How do I find out why I went to SEN school.

[Youagain2025]

When i was a child 8 or maybe nine. I'm quite sure it was year 3? I jointed a school for children with moderate learning difficulties. I was not told why and I never questioned it. I feel like there's a big chunk that i don't know about myself. I'm not sure if things were done differently on the mid 80s like what would have been done to decide i needed to ho to a special needs school. I guess there were not ehcps back then ? I have read GP would have had records. Why would a GP have records about my schooling ? I read that i can ask for a SARS? But it said something about knowing the dates and what it is im looking for . I'm not even 100% on the dates. And I'm not sure how to word what I'm looking for.

I hope she finds what she is looking for.

This is nonsense, I am sorry. We have had multiple Ed Psych reports for the younger generation of my family, in one case, following a diagnosis of SpLDs including manifestations of Dyslexia and Dyspraxia, in Year 3, 6, 9, 11 and 13. In that case there were also hospital attendance for broken bones in Year 2, 4, and 6. Not one of those reports was shared with medical practitioners, or anyone apart from the parents and schools.

Even when sharing that diagnosis with hospital doctors they showed zero interest. As I said in my post one orthopaedic surgeon, who was absolutely brilliant and was involved in treating a horrible complex displaced break of a tibia more recently, commented that Dyspraxia had only been mentioned once in his training and development. He was questioning how they might have sustained such a serious injury from a fall as it was the sort of injury you would normally sustain skiing or being hit by a bus. I do know one case of a peer with Dyspraxia where medical professionals were involved but that was because it co- presented with epilepsy. It isn’t that the diagnosis shouldn’t be shared with GPs and others, not least because there are implications of a diagnosis for mental as well as physical health, and that they should have a greater level of understanding and support, but it just does not happen.

That is now, let alone in the 80s when even the school refused to accept and act on an Ed Psych diagnosis of Severe Dyslexia in a family member who was not able to read at 11. As I quoted above their response was “ the trouble with you middle class parents is that you can’t accept that your child is stupid”. Ironically I suspect our old fashioned family doctor might have known of that diagnosis because of the mental health implications for the parent but whether he would have put it in either the parents or child’s notes I doubt.

There does seem to be a scary level of ignorance about the challenges faced by those with SpLDs even now. Even getting schools to act on an Ed Psych diagnosis can be a battle with school resources so stretched. The report in Year 13 was prompted by the government changing the rules on extra time in exams from a record of evidence of need plus Ed Psych report to a score in the bottom 10 per cent for Working Memory and Processing, regardless of ability, thus depriving more able pupils of a level playing field who still had scores well below average and faced considerable challenges.

All to complicated for me.

Regardless of anything I have asked for my medical records. I will either find something or i won't .

I think you are probably just not appreciating how common neurodiversity is, upwards of 10% of the population regardless of ability, or social context. I don’t doubt that in cases where there are associated needs or disadvantage involving multiple agencies that a diagnosis would find its way into medical records. However in cases like the OPs with a stable family life and her needs happily met in a state special school it might well not have done.

Exactly. It was just so many people seem to overestimate the involvement of medical professionals in the diagnosis and support of neurodiversity and I wanted to highlight how often that does not happen.

My son has autism. And it is on GP record. The GP mentioned it to me a few months back. I don't know much is on file but its there.

This. My dyspraxia diagnosis is on my medical file at the GP surgery but only because I told them (and he to bring in my diagnosis letter). I was getting fed up of not being believed that dh wasn't hitting me and I really was that clumsy.

Are you parents not around to ask?

No they are not.

Any other family to ask?

Yes! I was closely monitored by Health Visitor because of my frequent trips to A&E but only to see if I was the problem even to the point of a questionnaire on my mental state. But no they really had run headfirst into the doorframe, catapulted themselves out of the pram on to the kerb and let go of the flying fox midair…….

No my family are not easy to talk to . And we are not close . If i ask i get why you asking, what's the point , how can you not know. And simlar comments. Then I feel stupid.

Ah sorry to hear that.

I think I am seeing as I have a child who is neurodiverse and attends a SEN school and also the fact I have worked for a long time in a GP practice and know that almost everything including a diagnosis is sent to the GP to go in their medical records so that the GP can potentially add them to their learning disabilities register. Please don’t tell me that I am not appreciating how common neurodiversity is or tell me I don’t know what goes in medical records! Have you ever worked in a GP practice??

No but I do have extensive experience of diagnosis and support for children with SpLDs in my own family and others. I am really not aware of medical professionals getting involved unless there are co presentations with other needs like disadvantage. I would hope by now that medical professionals would be aware of children whose needs were severe enough for them to be only met in a special school though would not be surprised if that was not the case in the 80s. However I am also well aware that the 2/3 children in every class of 30 in mainstream education who are likely to be neurodiverse will be lucky if they get support within schools let alone from medical professionals. It is getting worse as academies embrace a return to memory and test based teaching and strict rules requiring a level of organisation that many who are neurodiverse find it hard to meet with rising levels of anxiety and mental health problems. I have never known an Ed Psych copy a diagnosis to any medical professional. You really do not seem aware of that level of challenge for the neurodiverse.

As to the people working in GP surgeries, and their level of awareness? After my adult child had 5 hours of surgery to insert 14 pins and two plates into her shattered and displaced tibial break, with two 20 cm incisions and was discharged 2 days later, the person I handed the paperwork to in my GP surgery with the the hospitals instructions to get the necessary immediate district nurse support and emphasising to them I needed that support as I had no experience of meeting that medical need, they were so concerned about their care as to put it on the non urgent pile for action in two weeks time. I had to contact a District Nurse unit who fought to get us the support I needed. If they can’t support that level of need what makes you think it would have even been worth trying to get help with the Dyspraxia that had caused that accident ( and a string of past injuries) in the first place from medical professionals who have never shown any real interest or understanding even when it was bought to their attention. As the other poster highlighted the assumption jumped to by medical professionals when there is a typical presentation is that it must be the parent or partner because how could anyone really be that clumsy?

