Have we got a starting Secondary School Support thread?

miss lessons he can't by being in support room that's exactly what she needs and we had that for 2 out of 3 which they're cutting to 1 but she doesn't know that yet. If making her do 1 is causing such upset, increasing it to 2 will double it.

I got him Mathletics online but he does need someone to nag him to do it and someone to review answers / adjust the level. I just stopped working a few days ago so at the moment its fine for me to work through things with him plus its interesting to see what issues are. Too easy work he was giving the wrong answer deliberately. Quite frustrating as suspect he's been doing this at school too though have warned them. He was also giving 10 minute talks on the harder questions on all his knowledge of the subject. So had to tell him just to answer the question with what you think they want. He's so like my brother.

Lougle Interhigh is something I've considered, yes.
By trying to make her do the subjects that upset her she's getting too upset to do them and also the following lesson that she would go to happily and then telling me that she can't miss lessons. And because the Inclusion staff keep upsetting her she's now avoiding the unit because that's where they are.

Penguins I don't think I could send dd off to board either. She'd be fine at your dream school for your ds too. :)

Thanks for the mention of Interhigh Lougle I didn't know about online schools. That could work, atm I want to do everything to try and make it work at his current one but the Head did say he's borderline on what they can cope with so am trying to get plan Bs and plan Cs. A lot of parents have recommended another school in the area so I have my plan B but home ed / internet ed would be my other plan if both fail. DS would love a school dog.

If the adjustments before where helping I'ld ask for them to be put back in place Aornis It seems far too early for them to be thinking of giving up on a year 7, even DD who has no special needs struggled. There's so much change all at once. I asked for them to reduce things back so no homework punishments, he got help with finding things, he can now go to lessons he can cope with and miss lessons he can't by being in support room. Made a huge difference in just 3 days. How long it will last can't say but worth a try. Good Luck!

Can he access Khan Academy, etc., or does he need face to face teaching?

I found complaining to anyone and everyone was the way to go Aornis. Very frustrating and time consuming but it worked at least as a short term fix.

We've had 3 days of 1-2-1 available and they are offering next week for him to have 1-2-1 when he wants it - I just have to get him to tell us when. He got through 4 out of 5 lessons today by himself and 1 with 1-2-1. He also gets let off homework and help with losing things. There is quite a lot they can do but I had the we can't do anything at first. I can beleive there isn't much money but to say there's nothing is simply untrue. I think it helps if you can offer a solution. I do firm but polite e-mails. It does feel a bit like a war but then you get people on your side and you start feeling you might have a chance of winning. I have had hundreds of e-mails and loads of phone calls though, its non stop.

Yes I've heard of parents going to tribunal for the private ones though think they have to pay something like £10k in fees to go to tribunal. Could be wrong - obviously if you win I would be happy to pay that but if you lose that must be awful.

Also a friend said they knew a child like mine who they had to send to a private ASD school and they said it was residential - I couldn't bear him to be away from us. My friend say her friend was happy to have the break but DS is such a sweetheart at home and loves being home. Glad your DD is making good progress there. I wish they would do special schools for the bright Aspergers maybe doing less subjects - like a focus on maths, science, economics - because that would be ideal for him, I hate watching him struggle in mainstream. He needs the higher staff ratio but almost needs higher than mainstream can take him to in the subjects he loves and he can't stand things like art or drama and I think just finds too many subjects. My Mum used to teach children who didn't go to school and she said its really hard to teach beyond a certain level as it gets specialised and it was going beyond her knowledge but before that the kids benefitted from 1-2-1.

That's so short-sighted of them! Have they said why? DD2 has been like a different child since Monday, just because she's started going to the SEN block at lunch time and seeing the school dog.

They seem to be withdrawing adjustments that they put in (after I made a fuss) at the beginning of term! They see flashes of who she can be and if they handle her right they could see more.
I have had a chat with a friend whose dd with ASD went there. I'm going to be a very stroppy mare come Monday. DH is going to email the head and we will be far less nice than we have been.

Interhigh is also becoming popular as an alternative for kids who can't cope with MS but are bright. But I'm waffling now!

I think there are a few private SEN schools for bright kids, and parents tend to go to tribunal and get them places there. It shouldn't be necessary, but it's what happens.

Okay, I see where you are coming from. That's sad, and the special school you spoke to was seriously adrift from where it should be in its goals.

Most state Special Schools will have a core targeted intake, and for most state Special Schools, learning disability will be amongst their stated requirement for acceptance.

I don't think it's fair to say they don't bother with teaching. DD1 was an old NC level 1a in maths when she started at her secondary school and she's now pushing level 3. When she started there she had written a grand total of 4 sentences in one day. Now she is expected to write in paragraphs. It's progress by capability.

I didn't think state special schools in general catered for bright kids but if someone knows one that does would happily send DS there. I went round one and asked about the education and they said they don't really bother with educating them, its more about managing behaviour. The percentage of pupils reaching the expected standard in that school in reading, writing and maths is 0%. GCSE is a similar picture. It was similar in all the special schools I researched. If there was a special school where DS would have a chance of getting good GCSEs - by which I mean As or Bs across the board in 9 or 10 subjects I would go for it but there's nothing even vaguely close. I've heard quite a few people say similar so I don't think its particularly local and many end up home educating. The facilities were good pool etc and obviously there's a much lower staff ratio. I haven't looked in this area but I've heard so many people say this that I wouldn't be optimistic. It's obviously worth looking locally.

