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Here you'll find advice from parents and teachers on special needs education.

Original poster

School named in EHCP are saying they cannot meet my son's needs. - advice please

57 replies

Havannah · 30/09/2015 16:05

My 5 year old has a diagnosis of ASD and an EHCP naming the school which he has attended since September, but I learned at a meeting today that they say they cannot meet his needs because of lack of funding to continue pay for a 1 to 1 which they consider he needs. They also say that whilst there has been a TA with him at all times, and that has been funded till Xmas, that he really needs someone who is trained to manage his behaviour, and the TA they've got till Xmas isn't. I got the feeling in the meeting that if the funding was there there wouldn't be a problem. They are saying he should go to a special school, but I want him to stay where he is because he is so happy there. The behaviour they complain of at school (throwing chairs etc) comes as a shock to me because when he is with me he is quite well behaved. They say they need someone with him who is trained to deal with such behaviour. He is a bright boy, but he does need fairly constant bringing back to task.

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Original poster
Havannah · 05/10/2015 09:32

What I want, of course, is for my child to be happy, and to learn (both academic and social skills). At home I am able to get him to read, count, and behave in a reasonably acceptable fashion. I know that my son is capable of learning, and in some instances learning very fast. But it seems that whilst I can bring that out in my son, the school cannot. Of course, there is no knowing whether any other school, special school or otherwise, would suit him, but one thing I am not going to do is send him from pillar to post in the vain attempt to find someone else to teach him. As a single parent it will, of course, be financially tough, but I think the best for him, and the least stressful for me, will be to homeschool. I know lots of parents look forward to having time apart from their children, but I am not one of those sorts of parents - frankly I feel like I've lost a limb every time I leave him with anyone but my parents.
I have a meeting with the school in a couple of days and I plan to ask them whether or not my son is permitted to mix at play times even. If it transpires (as I think it will) that he is not, then my son will not be returning to school after half term.

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bialystockandbloom · 04/10/2015 17:47

The thing is that it shouldn't be the case that you are 'forced' to send him to ss (if you don't want to) just because this particular school is spectacularly useless and unwilling to provide adequate support for him. This school is failing him, is failing to meet his needs not because, from the sound of it, he cannot access the curriculum there, or cannot participate socially, but because they are not providing adequate support for him.

If you want him to remain in mainstream school, this is entirely possible if he has the right kind of support. LAs and ms schools generally are lazy, shortsighted, blinkered and ignorant about what kind of support is possible through expert teaching. For so many children with ASD, teaching requires a different approach to motivate. But it's not that children cannot be motivated, it is just a different approach is required, one which takes a bit more work, and will cost more than a TA who is paid minimum wage and could be just any old person from down the road, with no training. It's insane that the people who are given the most challenging job are paid least of most of the staff in a school.

Like pp, we did ABA which continued as support in mainstream school. We had to go to tribunal of course to get it, like most, as LAs are reluctant (because it challenges their thinking, as above, and because it can cost them more in the short term).

Sorry for rant, you can tell it is a particular issue of mine Blush

KittyandTeal · 03/10/2015 16:31

If home ed is an option for you have a serious think about it. It could be the answer to issues.

I have always been quite pro 'integrated schools' but as the funding and specialist services are slipping away with the spending cuts mainstream schools in all honesty are struggling (some of them anyway, we definitely are) to meet the needs of children with additional needs.

It's not bloody right that children with additional needs are shoved into mainstream classes without the funding or support, it is setting them up for a fail or a generally bad education which is so wrong!

Original poster
Havannah · 03/10/2015 13:08

I think I will look at the special schools with an open mind, but I must say that the more I think about things and the more I am thinking that home-schooling could be a really positive and enjoyable option. I've been looking at home ed groups and I think I could help my boy socialise quite nicely through those. My ideal would be to maintain contact with the local school with a view to perhaps re-integrating into mainstream later down the line. Having the flexibility to go wherever to encounter the experiences I want for my son is really attractive.

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KittyandTeal · 03/10/2015 12:12

I totally understand your frustration at the teachers not using your tactics. However, you do need to understand that in a busy, full on classroom your child may be reacting in a very different way.

it may be that your tactics don't work at school, or that his distress is linked to a sensory overload (reception and Y1 classrooms can be overwhelming for neuro-typical children at the best of times)

ovenchips · 03/10/2015 09:59

brucie Grin Very best of luck to you.

