t get provision just be use parents demand it. That isn’t how SEN law works. LAs certainly don’t give provision when the child isn’t entitled to that provision in law. Neither does SENDIST Order it when the legal test isn’t met and if LAs thought the FtT had erred in law, they would be quick to challenge it.

SockPlant · 06/09/2026 10:39

x2boys · 04/09/2026 13:39

Hes entitled to a fullntime education
I would request an early review of his EHCP
Are they saying they cant meet his needs?

so are all the other children in his class though.

The school have suggested an adjustment that may help him get used to school, why not try it. Make sure you have strict parameters in place, OP, about when it will be reviewed, what the next steps will be if it is working out (eg, after 4 weeks of part-time, he does 1 full day, and 4 part time etc etc)

He has a 1:1. That already means he is getting (or should be getting) support. Don't let him waste this opportunity. Because the alternative may well be not to go to mainstream school.

roaringdragon · 06/09/2026 10:39

Ikeepforgettingmykeys · 06/09/2026 08:04

The EA did not change but how people interpret it - and what is assumed it covers - certainly has.

Not in terms of whether ADHD like the OP describes is a disability, it hasn’t, or at least not to anyone who actually understanding disability law.

Ghastisflabbered · 06/09/2026 10:37

”I'm also worried about what it means long term. Is this the start of them deciding mainstream isn't going to work? ”

But mainstream isn’t working for him is it? It didn’t work at primary school and it’s not looking promising for secondary.

if he was getting sent home from PRU because they couldn’t meet his needs it’s baffling they’ve decided mainstream secondary was going to magically work.

if I was you I’d work with the secondary at this point to come up with a plan that proves he needs more than mainstream education can offer.

Phineyj · 06/09/2026 08:39

DontBuyAnotherBook · 06/09/2026 08:34

If you were the parent of an SEN child I imagine you might want to ask as much as you can get to make sure your child is supported.

Indeed, especially when the child has an EHCP which legally entitles them to certain provision.

I don't imagine the OP will be back (it's hard enough parenting a child like this without randoms on the Internet lecturing you about Xboxes) but the very least she should expect is that the school deliver what's in the EHCP, not just take the easy road with informal exclusions.

DontBuyAnotherBook · 06/09/2026 08:34

Wimin123 · 06/09/2026 08:05

Sadly the whole SEN system is failing. Too many people demanding too much from it. I feel very sorry for the teachers and pupils in mainstream. Specialist provision should be widened instead of trying to change everything for an individual. We can’t afford it any more. It is on the verge of collapse.

If you were the parent of an SEN child I imagine you might want to ask as much as you can get to make sure your child is supported.

Wimin123 · 06/09/2026 08:05

Sadly the whole SEN system is failing. Too many people demanding too much from it. I feel very sorry for the teachers and pupils in mainstream. Specialist provision should be widened instead of trying to change everything for an individual. We can’t afford it any more. It is on the verge of collapse.

Ikeepforgettingmykeys · 06/09/2026 08:04

roaringdragon · 05/09/2026 09:07

I don’t know why you think that. The Equality Act definition hasn’t changed since the Equality Act came into force.

The EA did not change but how people interpret it - and what is assumed it covers - certainly has.

Wishingthingsweredifferent38 · 06/09/2026 07:39

Have they confirmed that the dose of his meds in the correct one for him? I’m not a doctor, my son has ADHD and is medicated. He’s in year 4 now and the meds are the only way he is able to access school. We went on a reduced timetable in year 2, he was in an hour a day (sometimes 2) for 6 months and I home schooled while worked the rest of the time. It wasn’t until the end of this period that I got the right dose for meds and then he was able to manage a whole school day. The meds significant reduced the anger, violence, rudeness, disrespect. He’s honestly a different child now. I know every child is different, and I am by no means saying this will be the answer to your problems, but it may be worth looking at the meds.

Aussiemum87 · 06/09/2026 06:00

It’s not the start of them deciding mainstream isn’t going to work. Mainstream ISN’T working already. There’s a lot of factors to think about that include the disruption for other kids and distress to the teachers.

BCBird · 06/09/2026 04:28

I have read your update. I am sorry to hear he has been violent with you. I know this is not uncommon. Do you have any support from.outside agencies? Is his dad on the scene?
In terms of just doing mornings, can you ask he does afternoon lessons at school, but in another room? Teachers set the work and he is supervised elsewhere. This is a pain for the teachers, i know I am a teacher, however sometimes it means the lesson can be taught potentially uninterrupted so a bit of extra work justifies the gain. Explain that no work will get done at home and why. Also, I would make the school completely aware what his behaviour is like at home. Do the school believe they can meet his need? Do they know of any different setting that will suit him.better? Work with them. They won't want to exclude him. I hope you can access support.

Aubin7 · 06/09/2026 01:37

Possibly a good idea. His bad behaviour is disrupting others' learning. Maybe he could build it up to a full day over the year.

k1233 · 06/09/2026 00:42

I'd be getting rid of all computer games and if he has a phone, it would be a brick. Games are not a necessity. Coming home to play Xbox is just a reward for poor behaviour. Coming home to be bored makes school not so bad.

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