SN club without SN

[HOL2024]

Our DS6 went back to school and has been invited to join a SN lunch club.

No communication from the school on this, just heard it off him that he’s going to club tomorrow. He does not have any SN and is not under SENCO.

Am I being unreasonable by being extremely pissed off and wanting a meeting with the headteacher tomorrow?

Wow, is him being invited to this club the first you’ve heard of that?

That’s absolutely not the way to find out.

Ah. Now that is poor of them, the first point of contact should have been the class teacher or possibly the SENCO talking to you about whatever their concern is. Not just inviting your son to a club, even if it is an appropriate and helpful club.

If they haven't offered it already I would ask for a meeting with the class teacher and the SENCO to discuss what their concerns are.

Yes this is the first we’ve heard of it and have never spoken to the SENCO before.

We’ve arranged a meeting to discuss.

They've only been in class for a few days. It's only sensible to do dome monitoring before discussing it with parents as otherwise you could be completely wrong and worry parents needlessly. They were probably intending to arrange a meeting in a couple of weeks when they knew your son better.

He's 6, he's not a new reception child, he was presumably at the school for all of last year so the school surely will know him.

But special needs aren't instantly seen on day one of reception. They often come to light as relationships become more complex, as school work becomes harder and as time goes on. Plus different school adults/new teachers etc will see different things to previous ones depending on their experience, understanding of SEND, observation skills, things in the curriculum etc.

Yes, that what's I'm saying, that they have known him for at least a year, and that must surely have informed their thoughts on this. Rather than just the first week or two of this academic year.

Not necessarily. It might just be that a new teacher has spotted something that others haven't. I used to teach and spotted a child was struggling to hear me. Previous staff and her parents hadn't spotted anything. This was early in the school year too. Turns out the child did have hearing loss and needed hearing aids.

It sounds like a social communication club. Most schools run them over lunch time. It's good your meeting with the senco. Do you have a class email? I would ask for senco email when you see them so you have a direct contact

Now that you’ve been told your child may have additional needs are you still so adamant that the “normal kids” shouldn’t be expected to have to socialise with him?

Or can you now see that being neurodiverse or having a minor learning difficulty is no less stigmatising than having brown hair?

Fizzypineapple
No I don’t. No SEN. Chaotic home, no boundaries resulting in very poor behaviour, violence towards other children and shocking language (in year 1). Kids who are just difficult because of home life do exist. My brother was one.

Where in Hants, OP?

I'd be annoyed school may suspect additional needs but haven't raised them
with you.

Glad you are getting it sorted.

They do, but they also deserve friendship, and it’s still harsh to say our kids can’t play with/be around them.

Those kids probably need companionship and nurture more than the majority of others, and it’s really really sad to not offer them it.