Our DC's part-time home program has just come to an end for a variety of reasons. No ABA schools for hundreds of miles but my DC is in a fantastic SS. ABA is the future though!

BrucieTheShark · 03/10/2015 09:37

Lol ovenchips. I am well into the process of selling my soul right now!

ovenchips · 03/10/2015 09:28

I second others' concerns about the willingness of your DS's current school to try to meet his needs. You say you think it is just a matter of securing funding for 1:1 etc then school would be happy to have him, but if they are suggesting a special school I am not so sure.

Also you say he is so happy there - is he going to be if he's being segregated for much of the day?

You need to get a full picture of what your DS's days are like. Once you have a full picture of what his SEN are I would visit mainstream and special schools, as until you have points of comparison it's very hard to know best choice for your son.

I don't know where you live but if there were any ABA (state/ private) schools around I would sell my soul to get my child with ASD into one of them.

My DC is in a special school but it really isn't a 'semi-institutionalised' choice.

Best of luck figuring out right schooling for your son. I know how difficult it is.

Original poster
Havannah · 03/10/2015 09:25

Clam - I think the playground thing is because of my son's tendency to run off when the bell is sounded to go in. There is a side exit to the playground which leads to a grassy area and access around the perimeter of the school. In the mornings I simply stand near that exit to ensure my son does not lead his runners out of the main playground.

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Original poster
Havannah · 03/10/2015 09:15

Thank you Brucietheshark. That is very helpful. I know that the school will likely argue that my son's behaviour is a danger to others - but this gives me some good ammunition to argue for, perhaps Flexi-schooling so that my son could socialise with the little friends he has already made, he could do the school-work set by the class teacher with me at home, and have regular checks on progress and attempts at re-integration from time to time for short periods. I live only a short walk from the school, so from my point of view this would be feasible, if the LA and school would allow this to happen

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lougle · 03/10/2015 09:10

In practice though, it's very simple. One of the Mums at our SS decided that she'd like to HE for secondary school. When annual review time came and she had to name the next school, she just said 'I'd like to HE'. The LA asked how she proposed to do this. She said 'functional learning' (e.g. 'money' is taught by buying things at the shop; writing might be taught by writing a list of things you need to do, etc.). The LA said 'great. Let us know if you need anything'.

That's it!

clam · 03/10/2015 09:08

Could the playground supervision thing be about liability? If, for example, there was an incident at break which resulted in someone getting hurt, and it transpired that your ds was effectively unsupervised (as in, no adult near enough to intervene and divert), the school would be crucified by the authorities. Before school, when he is playing with those other children, you are officially in charge of him (I think).

BrucieTheShark · 03/10/2015 09:07

Just be wary of agreeing to home school as they will call parental preference and then fund nothing if they can.

If you think being at home for some or all of the time is the way to meet his needs, then that could be 'education otherwise' or a dual placement. As he has an EHC plan the local authority are still obliged to ensure the provision is arranged.

You could get a personal budget that includes funds for a tutor coming to the house. Of course you are brilliant with him but there are other highly trained professionals out there who could help share the load. However I would recommend sourcing your own (we do ABA) rather than accepting some 'learning mentor' that you know nothing about.

Fairylea · 03/10/2015 09:04

I understand that but from the research I've done recently it seems that applies more to children with complex medical needs to ensure they receive the best physical care as they would do in a hospital type setting - with a child with an asd type disability it seems that as long as you could ensure the local authority you could provide a suitable education at home they would have no issue with removing a child for home schooling. I would contact your local councils Sen department and ask what their policies normally are.

Neddyteddy · 03/10/2015 09:04

Can you keep your options open. Yes look at special schools, home Ed, other schools more used to SEN and support in his present mainstream school. Educating a child on their own separately from his class is a last resort really. His behaviour must be very serious.

Original poster
Havannah · 03/10/2015 08:54

Fairylea - I am going to look at a couple of special schools, but one of my biggest concerns is that once in a special school I would be sacrificing control of my child's education as, even if I decided homeschooling would be better, the LA would have to agree with me before I could take him out of school.

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BrucieTheShark · 03/10/2015 08:53

Also, what about another mainstream school? Have a look at some. Sadly sometimes once you've lost the school's cooperation, you're on a road to nowhere really.

