Are you aware of the amount of SEN/additional needs pupils in class?

[yetiflowerpumpkin]

I’ve put this in chat rather than anywhere else because I just want to highlight the scale of SEN/additional needs in schools. In my experience, and reading on MN, some parents aren’t aware of the issues school staff face in supporting these students.

I am an experienced cover teacher in a medium sized primary school. In the classes I cover there are 25-30 children.

As an example, in two of the classes 75% of the pupils have additional educational needs. Some are diagnosed, others are on the (years long) waiting list. Some have multiple needs (Autism, ADHD, AuDHD, SEMH, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, physical/visual impairment and other medical needs, some life threatening). I don’t think in any class I cover there is less than 40%.

I think some parents think their child is the only child with needs in class and cannot understand why those needs are sometimes not met. In the ideal world all those needs would be met, but there isn’t a possibility in mainstream with lack of support staff, lack of space and lack of funding.

I try and do my best (my own family are neurodivergent) but I know my best isn’t good enough for some parents.

Does it surprise you the amount of additional needs there are in class?

I sought assessment for the same reasons as @BertieBotts. My DD was just about ok in KS1 (really struggling at home though and the most gigantic, repeated meltdowns over homework). A sensible friend, whose autistic DD had managed up to 14 when she developed an eating disorder and situational mutism (her autism was actually diagnosed as a result of the ED inpatient unit which is apparently not uncommon) said "don't be us! Ask for assessments now!"

Also it can be really challenging to get teens through assessments because of course they hate feeling different. So I'm glad I did those two years of stress and pushing in KS2 and then spent another two years getting an EHCP out of a most unhelpful council (the year in-between to my shame, I was wondering if we could afford a small private secondary and to avoid disclosing her difficulties).

I don't know why people think SEND is some golden ticket. It's actually stigmatising, stressful, undersupported and regularly breaks up marriages and pushes women out of the labour market.

I mean yes DD is "quirky" but when disregulated she's sometimes violent (only ever at home) and has said and done extreme things.

The fee paying school (one of the most prestigious in the region) with which my state primary is affiliated (outreach capacity) has a high percentage of pupils with registered SEN in KS2 -a higher number than my own cohort this year. Very bright, lovely children from privileged backgrounds.
You can't always tell who has SEND.

This is true. The independent, expensive, somewhat selective school I taught in had up to 1/3 SEND including some medical needs that would be hard to support in state (inoperable tumour, cancer and ED recovery, poorly controlled diabetes). We had our own nurse.