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SEN

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

Original poster

Still no reception place for September !!

37 replies

Lululime2024 · 09/05/2024 12:42

My daughter has just turned 4 and has diagnosed autism, they did think GDD too but for now they're waiting to see with that and I'm struggling massively to get her a school place for September. She has the understanding and communication development of an 18month old also.

we have named a unit provision with a mainstream school as our preference who have been consulted and said they can meet her needs but the LA are of the view that mainstream would be suitable for her so they won't place her there

LA have consulted with 7 mainstream school over the past few months and every single one have said they can't meet need, I spoke to my case worker today and he said they're gonna still try and push the mainstream school to take her even though they can't meet her needs. I'm furious how can she go there if they can't meet her needs and also how can they say mainstream is suitable and yet every mainstream school in our town have said no.

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Bluevelvetsofa · 11/06/2024 18:00

Excellent news after so much stress.

Original poster
Lululime2024 · 11/06/2024 16:53

Update: She got into our first choice special provision school. We're so thrilled!

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Headfirstintothewild · 31/05/2024 17:26

Yes, if the unit isn’t a separate registered institution, the mainstream school and the unit are one and the same registration. The unit is part of the school. See this IPSEA page.

Original poster
Lululime2024 · 31/05/2024 17:18

Even if the mainstream school has said no at consultation?

the mainstream said no the unit said yes

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Original poster
Lululime2024 · 31/05/2024 17:17

Oh okay thankyou! Xx

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Headfirstintothewild · 31/05/2024 17:09

So if the unit isn’t a separate registered institution the mainstream school should be in I and the unit provision included in F.

Original poster
Lululime2024 · 31/05/2024 16:53

It isn't on there separately and the actual school says this so I don't think it is independent

Still no reception place for September !!
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Headfirstintothewild · 31/05/2024 16:46

You are misunderstanding me. Most units that are part of a mainstream school are not separate institutions with separate registrations in their own right so shouldn’t be named in section I. The mainstream school the unit is part of should be named in section I with the provision provided by the unit included in F. Although some LAs don’t understand this and include the unit in I but that isn’t what should happen and SENDIST will not do it.

Is the unit registered separately? You can see that if it is separate by searching here.

Original poster
Lululime2024 · 31/05/2024 16:40

I'm gonna change the name of the school so as to not be too outing but I spoke to the schools Senco when I was finalising her EHCP and she told me to name "Beckett academy within the resources provision" and they are consulted with separately to the mainstream school, although it's the same lady who replied to both

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Original poster
Lululime2024 · 31/05/2024 16:38

Her consults to mainstream school getting rejected because of section F her needs are too high for mainstream schools to cope with

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Headfirstintothewild · 31/05/2024 16:37

Do you know if the unit is a separate registered institution? If not, which most aren’t, the problem is the lack of content in F rather than not naming the unit in I because the unit shouldn’t be named in I, it should be the mainstream school the unit is part of.

Original poster
Lululime2024 · 31/05/2024 16:30

It said mainstream before and even though the unit said yes the local authority wouldn't place her, that's why they've gone back to panel, I need to find time to set and read about it and educate myself but I have 3 children at home including my daughter who is quite server autistic and I can't really take my eyes of her, I'm only able to be on here now because her dads got her I'm supposed to be getting ready for work, my spare moments are fleeting 😄

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Headfirstintothewild · 31/05/2024 16:24

A unit/base/provision within a mainstream school. Additionally resourced provision. Also sometimes known as an enhanced resourced provision/base or by local names such as a cabin.

It is worth reading IPSEA and SOSSEN’s websites to understand more about EHCPs and SEN law.

Original poster
Lululime2024 · 31/05/2024 16:21

All I know at this point is her case went to panel on Wednesday and they changed mainstream to specialist, there's still nothing names in section I and the unit and provisions team are now working to find her a place, hopefully in the unit we named and have already said yes twice

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Original poster
Lululime2024 · 31/05/2024 16:19

I have no idea what an arp is

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Headfirstintothewild · 31/05/2024 16:18

If you want the ARP, for most ARPs, the EHCP shouldn’t state specialist school. For most ARPs, it is the MS named in I and the provision the ARP will provide included in F because most ARPs aren’t a separate registered institution.

Original poster
Lululime2024 · 31/05/2024 16:10

So the unit provision inside the academy have actually been consulted twice, once with her diagnosis included and once without and both times they've said yes, it's the local authority who wouldn't name it because her EHCP said mainstream, now it says specialist so hopefully that'll change.

the senco from the unit is lovely and she's flagged my daughters name to unit and provisions team and already sent another consult reply of yes

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Headfirstintothewild · 30/05/2024 17:36

Academies aren’t wholly independent. You don’t need an offer of a place. They can be named against their will.

For most ARPs, the mainstream school is named in I (because the unit isn’t a separate registered setting) and the provision the ARP provide in F.

Original poster
Lululime2024 · 30/05/2024 17:33

Within a mainstream I mean, so basically it's called rainbow room, and it's a part of the mainstream school my son attends.

its 2 class rooms a sensory room, a soft play room and a separate playground just for special needs children, she would spend half the day in rainbow room and half the day in a mainstream classroom (dependant on how she does)

they have children doing
50-50
20-80
100 rainbow room

they try 50/50 to
start with though and see how the children get on.

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Original poster
Lululime2024 · 30/05/2024 17:30

The school we've named as our parental preference is a specialist unit with a mainstream setting, it's an academy enough is that independent?

the unit have said yes to consultations twice! But they haven't been able to place her because her EHCP said mainstream, now it says specialist hopefully she will get in, but I've been liasing with the senco of the unit and she said she's already flagged my daughter to the unit and provisions team and sent another consultation response of yes in anticipation of a positive panel result so 🤞🏻

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Headfirstintothewild · 30/05/2024 17:11

Unless the school is wholly independent, the LA must name your preferred placement unless the LA can prove:
-The setting is unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or special educational needs (“SEN”) 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.

Being full is not defined in law, and on its own being ‘full’ is not enough of a reason to refuse to name your preference. The LA has to prove the school is so full admitting DD is incompatible. Obviously there is a point the LA can prove this, but the bar is higher than many LAs and schools admit. It is more an “adverse effect”, “impact on” or “prejudicial to”. Unless the school is wholly independent the LA can, and must, name the school regardless of the school’s objections unless the LA can prove one of the reasons above.

Original poster
Lululime2024 · 30/05/2024 14:20

Panel was successful, so mainstream has been changed to specialist provision 🎉🎉

now to actually find one with space

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Original poster
Lululime2024 · 16/05/2024 12:29

Case worker just called me her case is going back to panel on the 27th of May to hopefully overturn mainstream to unit provision 🤞🏻🤞🏻

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Headfirstintothewild · 15/05/2024 18:32

If the LA is proposing MS and doesn’t have a placement to name (they could name a school who objected when consulted) they stand no chance at appeal.

Original poster
Lululime2024 · 15/05/2024 15:04

The school still even at this point aren't full the school themselves are saying yes the local authority are saying no. They're trying to push for mainstream even
though it's obvious it's the wrong setting for her and 5 mainstream schools have all said they can't meet her needs

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