To hope that HT would believe doctor's assessment?

[georgieporgie1]

DD1 has been diagnosed (through the NHS if that's relevant) as HFA/Aspergers. Her HT has now received the report, and we had a meeting today, where the HT repeatedly said she didn't believe it, and the doctor didn't know what they were talking about. It doesn't exactly matter hugely as she doesn't need a great deal of help at school, but I just hoped the diagnosis would mean there would be no more need for these sort of discussions.

HT is OUT of ORDER. End of.

Does your HT have medical qualifications? I wouldn't've thought so. Is the HT also the SENCo? If not, it is the SENCo you need to speak to to find out how the school will support her - even if she does not need much help now she may well do later on.

She is the senco...

I would put a complaint in writing tbh. My D's has a diagnosis of Asperger's but he copes very well and most people wouldn't realise. Hehas still needed extra support from his school, not huge accommodations but simple things needing to be understood. The school understanding and being supportive has been the reason he has coped so well. I would be concerned by the Head's attitude and suggest that as the SENCO she would benefit from some specific training in this area.

It's 2014 and we're still fighting these attitudes? That's horrendous. Definitely complain in writing, attaching any documentation you have. and be prepared to take it to OFSTED if need be. This head needs serious training at best and major attitude adjustment at worst.

HT is a dick. HTH

I would ask to see her medical qualifications and then rapidly move school. It is quite clear she won't get any support at that school and, unfortunately, whilst she is coping at the moment things might change as she gets older.

I'd tell her it's not your job to convince her of your child's diagnosis. You've shown her the paper work and it's her job to make accommodations or she's violating disability laws.

HT needs a foot up her ass.

I have been there, ds school didn't believe his asd which is dx, to the point where they claimed I had fabricated it and tried to involve social work. No helpful words yet though sorry you are also going through this

I'd actually take this up with the governors. Someone needs more training!

That is absolutely outrageous of the HT to say those things.
Think what you like in private but do your damned professional job and that means taking on board every child's diagnosed needs and requirements.

You could also contact your LEA's Inclusion team and ask to talk to someone about the problems you were having getting her dx accepted.
I did it citing that the school obviously needed help and support as they didn't know how to handle DS.
In reality, it flags up the school to the LEA as one that needed keeping an eye on as not coping, and they start poking around and asking what's going on. Either way, DS got his specific support.

Perhaps the HT is basing her opinion of her knowledge of your child's behaviour at school. Asperger's is pervasive, so if it is not evident in school but apparent at home I would question the validity of the Report. Your child needs to be observed in both settings; was this done?

Goblin, HFA is significantly underdiagnosed in girls. Either way, the HT is behaving unprofessionally and needs to realise that.

Goblin when the HT at the Primary school my DD attended was surprised at the diagnosis, it was because they had already decided on the cause of DD's behaviour - and it wasn't ASD. A HT is not qualified to diagnose ASD, in fact often they can assign the "symptoms" to something else eg. being quiet= shy, saying odd things=class clown, meltdowns=temper tantrums/being very quiet or running off.

OP I would complain in writing, copying the LA and the SEN Governor. I would also contact the LA for advice on what to do next.

None of my daughter's teachers thought she has AS. Like GoblinLittleOwl they were ignorant of how it presents in girls, not realising that girls with AS often mimic their peers and put on an act of 'normal' at school and completely fall apart as soon as they get in the door from the strain of it. Thankfully they were professional enough to try their best to make the adjustment she needed, although I always felt it was a bit lacking in enthusiasm. Then I had to go away unexpectedly when she was 16. Without my support her wheels completely fell of. She couldn't maintain the act at all. Her mentor was ringing me every day, frantic with worry about what to do. They never doubted her dx again.

It amazes me how many teachers, SENCOs and HT who think that teaching qualifications also enable them to make or dispute a medical diagnosis.

I did suggest to one teacher that until she actually gained a medical qualification she should keep her (layman's) opinion to herself.

I know, I'm a teacher with years of experience and I have two children on the spectrum. Still doesn't mean that I'd instantly spot who did and didn't have SN or that I'd dispute a dx given by a medical professional.
Are you on the waiting list for an Ed Psych to observe her in school, or has that been done already?

HT will be in breach of equality act if she ignores the dx surely.

I expect that Goblin is a HT based on his/her post...

we have this problem the HT does not believe there is anything wrong with my son she is the senco at my sons school they all agree he has sensory issues but the behaviour is my fault apparently she based this on nothing at all as she frequently admitted she had never spoke to my son ever and didn't even know him unfortunately the doctor missed that bit and decided his observations did not count strolled out of the meeting with call me if things change and off he went

still at least we got an OT referral out of it whenever that shows up

One of the Governors should have responsibility for SEN provision, probably worth copying them into anything you send to the HT or LEA.

Beetlemilk - Hopefully Goblin is not my dd's ht!!

This from Liverpool Lou is sooo true of my dd...

'girls with AS often mimic their peers and put on an act of 'normal' at school and completely fall apart as soon as they get in the door from the strain of it', or in dd's case even as soon as the school car park!

Goblin - yes, she was observed at school and then assessed in the hospital. It is not obvious at school, although the observer saw a few 'interesting' things that she wanted to investigate more. I'm not surprised they haven't picked it up themselves, but am a bit disappointed that they won't accept a professional's opinion.

Thank you all for your replies - I thought I wasn't going to get many as there was a lull, and I am very grateful. I won't change schools as they actually deal with her really well so far, but they sort of do it naturally, not as a special deal because of the asd. But I was a bit frustrated with the attitude.

I'm glad I'm not the only one to think this reaction wasn't great, and certainly some ideas here of who to contact should any help be needed in the future. The Ed Psych is going to come and see her I think, and also some sort of asd advisory person, so we'll see what they advise the school to do. I suspect the school will do it, within reason, but just wish the attitude was a little more positive.

Thank you all again - glad I wasn't being UR!

I work with children with additional support needs, a few of whom have diagnoses I don't entirely think fit but that's because kids don't fit in boxes, and personally I teach children not labels so the diagnosis they have or do not have makes not one bit of difference.

'I teach children not labels so the diagnosis they have or do not have makes not one bit of difference'

Yeah, I was a bit at that too Beetlemilk.

Tbh I would if you could move schools.

HT is bang out of order.