"Aornis So sorry to hear about meeting and them mentioning special school. That's my fear too as the education in them is dire."

Sorry to dip in and out, but was that a comment about Special Schools in your area, Pandas, or your feeling about Social Schools in general? My DD1 attends Special School and I found it quite upsetting to see the education provided by Special Schools referred to as 'dire'.

I can understand that there is a huge difference in need between intellectually extremely able children with emotional challenges, who are unable to access the curriculum because of their emotional and social needs, and children with both intellectual and social and emotional needs. I know that their needs are different. But special schools do a wonderful job of individualising the curriculum to allow children to grow and develop.

DD1 was predicted to be able to read a few words on a shopping list by the time she was an adult. She's far exceeded that. She's improving in maths all the time. She is way behind, but improving.

Are they putting any support in place for her Aornis? I phoned the LEA SEND team when our school was being a bit clueless and they kickstarted help. You can get Ed Psych report done, specialist teacher service in for advice, adjustments - mine has no consequences for homework and they should be agreeing to EHCP assessment, brightness shouldn't be a factor. My DS was voted brightest kid in the class at his last school and they are trying for one. If she does school refuse it may help your case though not ideal. I found SEND number on my council's exclusions page.

Is there anything in particular. I would just give her a hug and say you will find a solution. It is hard though as bright kids are only catered for in mainstream or private at very expensive cost. Funding has been cut to the bone for schools. Sendiass can also help. Or try complaints procedure. I did everything, its so time consuming though as well as frustrating. There's also home ed but I am not sure about that for us at least, in an emergency I would but only a last resort if special school only option.

So can see why they are skeptical about DD but DS is saying the same plus DDs account is staying consistent and timings add up, she's a really terrible liar. She phoned me worried as soon as school ended and said this lady was searching toilets for him, 55 mins after he left. He is always honest.

Imagined it? Bloody Hell.

No, no EHCP. Too bright. We're fighting to even get them to assess. So she can't go to a special school even if we wanted her to. She's in her room in tears and I'm in the kitchen in tears. They're the best local mainstream school for SEN and we had to fight to get her in. She's so sad and I don't know what to do.

Got a call yesterday from school saying worried DD self harming as she had asked for a plaster and said she had fallen into wall at school but wouldn't show cut. Thought that's odd as she's very happy atm. She told me she had fallen before school and made up story about it happening at school as she thought they wouldn't give plasters for out of school. Plus was on her hip so can see why she didn't want to show it. But gosh wish she wouldn't make things up, its just started since we moved here, maybe village life is too dull.

Today get another call from school saying 2 kids reporting she's self harming as cuts on her arm. The lady said she had questioned her and DD said its our cat. Lady asked if that was likely, I said its very likely with our cat and she's happy. Asked DD. She explained I opened a massive tin of spaghetti. The cat got very excited thinking it was a massive tin of tuna for her. Then the cat realised it wasn't and attacked me. DS said he witnessed it.

OMG are they from Midwich!!!

The e-mail implied she had imagined it.
That is odd to imply. Misunderstood, possibly, but imagined, no! I can see where they could claim misunderstood situation-eg one teacher goes to ask her not knowing he's watched by another teacher.

It would be especially odd for her to have imagined it and him to have imagined he was alone on the same day at the same time. Unless maybe they're suggesting they have superpowers of telepathy or something.

Witchend The e-mail implied she had imagined it. I will get back to Head as DS also says he was alone and I can't see them both having imagined it but at least they have put support in place last 3 days.

Aornis So sorry to hear about meeting and them mentioning special school. That's my fear too as the education in them is dire. Maybe worth trying your LEA Send team to see if they have ideas and I would investigate other local schools as a backup. I presume your DD has an EHCP.

I agree that getting the bloods done would be the best idea Frayed

Meeting with school today and we're at a bit of an impasse. Dd can't do what they want. They won't budge any further. I don't have a magic wand. I have a horrible feeling we are heading towards school refusal or them admitting defeat. The words 'specialist school' were used.

Frayed you should just be able to request the blood test form and pick it up from reception.
Our local hospital has an adult drop in blood test place which is brilliant-the paediatric had a wait of 2 weeks and the GP's practice nurse (only one qualified to do a paed one) went off sick on the day ds was due for one.
I went to the adult drop in (for 11yesrs +), and we waited not more than 10 minutes to be seen and they were lovely with him. Only thing was they don't have the numbing spray the children's do (ds is allergic to magic cream, but is brilliant about having blood tests) and they looked at ds and said "not sure we can do him, he's a little one" and he was very indignant.

I agree the response from the Head is baffling Penguins. DS1 was lost at his first primary school for about 10-15 mins (he got locked outside when rest of the school was in assembly(!)) and when the SENCo found out she said they had to report it the LA, which the said they did though I never heard anything.

DS2 had a whole class bowling party for his Yr6 birthday. I shan't be doing the same for his next one! Maybe bowling with a couple of mates and I'll lurk in the background as we aren't really near anywhere they can easily get to.

DS2 is off again, really rough. I'm thinking I should ring the GP to find out if I need an appt to get the blood test form, which I think is what they will say I need to do. Thinking about it, it would have been easier to give it to me at the time.

Penguin I am also a bit at the 'not lost' bit. I would be tempted to put in writing that I disagree (even if you add that you won't take it further just now) because it really does sound as if they didn't know where he was!

DD is doing OK, she's not been well again but the school have been helpful. I hope she's OK today. At least we've got the weekend and then it's only a few days before half-term!