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Original poster

Little moan about the strikes…

172 replies

Postcovid · 01/02/2023 07:28

DC has likely ASD and ADHD, year 2. His cohort I feel has been really affected by Covid as it is.

His school is 3 form entry. In the whole school only 3 classes are closing due to strikes - his class, one of the reception classes, and then one year 4 class. They’ll be closed on all of the four strike days while the rest of the school carries on.

This isn’t a direct attack at teachers striking, they have their reasons.

But I’ve just had to deal with a meltdown from my DC because we’ve booked him into (expensive) childcare for the day, we have no family nearby to look after him for the day and we can’t take time off work. His little sister is going to reception as normal so makes it very tricky for him.

I wrote to school asking if anything could be done for him on the strike days given he has SEN, and was essentially told “theme the breaks”.

I’m not interested in the “well if you care about your SEN child then you should support the strikes” because I’m dealing with the here and now, today, and a further four days where my SEN DC is going to feel the impact of the strikes. Whilst the vast majority of his school is able to carry on as normal.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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EffYouSeeKaye · 01/02/2023 07:37

If he is SEN does he have an EHCP? If so he should be classed as ‘vulnerable’ and his school need to make provision for him on strike days.

If he doesn’t have an EHCP and you feel he is being really badly affected by these days at home then perhaps that’s a sign that you need to push for him to get assessed? Good luck today.

Whatislove82 · 01/02/2023 07:38

Make not a big moan OP

Very grateful mine are at private school

if they weren’t, I’d be having a BIG moan

MrWhippersnapper · 01/02/2023 07:41

Lack of Sen funding , lack of support staff and budgets being slashed to the bone are part of the reason for striking. This is to benefit your child long term op

Little moan about the strikes…

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

General education Primary education SEN
mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 01/02/2023 07:43

It's so hard to read that you're not interested in what teachers are trying to say about SEN provision. I started at my school in 2010. We had 23 staff in the SEN department, including 6 qualified teachers. The provision was excellent. We now have a department of 12, with only one qualified teacher. Provision is pitiful. My son, who has ASD, attends the school. They do their best with extremely limited resources. I know provision for him would have been better if he had gone there ten years ago.

Students with SEN are being ignored by the government. This impacts all of us. I'm sorry you are going to have a tough day. As a parent of a child with ASD I really do understand. But I'm afraid this is about more than just you. At the moment, children are being horribly let down.

IhearyouClemFandango · 01/02/2023 07:46

That isn't what she said at all, no need to twist words. You can both support the strikes and be dealing with a shit hand at the same time.

Original poster
Postcovid · 01/02/2023 07:48

@EffYouSeeKaye no EHCP yet, he’s in the process of being assessed. He hasn’t had his school observation yet but we’ve had a couple of initial appointments, one with a Paed and one with a SALT.

@mynameisnotmichaelcaine it’s not one day though, it’s today, another day in a couple of weeks and then two days in a row next month. And that’s just the start
of it.

This strike is about pay, though. I’m sure individual teachers have their views and they’re all totally valid as they know the inside of what’s going on. But the NEU is striking about pay.

OP posts:
HitTheRoadJackAndDontYouComeBack · 01/02/2023 07:49

You absolutely should be interested in the “well if you care about your SEN child you should support the strikes". Apply some critical thinking here.

MrWhippersnapper · 01/02/2023 07:51

Postcovid · 01/02/2023 07:48

@EffYouSeeKaye no EHCP yet, he’s in the process of being assessed. He hasn’t had his school observation yet but we’ve had a couple of initial appointments, one with a Paed and one with a SALT.

@mynameisnotmichaelcaine it’s not one day though, it’s today, another day in a couple of weeks and then two days in a row next month. And that’s just the start
of it.

This strike is about pay, though. I’m sure individual teachers have their views and they’re all totally valid as they know the inside of what’s going on. But the NEU is striking about pay.

Because you’re only allowed to strike about pay.

MrWhippersnapper · 01/02/2023 07:51

My post is from the NEU, read it

Redebs · 01/02/2023 07:52

MrWhippersnapper · 01/02/2023 07:41

Lack of Sen funding , lack of support staff and budgets being slashed to the bone are part of the reason for striking. This is to benefit your child long term op

Yes

Inkpotlover · 01/02/2023 07:52

Legally they are only allowed to strike over pay but everyone knows it’s about more than that, including SEN funding.

Talk again to the school about the coming strike days. Explain how awful his meltdown has been and how your DS is today and see if they can accommodate him.

TinkRose · 01/02/2023 07:53

Postcovid · 01/02/2023 07:48

@EffYouSeeKaye no EHCP yet, he’s in the process of being assessed. He hasn’t had his school observation yet but we’ve had a couple of initial appointments, one with a Paed and one with a SALT.

@mynameisnotmichaelcaine it’s not one day though, it’s today, another day in a couple of weeks and then two days in a row next month. And that’s just the start
of it.

This strike is about pay, though. I’m sure individual teachers have their views and they’re all totally valid as they know the inside of what’s going on. But the NEU is striking about pay.

I feel for you in this situation, I really do. But please know that no teacher has made the decision to strike lightly - and it isn’t just for more pay. It because schools need to be given a better budget - yes for pay, but also for resources, for experiences - for your children to have the best education possible.

