To expect a school to welcome visits from prospective parents esp when their child has additional needs

[TheoriginalLEM]

So i called the school that we were thinking of for DD. She is in year 5 and is severely dyslexic. I also think she needs general support as she lacks confidence and is very young for her age. She has an official diagnosis of dyslexia but no statement.

The Senco (or Aenco) was extremely dismissive when I asled what strategies the school have to support children with dyslexia. She proudly told me that they have different colour backgrounds for the smart board and different colours and that she can take a lap top if we provide it. My daughter doesn't have Irlen's syndrom, you can have the paper blue and pink spots, it wont help. When pushed on what individual support she would receive the woman was vague and said she wouldn't receive any LSA support as this is not their policy. I asked if we could visit, but was given a telephone interview where the woman told me the above.

Am i expecting too much? My DD isn't stupid but she struggles in class due to her dyslexia and it does affect her self esteem. She gets a reasonable amount of support in year 5 but we have to supplement this with private tuition but its breaking us financially at £40 a week for an hours tuition - i'd look elsewhere but my dd has gone from being a non-reader to a free reader this term and it isn't to do with the school!

To me, if a school can't accomodate visits from parent with specific needs, it tells me that they are not going to be able to provide my DD withthe support she needs.

Here's the problem though - as well as being dyslexic my DD is quite "ocd" about things (apologies to those with OCD as she doesn't have this but she can be very worried about change etc) and has been to a taster day at the school, loved it and is convinced she wants to go there and wont even entertain the idea of an alternative. Other schools in the area don't offer taster days but the two i have called are open to visits. One is a difficult commute and the other we might not get into as its CofE and we are caltholics, albeit non practising.

I feel really worried that once DD goes to secondary school she is going to be in at the deepend, A - in class with children who don't acheive as they don't want to learn and have behavioural issues and B - just left to flounder and become the child who disengages with education because she can't access it.

Would you expect to be able to visit a prospective secondary school in year 5 or AIBU?

And this is not meant disparagingly but if we agreed to see every prospective parent who's child had diagnosed and undiagnosed but 'real' needs we would never get any work done....

All the schools I applied to welcomed parents in year round and didn't ask about current school year. This was in addition to open evenings.
BUT I looked around a lot earlier than this.

The SENCO at the most popular school in a neighbouring town put me off because ?he was so rigid about how the school would deal with dyslexia. We wouldn't have got in, but I also would have been reluctant to apply. DCs present school has a brilliant SENCO, and was part of the reason for choosing it.

I work in a special needs school.
I give personal tours. I talk vaguely about strategies, including coloured backgrounds which are useful for more than just people with Irlens. I have an autistic student who works better with colours. I have a dyslexic student with colours.

But I digress. At the moment I am unable to have visits. I am chasing previous places for students files. Chasing lea's for paperwork. Chasing speech and language for current students and new intake. Chasing other medical professionals. Dealing with parents. Transissions, one every day this week and more before we break.

Then there's obviously work with the students for class based. Going through social scripts and ensuring home are happy with these.

End of year reports. Ehcp reviews.

trying to keep the network working (staff in schools multi task..)

Sports days. Summer fetes etc..and yes I do invite.. But I and other schools are expected to just drop everything because a parent doesn't want to wait until September when we say come. We have to drop everything because we can sometimes find a brief time but it's not good enough..

Sorry it's not aimed at you and it's a huge rant.

It's just sometimes parents think we are there doing nothing and being
Awkward because we are unable to drop everything.

I know it's frustrating. They aren't saying don't come. They are saying not in the few of the craziest weeks of the years, where things have been made even more complicated because of high temps and stuff having to be rearranged at the last minute.

Well said....

You are absolutely right to feel concerned. At the school I work in prospective parents visit frequently. Sometimes more than once. Of course you need to do that to feel sure of the way in which she'll be supported.

Oh ok, sorry, didn't rtft! Yes, I can see how this time of year might be tricky so that's a bit different from saying you can't visit. However, I understand why you feel it's important to see it sooner so you can make your decision.