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Original poster

Compulsory after school support - is it legal?

40 replies

Youarentkiddingme · 01/03/2016 17:12

If a school offers enrichment activities after school and can detain a child after school as a punishment (detention) - can they insist that a certain population have additional support after school which prevents them having a free choice to enrichment activities?

And can you then remove the item that population uses if they don't attend the compulsory course related to it?

Sen related.

OP posts:
tethersend · 01/03/2016 21:48

They are threatening to remove a learning aid? They do realise that it's not a privilege to be revoked, right?

Are they removing glasses from other children who don't attend the club? Wheelchairs?

NeedAScarfForMyGiraffe · 01/03/2016 21:37

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NeedAScarfForMyGiraffe · 01/03/2016 21:36

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noblegiraffe · 01/03/2016 21:26

Or from their point of view they are offering the support but you don't want it because it's inconvenient? Presumably he'd have to miss something for the support even if it was in the school day.

blaeberry · 01/03/2016 21:21

Noble the school is saying he can't go to football because he is disabled (and therefore has to attend another session). They are also saying that unlike non-disabled children he must attend an after school session in order to be able to receive an education (for which he needs his aid). Seems clear discrimination to me.

noblegiraffe · 01/03/2016 20:48

Where's the discrimination? The club is discriminating against people who can't make it that evening as they have other commitments?

NeedAScarfForMyGiraffe · 01/03/2016 20:30

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TheHatOfDoom · 01/03/2016 20:20

I'd be screaming disability discrimination if he meets the legal definition of disabled. But I suspect that might be a hard battle to win.

noblegiraffe · 01/03/2016 19:56

So essentially the school are offering equipment and support and your DS basically is saying 'nah, I want to play football instead'? (Or whatever).

If the support were 1-1 then I would ask if it could possibly be rearranged, but if not, do you want him to have support for his SEN or not?

Original poster
Youarentkiddingme · 01/03/2016 19:50

It's not that the support doesn't work timing wise - DS already stays after school that evening to do a club. The club is open to all students and DS is the only one who can do the particular skill he does in the club.

He has been told he has to attend the Sen support instead or lose his Sen aid.

But yet children without Sen can continue the club

OP posts:
TeenAndTween · 01/03/2016 19:26

I have no idea.

But, I think extra support can be difficult in Secondary, as to get tailored support for one subject you often have to miss another. So I can see how doing it after school might make sense for them (even if it turns out not to work well for you/your DC).

Original poster
Youarentkiddingme · 01/03/2016 17:41

But it's more that the use of the equipment is necessary for the Sen and the support for it is only offered outside of school hours and labelled as compulsory.

OP posts:
Original poster
Youarentkiddingme · 01/03/2016 17:40

Yes that's what I mean stompy - can they make it compulsory and for example if the child has a special piece of maths equipment can they then remove that if they don't attend the sessions?

OP posts:
Stompylongnose · 01/03/2016 17:30

Do you mean if a school runs extra after school maths classes for SEN pupils but it clashes with after school football training can the school insist the child does maths and not football?

BikeRunSki · 01/03/2016 17:20

Eh?