What is really going on in our schools? Well, Laura....

[noblegiraffe]

Laura Kuenssberg appears to have just discovered that schools exist. New to the concept she has written an essay discussing what might be going on in them, from the perspective of someone who doesn't know what they are talking about. Basic errors include "standards haven't crashed because GCSE and A-level results in 2022 were up on 2019".

She mentions the lack of funding, but doesn't mention the lack of teachers. She mentions increased pupil absence but doesn't mention the implosion of support services for children like CAMHS, or the huge waiting lists for SEN diagnosis and the cutting of TAs in schools due to lack of money. She suggests covid might have had an impact, but not that the government have done basically nothing to address this and that their covid catch-up adviser resigned in disgust.

She says a minister says that 'teachers have had a bashing since covid'. Since covid! She doesn't mention this is led by the government and has been going on for years.

So, what's really going on in our schools? Anyone want to help Laura out?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-65360168

@FloatingBean Just wanted to come back on as I think you might find this interesting. We had our annual review and are in the process of changing schools. Or hoping to anyway. Our LA have said they'll be changing my DDs primary need to SEMH from SpLD. She hasn't got any mental health problems, her current mainstream school just can't meet her needs anymore and it's effecting her mental health. That's not her main need.
I got in touch with our SENDIASS to ask about this and they said quite a few parents have come to them as the main need for their kids has been changed from SEMH to SpLD in their most recent reviews. Apparently the LA are saying that ADHD is SpLD not SEMH hence the decision. I'm really wondering now what they're doing with these statistics.

@Dodgeitornot I would push back on changing DD’s primary need. As you say, the MH difficulties she is experiencing now are as a result of unmet SpLD needs. This is especially important if you are looking at a specialist SpLD school or may do in the future as many won’t take SEMH pupils. I have known LAs try to change primary need in order to try to avoid naming a school in an EHCP.

@FloatingBean Anyway you could help me with wording for this? I am writing an email now about this. We are trying to name a specialist independent SpLD school and I really can't have this on her documents as they can retract her offer. I think they're doing exactly what you've just described. We have our panel next week and they called me with this info yesterday.

I would ask their rationale for the change and who made the decision.

Do you have any reports that state DD’s primary/main/most significant needs? Do any of the reports indicate the unmet needs are having a negative effect on DD’s well-being/MH? If so, point out that out and remind them the EHCP should be informed by these professional reports, not amended on a whim.

In similar situations I have had success in pointing out the MH difficulties the pupil is experiencing now are as a result of (or depending on circumstances exacerbated by) unmet SpLD (or in other situations where I have seen this tactic commonly used, ASD) needs and if those unmet needs were better met their MH would improve.

If you feel particularly petty you could pick an expensive independent SEMH SS, preferably s.41, and drop it in to conversation. Independent SEMH SS are mostly far more expensive than SpLD specialists.

@FloatingBean That's brilliant. Thanks so much. We have an EP, OT, and SALT report done 2 weeks ago. EP mention that unmet need is causing DD stress and that she'd be edit from a specialist SpLD setting where she is not seen as different. Her previous EP report from 2018 also say DD is at risk of low moods if her needs are not met and support is not in place due to her being acutely aware of her differences. Teachers also wrote that when DD is well supported, she is happy and content. We also have lots of evidence that up until Sept, she was completely fine and happy. No mental health problems reported. In Sept lots of TAs left and the structure of support in GCSE years is much less 'cosy', further proving that it's the lack of support that's causing the issues.
So, lots of evidence. I will also add the cost of a SEMH school and the fact that their wording can cause us to lose this space, meaning they'll need to find something far more significant.

Thank you so so much.

Sorry, all those reports also say the most significant need is severe dyslexia which has effected processing, memory and speech.

@Dodgeitornot the reports are your strongest assets here if they explicitly state dyslexia is DD’s most significant need and unmet needs are causing stress. Depending on how much detail the EP goes into about the stress/MH difficulties and how receptive they have been so far I might go back to them to ask if they will expand on that further.

@FloatingBean Ah ok. Thanks so much. Hopefully sending an email asking for clarification will help. They don't have any evidence to suggest SEMH are her biggest need. Not even a psychiatrist letter or anything so if it's on the basis of evidence, not sure what leg they have to stand on. In fact, I'm surprised they can change it without any evidence, it's just us saying she's been struggling and has a private therapist and a couple of teachers mentioning she's stressed since there is no TA in her GCSE classes.

LAs like to think they can do whatever they want, unfortunately.

@FloatingBean Yea, clearly. It's make me think about those statistics and how accurate they really are. Not sure I trust any of them now, of this is how easy it is to change primary need.

The statistics are only as good as the data submitted. It is the same with the personal budget information and FOI requests, there is clearly some manipulation there too. Needs in the EHCP can be challenged, but many parents, for various reasons, sometimes don’t, which is what LAs rely on.

@FloatingBean Tbh I never really paid much attention to the primary need part and I used to volunteer for a well known Sen legal charity, so that's really my ignorance.
I had no idea it was remotely important. I think a lot of parents are just happy to have an EHCP if they get it. Wording etc is often not questioned until the first AR as by then the parents realise the EHCP is useless.

@Dodgeitornot At an individual level the primary need isn’t as important as the rest of the content, especially focusing on B&F. The main reason for ensuring the primary need is accurate is some schools only admit certain primary needs. This is particularly important for wholly independent schools.

At a population level if statistics aren’t accurate it influences the support and schools available at a local and national level.

I think a lot of parents are just happy to have an EHCP if they get it. Wording etc is often not questioned until the first AR as by then the parents realise the EHCP is useless.

I have seen this time after time with vague and woolly wording, especially around 1:1. An inaccurate, vague and woolly EHCP isn’t worth the paper it is written on.

@FloatingBean Agreed. I used to help a lot on appeals around making the plan specific. Almost always it was an appeal for the plan after 1st AR. Very often around 1:1 or quantity of specific therapies.
I think this has just proven to me that the statistics the gov has just aren't accurate or closely reflective of the actual needs out there. Added to the list of things to be annoyed about lol.
Thanks for all your help. It's been massively appreciated.