Is it normal for a SENCO...

Thanks very much @Phineyj Yes, I have read that; do you mean the template letter? Or the bullet pointed list of guidance that the LAs follow?

My plan was to follow the template letter and obviously under the first legal test, include DD's diagnoses and referrals (backed up by HCP reports), then for the second, use headings to divide it into DD's areas of need (for example, academic, sensory, emotional regulation, school anxiety/avoidance) and for each of them, include:

• What the need looks like
• Where I don't think it's being met or fully identified (either because of no progress, eg increase in school anxiety between years 2 and 3; academic discrepancies and recommendations for outside support - eg OT)
• Back those assertions up by referring to specific pieces of included evidence (and page numbers of reports if necessary!)

Does that sound sufficient?

And that seems to be my strategy; have become almost detached from it and treating it like a work assignment (which does actually involve evidencing!)

Thank you again @EndlessLight It's hard to know how much detail/evidence to provide, but I will try and be succinct.

Thank you @EndlessLight

So would these needs be:

• Occupational Therapy (to support sensory needs, as recommended by OT report)
• EP assessment (to understand educational requirements as I don't think the school has identified DD's needs fully? Evidenced by drop in reading attainment, little improvement in fine motor skills, VMI discrepancy?)
• Writing support (the OT recommended small-group intervention, but again would benefit from EP assessment or specific OT assessment on motor skills?)
• Support/play therapy for emotional regulation (evidence only really reported by us, documented in ASD and OT reports. The school does actually employ a play therapist and I did ask if DD could be added to the waiting list; the SENCO replied that she would, but she couldn't tell me how long it was and the PT could only see 3 DC per week.... She would 'review whether it was still appropriate' once (if) she got to the top.
• S&L assessment and social skills support? (DD is very verbally fluent, and as previously mentioned, is probably seen as confident and social at school, but ADOS did (obviously) flag limitations in communication?)

(No evidence that they didn't happen other than an email in which I state that they didn't happen).

@EndlessLight @Phineyj Sorry to be a pain, some further questions if okay...

1. Do you send copies of evidence to back up statements about why an EHCNA is needed at the point of initial application?
2. Does the school get sent a copy of your application?
3. Is it worthwhile and appropriate to point out things that haven't happened that the school said would happen even if you don't have evidence of that? For example, I have email correspondence relating to DD having additional transition activities at the end of year 3, but no evidence that they didn't happen.

Another thing (but which I have no evidence of, but may not be too important anyway in the scale of things)... When I did broach the subject of DD's drop in reading attainment with her teacher at parents' eve last year, her teacher said she was putting together a small lunch time reading group for a few in their class and wrote DD's name down. When the group started, DD wasn't on the list and when DD asked her teacher about it, she had completely forgotten what she had said to us and said she wasn't in the group... Aside from anything else, I was a bit annoyed about that as DD was a bit upset by it!

Great mug! 😁

@EndlessLight That is a good point.

I am perfectly pleasant in my email correspondence with her, though I do find I take on my more formal, business-like 'work persona' in the way I phrase things. I am very matter-of-fact, including when I point out when things weren't done (like the additional transition activities she said would happen at the end of last year), so hope she doesn't take it personally.

That is definitely becoming clear!

😁

It is a really hard balance to strike with the SENCO. I do feel as though she genuinely cares about SEN, is very responsive, and, for example, on Monday, when DD and I were both emotional n the office after an hour and half's battle getting her into school (including DD climbing half-naked into the boot of the car outside the school), she was very patient with DD, sat with her after I'd left and did some sensory calming down therapeutics with her, then later emailed me with an update.

But as I said, it's hard to know what she's thinking, is constantly fire-fighting and she obviously has to balance the needs of the whole school.

@EndlessLight Thank you; that is what I also concluded 😅 I have started to follow up in-person conversations with emails. It really shouldn't be this way, but it almost feels like a perverse strategy game. It's also really hard to tell what she's thinking which I hate. I have also thanked her for the link to the IAS and said that I have also been finding the information provided by IPSEA helpful!

Yes, I agree on the EP assessment. How comprehensive are those usually provided through the EHCNA? Have read that they're actually not that good?

@Phineyj @EndlessLight Again, thank you both for your knowledge, I really appreciate the time you have taken to reply.

I am aware that other children are not my concern; I think this just adds to my feeling like a fraud! (I just imagine the SENCO thinking what the hell am I worrying/bothering her about when my child is happy in school and she is making expected academic progress).

The SENCO suggested I meet with her new class teacher to discuss support in the classroom (I have contacted her via the office, but no response as of yet). I am also going to raise some academic concerns with her (obviously secondary to DD's emotional wellbeing, but I think also may have a bearing on).

I have also laid these out in an email to the SENCO - do you think this is overkill and not really her concern nor much of an issue? I don't know if I'm really expecting her to respond to them, but (although I've mentioned most things separately with different teachers at various points), I've never really consolidated them in one place.

These include the drop in reading attainment, the fine motor skills, the huge difference between visual perception and visual-motor integration, and, (as an example of academic discrepancy and what has made me focus on it now), DD mentioned yesterday that they've done two spelling tests this week, one on year 3 spellings and one on year 4.

For the year 3 test, she said she got 7 correct out of 25. We go through her spellings every week and she memorises them very quickly. In her spelling tests last year, most weeks she would get the majority (if not all, some weeks) right. She has a great visual memory, and I think solely relies on how the words look, rather than combining it with phonics or other knowledge. As an example, I asked her to spell 'quarter' and she tried to put an 'l' where the 't' should be (as in, didn't think logically about how the word sounded, but was just picturing the word in her head). She will also miss out letters in short phonetic words, but know how to spell longer ones she's visually memorised. I don't know, maybe that's normal?

@handmademitlove Thank you for you reply 🙂 I don't think she has hypermobility to be honest (though I do!). She was seen by an OT last year, although it was primarily sensory-based (though I know it's all linked!). She didn't highlight any hypermobility concerns, but did say that her poor grip and pressure was likely to be a sensory issue. I also have concerns about dysgraphia (though I don't know if that is actually a recognised condition any more?).

Last year, the SENCO did mention about the possibility of a laptop as she progressed through the school, but again, I don't know whether they consider her that bad. I do think her general ability masks quite a lot.