Urgent advice needed. Meeting tomorrow.

It's very strange that a professional SENCO wouldn't "understand" an EHCP

It really isn’t.

To some extent, yes. My DS is also Autistic and got grade 5/6s in his GCSEs in stead of the 7-9s he was predicted. Also lost his 6th form place as a result and no other 6th form would take him. Fortunately his sister was at the local tech for an access course (also Autistic/ADHD) so we spoke to them. They accepted him onto an A Level course that only had one of the A Level subjects he’d originally expected to study, but he swallowed his disappointment and buckled down because they required students to do AS levels at the end of year 1 and if they failed, no yr2/Alevels. When he returned this year, having got amazing grades, he was reminded that he still needed to pass probation again this year - so attendance, attitude, participation, completion of work in and out of classroom etc all assessed in order to remain.

In fact it’s been the making of him. He was embarrassed by his GCSEs, devastated to be going to the collective with the ‘rejects’ and not with his friends, and scared that uni was not going to be an option for him. Now he has met people with worse background stories than him and appreciates the gift that a place at this college was, he actually really enjoys the 2 A level subjects he’d originally been dismissive about and is planning to study one further at university.

If your DS gets the qualification for the course he is on, he can STILL study CS at uni. They don’t require you to have CS at A Level (in fact it’s a waste of time if they do as the unis can’t assume all the students have learned the same coding systems so y1 is a ‘back to basics’ year at most unis. I’d have a serious talk to him about what his desired outcome is - if it is to get to uni and study CS, then the course he is on can still get him there. If he can take that on board, I’d go back to the college and grovel in the hope that they might keep him on after all.

Did you/DS think the other settings could meet his needs? Just because a setting objects when consulted doesn’t always mean the setting can’t actually meet needs or that the legal threshold is met.

Were the placements wholly independent? Unless the placement is wholly independent, the LA must name your/DS’s preference unless the LA can prove:
-The setting is unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or special educational needs of the child or young person; or
-The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for others; or
-The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the efficient use of resources.

The bar to prove one of the above is high. Far higher than LAs and many settings admit. It has to be something tangible and specific and is more than an “adverse effect”, “impact on” or “prejudicial to”. On its own, lack of staffing/resources isn’t a lawful reason. Unless a placement is wholly independent, they don’t need to agree to being named in I. They can, and must unless the LA can prove one of the above, be named against their will.

Although naming a setting in I doesn’t guarantee a place on a specific course. However, sometimes the wording in F means a certain course can only meet F.

If you/DS want to look at specialist, have you looked at Breckenbrough?

If it is inappropriate for provision to be made in a school or college, there is also EOTAS/EOTIS/EOTISC.

EHCPs can continue until 25, or 26 in some cases. I would be careful to move DS on to employment too soon. The reason EHCPs can continue until 25/26 is because it is recognised education can take longer for some disabled young people. Have you looked at benefits? Has DS, or you as appointee, already made a credits only New Style ESA claim?

You can’t go to university based on 1 A level though? You need enough UCAS points. Plus certain GCSE’s (not just the subject you’re good at)

What do you actually expect the LA to do? He’s not at a high enough standard for 6th Form. The Tech college aren’t running the one course he wants as they can’t run a course just for one student.

You and your son are going to have to figure out a new plan. It’s not necessarily due to his autism, it’s many other factors and many other students will have similar issues when courses they want to do either aren’t running or they’re to of a higher enough academic standard

As a SENCo for many years I would have moved heaven and earth to make sure everyone with an EHCP was given equal opportunities. What did the SENCo not understand?

What did you do when they didn't understand? It's very strange that a professional SENCO wouldn't "understand" an EHCP

Sorry I'm still confused.

Is he too academic for some of these places, or deemed not academic enough?

Is 'specialist' to do with 'special needs' or to do with 'specialised academic areas'?

So again for the 3rd time, what specific outcome do you want? What do you want the LA to actually do?
You keep stating barriers but then simultaneously expect the LA to magic something up that may not exist?

If he wants to work in tech support (and I would be querying this given he has autism - tech support is all about interacting with users and requires significant people skills) then he wants courses in IT or computer science.

there’s two routes for computer science, either the a level route - so doing CS a level plus usually maths (helps with computer science at uni) and another one of his choice (a common one is physics or DT for places that offer it).

if he got an 8 in CS gcse he’s capable of doing CS a level - does he know there is a programming project?

usually kids who want to do a levels can find somewhere to take them - esp if he has an 8.

did he pass maths and English? Is that the problem with a levels?

the other option is to go the BTEC/vocational route.

as he has an EHCP I’m guessing there are other issues complicating this.

Do you / he have an idea in your head what the best solution is? Where would he be happiest?

The LA person doesn’t know your son (at least not as well as you and he does) so may come up with ideas that are not at all suitable so you having a plan along the lines of “this would work if he had that support” may save a lot of precious time.

The LA can't make a course run.
So if the course is being run elsewhere and the DC meets the entry requirements, I'd be looking at whether with additional funding the provider can meet EHCP needs.

So if no other settings offer tech support then what do you expect the LA to do?

You need to sit with him and agree Plan A, B + C. This will need flexibility and a mindset of compromise.

Sometimes it is as much about willingness as resources. An EHCP can come with funding after all.

That's why the course matters and the setting. I'm also not quite understanding whether the OP's DC is wanting to do a T-Level / Extended BTEC in Computing or similar, or A levels including computer science.

The OP says the DC won't cope in a school setting, so I'm guessing a college and a 3-A level equivalent course, but it isn't clear.

What kind of adjustments/support does the DC need?

Could he do it at one of the online provisions?

Have a look at the BASE website and assisted apprenticeships and internships. There are some tech ones available via that route. There are a real mix of those who have a higher support need and those who need some support in certain areas. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supported-internships-for-young-people-with-learning-difficulties/supported-internships

You lost me at crappy Senco.

Er because they don't have the staff/resources etc. Not that surprising surely?

Are his needs really so difficult that those who provide the course he wants to do can't meet them? I'm probably being very naive here! However if one place could offer him support but happens not to do the right course, why can't a different place offer that same support for his preferred course?

Yes if he isn't academically capable of doing so. Most schools/colleges state Grade 7 as minimum requirement for the subjects in which you want to do A levels to ensure pupils can cope with the academic content of A levels.

You say he won't cope with a 6th form school, hasn't got the grades etc but the tech college doesn't run Computer Sciekce A level. So what exactly are you and him wanting? What outcome do you want based on the criteria you've given? You need to know what you want rather than putting all the onus on the LA. They can only work with the provision in your local area, they can't magic up an individual programme just for your DS.

There are thousands of 16 year olds who cannot do the course they want to do for myriad reasons. It may well be the job of the LA to help him find something suitable, but that doesn’t mean they have to find him something he wants to do but isn’t capable of doing - or that doesn’t even exist in the first place. If he had his heart set on being a premier league footballer would you expect the LA to find him a place at at football academy?

So you say most said they couldn't meet his needs yet you also expect the LA to now find him something in 1 very specific and narrow criteria?
You and he may need to adjust your expectations.