BrucieTheShark · 03/10/2015 08:51

You're probably already more than familiar with the code of practice

Around p175 onwards is helpful - it outlines the idea of reasonable steps.

The school should absolutely be funding a one to one and ensuring they are specially trained to deal with him. If the funding in the plan is insufficient then there are steps they should be taking to get more.

Some schools (a) don't want all the bother in the first place and (b) seem desperate not to ask the local authority for more money. You have to get very, very assertive.

Agree with lougle, special schools can be fab (although looking fab means nothing, you have to find out what they actually do). You need to do a bit of research to be sure about what you believe is best for him, then fight for that.

Original poster
Havannah · 03/10/2015 08:45

Annandale - I have not seen him in class, and by the sounds of it the school does not have him with the other children. From knowing what he is like, he would probably laugh and think it all a joke. In the playground before school he does a lot of running, and a number of other (mainly older) children, run behind him, slowing and speeding up as he does. He, and they, find this funny. On the odd occasion my son has fallen over & the other children have picked him up & seen that he is OK. All in all the kids at his school are lovely, and I want my son to have the benefit of mixing like this. I kind of feel the ideal would be if he could attend school for play times and be at home for lessons.

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Imperialleather2 · 03/10/2015 08:44

The school clearly can't cope. If he is throwing chairs round the class room it's only a matter of time until another child is badly injured and that isn't fair on them. Regardless of whether the School should be doing things differently it's certainly not working at the moment.

I think you need to speak to the Local Authority urgently and see what they are going to do about it.

Fairylea · 03/10/2015 08:44

As someone who is struggling to try and get their son into a special needs school I would absolutely bite their hands off to take the chance to get him into a good one. There's so much variety with complex needs schools, we've been looking round lots recently with a view for September next year for our son and admittedly there have been lots we feel ds would be much too able for but we did find one we feel would suit him perfectly. Maybe it's just a case of looking at lots to see if you can find one he would be happy in? Our ds has asd and communication difficulties and we visited a school where 80% of the children there were the same and he would have a natural peer group of children to play with. Lessons were 10 to a class with 5 teaching assistants; one of those higher level and a teacher. We felt really impressed and felt ds would get much more support at that kind of setting. We are in the ehcp process and fighting to get a place at this school.

Personally I wouldn't want to keep my ds at a school that clearly didn't want him there and wasn't prepared to (or couldn't afford to) invest time and money into making sure he had the right support.

Original poster
Havannah · 03/10/2015 08:39

I can't figure out how to move this conversation to the thread suggested above!

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annandale · 03/10/2015 08:29

Havannah how does he react if the teacher treats another child in the same class differently? What about if another child bumps into his desk or shouts near him?

Original poster
Havannah · 03/10/2015 08:25

One of my main concerns about special schools is that I would not be as in control of my son's education - I could not pull him out of school to home-school him without the permission of the LA. That strikes me as semi institutionalising him.
I really think my son's tantrums are caused by frustration at being isolated and at not being stretched academically. The school say he behaves when he chooses what he does but not when they choose tasks. They want him to draw to improve pencil skills to assist with writing - but he is far happier writing than drawing. He will happily work at reading and writing for 20 mins at home and will transition from one activity to another with little or no fuss. I think the school are expecting too little of him and he is frustrated at being treated like a baby and not allowed to mix with his peer group. I think they do not even allow him to mix at lunch playtime - they frog-march him around between a teacher and TA as if they think he is a criminal - yet before school starts he runs with the other children in the playground and the other children appear to accept and like him, including him and greeting him in a friendly manner.
Actually, if he could just be at school for break times I'd be happy - I can teach him. And I think that once he is reading more fluently he will start learning at a more rapid rate and will start to understand about social mores.

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Original poster
Havannah · 03/10/2015 08:08

What I really don't understand is why the teachers are all unwilling to take on board how I handle him - he knows I mean business, so if he starts to lose it I just glare at him and tell him that if he wants to do whatever nice we've planned for later then he'd better stop right now. At first there would be quite a few times he would continue to work himself up, but if he continued I would put him in time out for a minimum of three minutes, with the last full minute of silence (which ensured he calmed properly before coming out of time out). It only took a few weeks of consistent discipline and now, with me around, he is quite well behaved. It seems to me that the school is being rather inflexible

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