To be annoyed with the school (again!)

[extremepie]

Ds1&2 (ds2 has ASD) attend after school club 2 days a week while I attend college. My third day at college is a half day so technically I don't need to use after school club but I asked the school if they would be happy to take the dc's on the third day as well to give me more time to use the library/facilities at the college & get my work done. They agreed, and even managed to find another person who would do the third day as ds2's usual 1:1 couldn't (or didn't want to) do the third day.

Went to pick them up last week and they have now told me they have had a 'management meeting' and they are refusing to take them on the third day. They have also refused to take them on one additional day next week which I requested as a one off (and will pay for as extra ) as I am booked in to do a one day course which will enable me to drive a bike and dramatically reduce my travelling time between college & home.

They didn't actually give a reason why, just that it was a 'management decision'.

They have also said that they will not take the dc's for any more days after school until they have a payment for the after school club - I have applied for and been awarded assistance with childcare from the college. When I did so I had to fill out a form stating the days/hours I needed care paid for so, since the school initially agreed, I filled the form out for 3 days. So essentially when the month comes through they will be being paid for 3 days but have said they will only take them for 2. The payments are paid from the college directly to the school so I have nothing to do with the money now!

Aibu to think:

The school should stick to it's agreed times re 3 days not 2, especially since they will receive additional payment off doing so!

They are being pretty unfair refusing to do the additional day considering that the whole point of me doing this course is so I can get back from college and pick dc's up earlier, thus cutting down the amount of time they spend in after school club?

They are being really U to demand payment from me when they know I have been awarded payments from the college & that said payments get paid every 4 weeks in arrears?

Getting so fed up with them, feels like they are being deliberately difficult - I suspect a large part of it is they don't want to deal with ds2 as he is more work (have had major issues with this in the past with them!)

Sorry so long :/

Has the ASC had any communication direct from the college re. funding or have you shown them the letter ?

I don't know if they have had any communication from the college directly but I have shown them the letter I have :)

OK, so you need to write down exactly what they agreed to, attaching the letter from the college and ccing the college and whichever authority is one step higher than the school.

Then ask them to respond, in writing as to why this is no longer possible.

Verbal agreements are not worth the paper they are printed on.

Email will do, but write it down.

It sounds like the TA only wants to work until 5, which is fair enough. Many TAs do the job they do because they want to work part time to fit in with their own families.

The school is being very reasonable about the funding, it's normal that they would expect to be paid. Maybe there was a misunderstanding and they thought they would be paid by you right up until they were paid by the college.

As for the extra day, if they can't or won't do it, then that's just the way it is. It could be for many valid reasons.

I'm on the other side of this - I organise funding for childcare from my employer to parents who fulfil some criteria. We only pay in arrears and based on invoices that reflect actual sessions (as opposed to planned sessions, to avoid problems like the one you describe).

We've never had a problems with childcare suppliers, they are happy with being paid in arrears - they know they will get paid quickly and without fail.

Get on the phone again - good luck.

I think you need to ask them what they need in order to provide the care you have booked, be it payment now, guarantee of funding from the college or something else. I would doubt that the school is legally obliged to provide ASC in the same way as they are an education but as they seemingly had agreed, with the financial and staffing implications , you may be able to argue for it. I would suspect the previous timekeeping and perhaps payment issues may be the stumbling block atm.

So they haven't been paid at all bar the odd session yet they are the bad guys? Can see why they don't want to be accomodating anymore. Would you work for free for that many hours, I doubt it.

Whilst they may have lots of staff, presumably they have a life outside school and don't want to stay extra just for you. Perhaps the staff they can get can only stay until 5. It's the same charge at our club whether the child stays for half an hour or two hours etc.

Was the course not available through home study? That would have made more sense.

You need them on your side as presumably when you start work you will need childcare. If it's truly a week before the payment goes through then make other arrangmements for the week and see if they will accept the month in arrears once payments are actually in place not just a verbal promise.

Whilst it's hard juggling children and childcare at times, they are a school that caters for many children and can't change everything just for one child.

They have guaranteed funding from the college though. It is paid in arrears so that services, which may or may not be used, are not paid for.

This is the way the funding works for people meeting particular criteria. For a public body to work in a way, which does not allow people which meet these criteria and have the appropriate funding awarded to them for this purpose, to use their services, is a form of discrimination.

Schools are awarded Pupil Premium which can (appropriately) be used to cover any initial shortfall, before payment is received. (As previous poster suggested)

Regarding staff not wanting to work, this is the same as any situation where extra staff are needed.

This is an important issue, regarding inclusion. It is exactly this kind of behaviour from schools, which results in it being very difficult for parents of children with SNs, to keep hold of most types of paid employment.

I've paid the first 2 months myself Daisy, how is that 'the odd session?'

The staff don't stay extra just for me, the after school club is open till 6 and often we are not the last ones to leave. Just saying.

