School lateness punishments, neurodiversity and the law

But the school aren’t allowing some strategies that are widely used by adults (including in the workplace) and that could potentially be helpful here.

It’s not that OP’s daughter won’t try them, or can’t find strategies. It’s that the school don’t even seem willing to try.

”Just getting on with it” isn’t a particularly helpful strategy, by the way, before anyone suggests that one!

Because she has a lovely teacher who starts from the assumption that we love and know our child and wouldn't make up a fake disability. It's not exactly rocket science to work out ND. She sent out the forms to us and it didn't take long for us to realise that the answer to almost every question (does your child frequently lose their belongings? Do they find transitions distressing? Do they forget instructions before completing them?) was "Very much". It will take 3+ years now for what is already obvious to be confirmed by a psychiatrist.

Sounds like OP is not getting the same grace, despite the fact it sounds like their GP believes them.

It's still not evidenced. Many deaf children are accused of not listening before diagnosis and even afterwards by some teachers

What’s the alternative? That we have to make endless adjustments for the 40-ish % of kids who have disabilities? I don’t think so. School is a place for learning. The teachers have to be able to teach without distractions. Pupils have to learn strategies to help them cope. It’s a parents job to help their child manage.

I'm quite shocked at the responses on here. I'm not sure people realise that it's schools failing to help with these, potentially minor, issues that leads to children not finishing school or ending up in AP units. Those units are absolutely fantastic but we simply can't afford for any child who has an issue like this which should be easily fixed, to spiral and end up there. I mean that from a financial point of view.

I do understand the school's dilemma. Allowing some children to leave lessons early just creates more chaos for everyone a d essentially would cut the lesson short for everyone.

Is your dd at least arriving on time for the first period, when she can make it early to avoid overwhelm?

Does she have noise cancelling headphones to wear in the corridor?

Is there a trusted friend that can help keep her focused and on track walking between classes?

Yes because the teacher agreed/agrees and also sees and believes your daughter is struggling with multiple disabilities.

It's evidenced from the fact that they obviously can't hear anyone. It's an objective fact. That's not the same as here where suddenly a teenager is being disruptive and so more evidence is requested than mum's opinion.

And even those deaf children needing/ wanting specialist provision are likely to be in mainstream because the LA don't like funding specialist placements.
Which is why deaf pupils underperform in education because too many aren't having needs met

Schools are an absolute mess

Interesting that you're talking about "evidence".

When we noticed DD was struggling with hearing, we notified her teacher that we thought she had a hearing problem and she immediately made adjustments, such as sitting her at the front and taking a moment to repeat key points 1-2-1 with her. She didn't say she wasn't doing it until she had a diagnosis, or that it wasn't possible for every child in the class to sit on the front row, or that it would take her half an hour to speak individually to every child, or that she just needed to try harder to listen.

We then got a referral to an audiologist who confirmed that she had glue ear and if it doesn't clear up on its own they will look into grommits.

She also has suspected AuDHD and again, the teacher has just made reasonable adjustments to accommodate that, such as giving advanced warning of changes to the timetable, ensuring she has a visual timetable, supporting her with transitions etc., whilst she waits for an official diagnosis.

Adhd secondary school aged child mum here.
Laminated map. Laminated timetable. Digital watch. Go through the timetables eith her. Discuss her strategies for managing this
Email senco and head of year. Explain how YOU and YOUR daughtrr are going to help address this issue. Then also request that they also come up with some support.
For context.. in my sons year, there are 87 kids out of 267 that have a confimed ADHD diognosis. I suspect this is similar in all schools.
You can not just blame adhd and then exprct the school to provide all thd solutions.
There are likely 10 kids in her class with adhd diagnosis and the onus is on you and her to try your best to help.
I have been dealing with sencos around adhd for the past 10 years as my son has been first picked up as having adhd by nursery.
Trust me when I say, if you do not show up and take the lead in managing your daughters adhd and at her age she should also be taking owbership and learning about it and learning her own strategies.. noone else is going to bother.
You have to put the effort in yourself too.
Adhd is not an excuse, its hard, its more effort but its not a get out of jail free card.
I really hate people that use it as an excuse.
I have it too. So does my partner and our two children.
Find strategies that work. Tell the school what you are doing and then request their help to support you in implementing them.

Evidenced disability

Before any disability is evidenced it is suspected and tested for.

Did you know that many deaf children don't get quick diagnosis either. Some are waiting months for audiology and then if this shows deafness - this doesn't mean diagnosed they will go back after so many months to see if it has remained the same. They don't always give hearing aids promptly either.

So should these deaf pupils get no adjustments either until the disability is evidenced

Or should we be supporting based on assumed situation.

Let's be real if you don't need an adjustment you aren't going to use it - how many pupils that have no need of a wheelchair would use one ?

Maybe for a short time just to see what its like or messing about but no pupil is opting to use a wheelchair day in day out that they don't need.

No it's not. Any deaf child who wants to be in mainstream can be mainstream.

That's a balanced decision made against different risks for a child with an evidenced disability so not comparable

I understand it seems counter-active for them to miss lessons as a punishment. However in real life people have to be at certain places at certain times. You cannot function as an adult if frequently late for things.

There must be strategies she can use to practice and improve?

A school can’t operate properly if so many people arrive late and interrupt class.

Schools sadly are crap at recognizing SEN/Disabilities. The are resistant and far too slow to add adjustments

Hence so many families being left having to home educate

No deaf children in mainstream school then.

Rubbish. Earplugs cut down the noise, they don’t eliminate it. It’s perfectly safe.

You're missing the point. School clearly don't agree that it's an additional need requiring adjustments. So there's literally just mum and daughter saying it's not fair for her to be expected to fall in line.

What's that got to do with it being discriminatory not to make reasonable adjustments?

Yet the law absolutely sees this as a perfectly reasonable adjustment in a school setting and many schools manage it just fine. So your opinion that it's unreasonable is wholly irrelevant.

Common sense says it wouldn't be safe to wear earplugs in a corridor that has so many people and so much noise in it, someone finds it difficult to walk the length of it.

I think you missed the bit this is not a timing issue she is struggling with sensory overload walking amongst the throng of kids changing classrooms at the same time. She's not asking for to excuse lateness - quite the opposite she is asking for her child to leave class one minute early to avoid busy corridors. Kids with broken limbs etc leave class early to have more time to walk to another class.

My ds left early when he had a cast on to avoid the crowds and did not miss anything. They almost always finish a few minutes early anyway so that the kids are packed up and ready to leave at the end of the lesson.

I didn't say it did.