Theunamedcat · 01/02/2023 07:54

MrWhippersnapper · 01/02/2023 07:41

Lack of Sen funding , lack of support staff and budgets being slashed to the bone are part of the reason for striking. This is to benefit your child long term op

Short term it's shit though plus it takes so long for changes to occur they will have aged out the system so maybe the grandchildren will feel the benefit

quiteathome · 01/02/2023 07:54

It is fine to moan and support the strikes at the same time.

I suspect people felt the same when the nurses has their strike and their treatment was delayed. The both supported the strikes and were pissed off at the same time.

Exasperatednow · 01/02/2023 07:55

The strike isn't just about pay its about school funding in general as well. I stopped being a school governing in July after 12 years. There's a national shortage of teachers. What TAs are paid is just criminal and funding is dire. School estates aren't maintained because there is no money.
I'm just pleased that my youngest only has sixth form left as the state of what's happening in education is terrible.

dylgan · 01/02/2023 07:55

But the NEU is striking about pay.

They are striking for a properly funded pay increase.
Remember the current pay deal is having to be funded out of existing school budgets alongside other cost increases, so schools are facing massive real terms cuts.

SEND funding is a joke in schools at the moment and it is failing everyone.
It's not good enough that this government have forced public services to this point.

MarshaBradyo · 01/02/2023 07:57

Very grateful mine are at private school

Me too

FiveGoMadInDorset · 01/02/2023 07:57

What everyone else has said and although you feel that your cohort has been especially hard done by by Covid, every school cohort has been, just in very different ways

DuchessOfDisco · 01/02/2023 07:58

Postcovid · 01/02/2023 07:48

@EffYouSeeKaye no EHCP yet, he’s in the process of being assessed. He hasn’t had his school observation yet but we’ve had a couple of initial appointments, one with a Paed and one with a SALT.

@mynameisnotmichaelcaine it’s not one day though, it’s today, another day in a couple of weeks and then two days in a row next month. And that’s just the start
of it.

This strike is about pay, though. I’m sure individual teachers have their views and they’re all totally valid as they know the inside of what’s going on. But the NEU is striking about pay.

Yes it’s about pay but it’s asking for the government to FUND the pay rise offered and not have it taken out of existing budgets.
the average teacher is on £38500 according to Google. Been offered 5%, so that’s an extra £1920 a year. For every 5 teachers, that’s one member of support staff for your SEN dc that’s being let go (or not being replaced). How many teachers does your school have? 20? 30? 80? How many essential support staff are they going to loose?
that’s why they are striking. They want your dc to have what they deserve.

EffYouSeeKaye · 01/02/2023 08:00

Fingers crossed he gets his EHCP soon and then you’re sorted for any future strikes, although I know that doesn’t help for the four already planned.

Speak to the SENDCO at school and explain how he has been this morning. They may be able to help you prepare him for the next three so that it goes more smoothly.

I hope you get some support and I hope that these strikes initiate some of the major changes that are desperately needed for our school and their hard working staff. Because that’s for all our benefit.

Original poster
Postcovid · 01/02/2023 08:00

As @Theunamedcat said this isn’t going to benefit my SEN child in any way, even if it is about SEN provision. The strikes haven’t worked, sadly, with nurses. They’ve accepted a 5% rise as far as I know?

Either way, my DC is Year 2, it’s not going to benefit him in his school time, only detriment. Sorry for being selfish but I care most about my own DC, not those to come in 20 years.

Also sorry to be bleak but I don’t think the strikes will work.

OP posts:
dylgan · 01/02/2023 08:03

Postcovid · 01/02/2023 08:00

As @Theunamedcat said this isn’t going to benefit my SEN child in any way, even if it is about SEN provision. The strikes haven’t worked, sadly, with nurses. They’ve accepted a 5% rise as far as I know?

Either way, my DC is Year 2, it’s not going to benefit him in his school time, only detriment. Sorry for being selfish but I care most about my own DC, not those to come in 20 years.

Also sorry to be bleak but I don’t think the strikes will work.

So you think teachers should idly stand by whilst the education system is run into the ground?

kwiskal · 01/02/2023 08:03

Postcovid · 01/02/2023 08:00

As @Theunamedcat said this isn’t going to benefit my SEN child in any way, even if it is about SEN provision. The strikes haven’t worked, sadly, with nurses. They’ve accepted a 5% rise as far as I know?

Either way, my DC is Year 2, it’s not going to benefit him in his school time, only detriment. Sorry for being selfish but I care most about my own DC, not those to come in 20 years.

Also sorry to be bleak but I don’t think the strikes will work.

Wow what a beautifully selfish attitude, I've lost all sympathy I had for you OP. Good job the teachers care about more than just their own children.

Wheretheskyisblue · 01/02/2023 08:04

Fingers crossed he gets his EHCP soon and then you’re sorted for any future strikes, although I know that doesn’t help for the four already planned.

My son is at a special needs school where all have ehcps and severe autism and the school is still closing for the strikes. No alternative provision has been put in place.

SheepMaySafelyGaze · 01/02/2023 08:12

MarshaBradyo · 01/02/2023 07:57

Very grateful mine are at private school

Me too

Oh for pete's sake!

Society benefits from a well funded state education system so the fact that the UK system isn't sufficiently funded will have an impact on you and your children at some point.