What happens if a mainstream school can't meet their needs??

[User47484739478474]

When it's not just as simple as moving to a sen school?!

DS nearly 12, is diagnosed with autism, likely has adhd, has severe anxiety, showing traits of ocd and learning disabilities. I always knew he was behind at school but was not told how far behind until a few weeks before the end of year 6 - he is 4 years behind to be precise. He needs a lot of guidance and emotional support too.

despite this, he generally enjoys going yo school, he likes to make friends, tries his best and he is not disruptive in lessons at all - he holds it all in and let's loose when he gets home which is not ideal. He works so hard ti be 'good' (in his words) at school that he is a nightmare after school.

He has an EHCP. I was told he would not neccesarily meet the criteria for a sen schooo but needs a high level of support at mainstream which he always got at primary, but proving more difficult at secondary.

he started mainstream secondary last week, we had visited the school quite a few times, spoke to the senco, meetings, he did extra visits, transition days so he was fully prepared and the school seemed confident they could his meet needs but they haven't been so good in practise. They had a change in senco and seems to be a mismatch of communication somewhere.

anyway, new senco has emailed me saying we need a meeting about his academic analogies and support in lessons? What does that mean?

he had 1:1 at primary, I always knew this would change slightly at secondary, I was told he'd have support but it wouldn't be the same Ta all day which I was happy with as I didn't want him to become too reliant on one individual.

in my eyes, he's adapted really well. I was really worried about him finding himself around the school but he's pretty much memorised his timetable and has had no struggles knowing where he should be, he has managed lunch times on his own without adult support. I think he's enjoying the new sense of independence.

Despite struggling academically he isn't stupid (not sure if that's the right thing to say). He is intelligent in other ways and has good understanding of things. There are some things he excels at - computers and also map reading and knowing where places are in the world without having to think about.

im worried sick what they are going to say about him struggling in lessons.

sen school is an option but places are few where I live and it seems a fight to get your child in. I know a child in a far worse situation at school than DS and cannot get a place despite having an EHCP.

Any advice? Parents of sen children that are in that awkward middle of not automatically meeting the criteria for a sen school but struggling in mainstream too.

Tia

"the expectations of a test might be too much having to sit for that length of time or risking being a distraction to other children. He generally needs constant guidance and support from an adult in lessons."

Please don't worry about this aspect. DC don't all sit in the exam hall. There will be some in a smaller room, some elsewhere with computers, maybe others in a room by themselves if needed. Being allowed to take breaks if needed is also an easy adjustment to get. State schools should be good on this stuff, they deal with DC across the ability spectrum.

If writing is a blocker (as it is for many kids with additional needs) then at secondary they tend to move to typing, or even having a scribe if need be. There is at least one child using a school laptop in every one of my DD's classes.

The EHCP needs amending to be of more use.

OT, including sensory OT, and SALT should be in section F of the EHCP. Therefore must be provided, if the NHS can’t or won’t provide it the LA must commission independent provision. This way DS does not need to sit on the normal waiting lists and provision can be in excess of what is otherwise typically available.

You could ask for an EHCP reassessment in order to get up to date assessments. I didn’t do this following the usual process, I paid for private OT and Ed psych assessments and the when I received my draft EHCP after annual review I engaged a solicitor to feed in the reports (she ended up rewriting the plan).

The mainstream school SENCO wasn’t overly supportive when I did this as my EHCP was too specific and quantified for her liking!

That's interesting thank you. It was updated within primary in May but has not been updated by the LA so still waiting on that, I'm not going to hold my breath as the La has not updated my youngest child's and it's been 11 months now.

priot to May it was updated in the summer term of year 5 where we added the school
but not much about his needs was added then.

as I posted above he's been signed off most things! previous reports and names of professionals from a few years ago are still included in his EHCP, I struggle to make sense of it all! We weren't signed off as the help wasn't needed, it was more so because of the lack of support and sheer amount of chislren needing it. We were very much left to our own devices!

I will look into it, Ty!

Interesting Ty! The primary school were reluctant to make further referrals, not just for DS but all children. The primary school failed to make referrals for my youngest!

@Misandre thank you, it's all new to me so I'm clueless. He is an excellent typer, computer skills is his thing and dp is a computer geek and it rubbed off on DS from a young age!

we have two desktops at home but I am thinking about either saving up for a laptop or maybe applying for a grant through family fund - not sure if we are eligible as never used them before but we had a support worker a while ago who suggested it! We haven't needed to apply for anything but a laptop might be of use at home too for homework - he associates desktops too much with gaming 😅

I've just had to fight and appeal twice for the right transport and won which is great but I feel like I have no fight left in me for all this 😩

but really thank you everyone, I appreciate it. Primary was plain sailing up until year 6, the school supported him very well within reason, he always had 1:1, but I feel they lacked on stuff behind the scenes like updating ehcps and referrals etc. So much of this is all new to me!

In order to get exam access arrangements, the school will need to provide evidence that any arrangements are part and parcel of normal class arrangements and provided in previous exams. I would start putting such arrangements in place in Year 7 for any end of unit assessments or those used to sort out settings etc. I’d be looking at lap top or scribe, extra time, reader, quiet room, rest breaks, prompter, count down clock on desk etc.

Do the school have any clubs your son could go to so that he can spend time with like minded children and make friends? The most popular one for ASD boys ( not sure why girls did not choose it) was run by a TA who loved graphic novels - I’m not sure what they did every week other than eat loads of biscuits that I bought from my budget! The library was often a sanctuary for children with sensory overload issues, they went there at break or lunch time to read, chat quietly or go on the computer and many became school librarians in upper school.

Hopefully the school will provide non GCSE courses in Y10 and 11 such as Foundation level English and maths, life skills etc. I used to arrange a reduced timetable for some pupils where they dropped a subject to give them time to work 1to 1 with a TA for basic skills or catch up work. We also took a small group to a local college to study a vocational type course, I taught in an inner city so had access to post 16 colleges. You have plenty of time to look at alternatives to GCSE courses and hopefully the school will have some options.

Your LA are in breach of the AR timescales for both DC. Here is what should happen. Is it SEA’s model letter email the Director of Children’s services pointing this out. If that doesn’t work threaten Judicial Review.

If DS needs SALT and OT what other DC need is irrelevant. You don’t need the school to make the referrals, DS doesn’t need to sit on the normal waiting lists.

If DS needs a laptop at school it should be in the EHCP and provided.

I cant give a full reply now but if there is really no SEN school near enouugh, there are extras around school they could do if no SEN place is available. Sortvof dual registration or support packages. They could pay for 1:1 tuition in English and Maths. Does he get proper speech and language support which is focussed on communication not speach production?
Are there alternative provisions in the area, like farms where he can do practical qualifications like animal care.

Just a few things to think about.

It sounds like your son is happy and coping well so far, so I would suggest focussing on making the current school work. For a start he needs a laptop for all lessons so that his handwriting struggles don't hold him back. Don't worry about GCSEs at this stage. His social development is just as important so if he can make friends and be happy where he is that's an important part of preparing him for adult life even if he isn't super academic.

I think he needs to start working on a laptop as well - yes writing is important but learning is more important, especially nowadays - I don't think I know anyone who absolutely MUST write instead of type their work.

I don't know enough about the rest of it, but the many suggestions on this thread sound like good starting points.

Yes, any adjustments that you think may be necessary for exams, need to be seriously considered now, so that he’s used to them and they are his normal method of working. A laptop is a good idea and rest breaks aren’t uncommon.