No, it wasn't available through home study but even if it was I probably would have still preferred to go to the campus as it's the only form of social interaction I get which is very important for my MH. I hate being chained to the house 24/7.

Do you think it's ok that they can essentially threaten to withdraw the offer of ASC when every other parent can use it whenever they like?

I imagine when I start work things will get harder but I have to try :(

Hm, if 3 days were arranged, with the school and college, I'd tell the school that those are the days you need childcare, full stop. You could ask them if your son is being discriminated against because he has SN. This picking up at 5 business when they are being paid until 6 is well dodgy.

Sounds like you can't actually afford to go to college. Many of us can't

So why not just pay for the few days you have used in November then if you have paid the rest. Surely it's a non issue if you have been paying up to date and not in arrears. Something doesn't add up.

The usual staff may be there until six but the extra person they are drafting in for the 1:1 cover may simply need to leave at 5 to collect their own children etc. Its not in school time but an extra they offer to parents for payment so they can set the rules. It sounds like they have already had to go to a lot of trouble to accomadate you yet it's still not good enough. Find a childminder if you don't like the hours they can give.

Daisy it is not good enough regarding inclusion. Children with SNs should have the opportunity to 'participate fully' in school life, which includes after school activities.

Pupil Premium can be used to help fund this, although in the OP's case there is guaranteed, albeit in arrears, funding. Regarding staffing this is the same as any staff shortage / recruiting issue. The OP's funding caters for the extra member of staff, financially (albeit in arrears).

I can't Daisy, there aren't any, hence why I use the school in the first place.

I don't have any friends or family to use, and even if I did the college will only pay OFSTED registered childcare.

Dc's father lives hundreds of miles away so he can't help either.

If that was the case about the 1:1, why didn't they mention that at any point? Even now they have never said 'it has to be 5 because X has to leave at that time'. They haven't done that. It's just a 'management decision'.

26 - I can afford it, the course is paid for via a loan, the childcare and my transport are covered it just hasn't been paid yet. If I left now I would have to pay back everything I've been awarded even though I haven't finished the course.

The alternative is staying at home doing nothing and never improving my situation!

After school childcare for parents is not an after school activity. Pupil premium is designed to bridge the attainment gap between those on FSM and those not. After school club childcare wouldn't do that. Ofsted monitor very closely what it's spent on and want to see the attainment outcomes. It was never intended to be used for childcare.

As for the reason the school have said no more attendance until the arrears are paid, it depends on how much is owed. The OP now says she has paid for a September and October herself so is it just the few days of November they want paying for? The initial post makes it sound like they have only had payment for the extra sessions and not the regular ones. They shouldn't have to run on a credit basis just because it suits the OP. Imagine if every parent did that, there would be no facility.

I can't remember the exact date I got the letter but if you assume it's 3 weeks then it's about £390 outstanding (£130 x 3).

I don't have that amount of money to pay off in one go.

They haven't given me an invoice or anything for it so it's not exact but that's roughly how much.

Daisy Our school uses Pupil Premium to fund after school and breakfast clubs.

The guaranteed funding from the College means OP is not the same as any parent promising to pay, as the College are accountable to honour it. This is the way certain funding /government grants work. A school should not be discriminating against people in receipt of this type of funding.

Don't know if anyone else has asked this, but why do you need to do a course to ride a bike?

I've never heard of a school be as interested in the career/education/transport of the parents as you think they should be about you.
Nobody on here has the answers. Speak to the school and ask them to clarify.

They don't need to care about OP's career, education, transport. However, as a public body, a school should care about not discriminating against disabled people. They also should be prepared to make reasonable adjustments in order to do this.

The OP has secured funding, from another public body. The school should be prepared to make the reasonable adjustment, with regards to that funding being in arrears and accept OP's child, for the full amount of time the funding covers.

Cross post Polter.

I wondered that too: why do you need a course before you can ride a bike?

Is it because you will have a carrier attached to the back of it in which to transport the DC or is it a scooter/vespa type of bike with some sort of sidecar in which to transport the DC.

When they told you that it was a,' management decision' did you ask for clarification? What do you think the reason is?

I have the impression from previous posts that the school displease you quite a lot. That may be the wrong impression but if it isn't and you have allowed that to show for much of the time, it is only human, if not professional, for them to not put themselves out to help.

I hope it all pans out ok for you in the end.

Hold on....

I am single parent carer, at uni, child with full time statement and ASD.

The only time I have paid in advance for childcare is when I CHOOSE to and it totally confused them as the system is set up to invoice sessions used once a month and pay the invoice. That has been been the same for EVERY after school club I have used (about 5 over the years).

I don't pay double because my son needs additional support and never have.

If a place is open until 6 then I have until 6.

It doesn't sound like the school want him.

Sorry, no advice OP, fortunately in among all the initial rubbish there has been good advice. Just wanted to say that I hope you manage to find a solution and quickly.

And grrr, to people who don't bother to read the OP before jumping in to pick a fight.