Big long discussion comments back and forth like this, while very interesting - they aren't helping the op. Respectfully, it's just possible it's overwhelming her with too many long replies that don't relate to her situation specifically. Perhaps a new thread would be useful for this discussion?

OP hope you're doing OK. I'm sorry your family aren't supportive, I understand ❤️

I never said that medical professionals DO get involved, I have very clearly stated on my other posts that regardless of whether or not a medical professional is involved, the person who makes the diagnosis (and a GP cannot make the diagnosis anyway) but the person who DOES make the diagnosis will write up a report and a copy of that report is usually then sent to the school, health visitor, the patient (or parent of the patient) AND the GP for it to then be filed in the medical records so that their GP (along with anyone else who is directly involved with the child and their wellbeing) is aware of the diagnosis!

And I’m not sure what your experience of medical professionals and the example you have given in your 2nd paragraph has to do with the general process of what happens in the rest of the country once a diagnosis has been made? What the fuck has what you have just written in that paragraph got to do with the op’s post or any of my posts on this thread for that matter? Maybe poor management by those who should have done their jobs yes, but nothing to do with the op or my posts. The op just wanted to know how she finds out why she attended a SEN school so people have advised one possible route of asking for medical records so just give it a rest please!

Yeah I have no idea what the long posts are about. They just go over my head 🤷‍♀️

Perhaps it’s not me that needs to give it a rest I am not the one getting defensive and using expletives and not accepting the reality of others experience! I simply wanted to contradict other posters who seemed to be leading Op to think GP records would definitely have answers, whereas the experience of those of us with SpLDs, especially in the 80s, but even now, was that if you even got a diagnosis, it was unlikely that the GP would have ever been informed. As I previously stated I have yet to hear of a Ed Psych sending a report to the GP unless it was already a multi agency issue, or there were other medical issues, and that includes a diagnosis of Dyspraxia which obviously does have implications for physical as well as mental health. Other posters on here with experience of Special Schools in the 80s agree. I quite accept that you saw diagnoses being added to records but obviously you did not see all the diagnoses that didn’t and you should equally accept that the experience of those of us with SpLDs, especially in the 80s, is not one where the issue routinely got recognised and supported by anyone but, if you were lucky, and most of us were not, your parents and the school.

I don't think people are telling me it would definitely be there. They are saying its worth a try.

Some people just find it more difficult to learn for no specific reason. There may be no definite cause. Maybe they thought you would get more help and support there, and would be happier. There was a lot of bullying in mainstream schools in the 80s as children got older, and staff were often less knowledgeable about learning difficulties.
Anyway OP, I hope you find your answers. And hopefully you have had a good life after school. Did you enjoy your time at school?

I was told I had moderate learning difficulties. But I don't even know what that actually means. I have dyslexia. I thought that was just to do with writing and spelling. But apprently it's more than that. I did like my 1st SEN school but not the 2nd.

I didn't think it effected me in life. But I think that's because I didn't know any different. On MN I feel like it sticks out a mile. The long posts on this thread i litterly have no idea what they are really. How educated and clever everyone seems to be on here . And the confidence everyone seems to have with what they post. There are lots of words that I don't even know the meaning of cant even read the word. It just has to be one word I don't know and that throws the whole post of for me. I know I have just mentioned MN but its kind of the same for real life to.

I also find I can't stand up for myself very well I often can't find the words I need. Whilst trying to be careful not to hurt people's feeling or make them feel bad.

Sorry i went on a bit there.

Look you yourself have stated you have experience of family members - you have absolutely no knowledge or idea of what happens on the other side or what gets filed in medical records! Do not tell me what I’ve seen in medical records and what I haven’t! Oh and I can assure you that GPs were informed in the 80s about many things including SEN! Medical records have been around since before the 1980s you know!

Anyway come back and argue with me when you have experience in working in a GP practice and dealing with medical records and then tell me I’m wrong, until then you’re just spouting absolute shit about stuff you know naff all about and bad experiences that YOU have had as a family member of other people!

You are just arguing for arguments sake about a none argument about medical records and what goes in them when you have absolutely no clue! I’m not responding to any more of your drivel because it is nothing to do with the op’s thread and you are going off on tangents about YOUR experiences of something completely unrelated to the op and taking it off topic!
You don’t have a decent argument to put across other than your own bad experiences and what you like to think you know as the relative of someone else rather than what you actually DO know! Get your facts right and get a grip!

I'm sorry about the people that are arguing amongst themselves, it's not very helpful to you.

There is a wide range of learning ability, from people who find it more difficult to people who are very clever and become great scientists. We are not all the same, that is just nature, there isn't always a reason.

Moderate learning difficulties means that you may find it a bit more difficult to learn academic things and remember than some other people. We can't all be doctors! Some people posting on here may have been to university or find it easier to learn.
But if you have had a nice life, manage your home and have friends, hopefully the school will have helped you to make the best of your reading, maths and writing.
I think you should be proud that you have had the confidence to come on here and chat to everyone. It doesn't really matter what school you went to years ago, people were trying to do their best at the time.

It's lovely that you try to find the right words to encourage other people. Some of the other posters here could think about how to do that as well.