Should a primary teacher know the difference between ADHD and ASD?

[Clevelandriot]

We've just had word of the class allocations for next year and I spoke with DD's teacher who seemed to know what he was on about. He's given me a transition form, and said he had some info he could email me which might be useful. I emailed him a brief overview of DD and her diagnoses (SPD/ASD) and he emailed me back with two documents. One was a charity training day for the parents of kids with hyperactivity, and the other was the care pathway locally for ADHD.

DD doesn't have ADHD. Hyperactivity has never been mentioned, but I think he's got them confused. AIBU to think he should know the difference? It's a big school, she's far from the only SN child. This is to transition from YR2 to YR3 btw.

Teachers are over worked and under trained and that is dreadful but that makes no difference to the fact that you should expect a certain level of understanding.
If we keep letting the fact that teachers might be poorly informed or over worked compromise the quality of support our chikdren get then we might as well all give up.

The new SEND code of practice puts the emphasis on classroom teachers to provide appropriate differentiation and support for pupils with SEN however that hasn't been backed up by appropriate training and resources for teachers who are already struggling with their workload. Schools really vary in the knowledge and support they provide.

So it could be a) a mistake or b) he's badly trained.

Maybe I am rather jumpy - last year despite a well documented diagnosis, and all the right noises from DDs form teacher, I got called in regularly, for things like "she keeps chewing her jumper so I took it off her" and "she kept saying the same thing over and over".

Oh yeah, and a reward chart for sitting still.

Cleveland
My son is 19. Every year since he started at school I have spent the first term dealing constantly with the new teaching staff until they get it.
Then we have a term or son of peace and joy. Then we start to collate the info for next years teaching staff and it begins again.

Ditto taxi driver and escort.
Ditto S&L
Ditto coaches for additional activities/sports.

I've put together my own stuff now. It's easier. And jargon free

clevland - SEN provision in some schools is shocking. I left classroom teaching because of this but I honestly believe it is not the fault of classroom teachers who are usually well-intentioned if not necessarily well-informed. However if it were my child I know I would be both wary and concerned.

My friend gives teacher to be an info sheet or two on her ds. How condition affects him in the classroom, things that have worked, triggers, the stimming he does - it's not just him making noise or acting up

I totally understand your concern. In my experience mainstream teachers have little knowledge of asd unless they have previously taught a child with asd. The senco is the one who recieves training as far as im aware. I would enquire to the head about your childs teacher attending some sort of asd course. Does your child have an ehcp? Or a TA to assist? My child has asd and is very high functioning, he couldn't cope in mainstream after year 4, partly because meltdowns and anxiety were treated as bad behaviour and partly because mainstream no longer suited his needs. My child was excluded one day for not giving the head teacher eye contact when being told off for a very literal comment. She later apologised and actually said "I've been on a course and there are actually other children like your son" no shit!! That was 4 years ago!

You say it's a big school, OP, so why not ask if she can go into one of the other classes in her year? You seem reluctant to consider it's a one-off and that things are likely to get better and you don't want to feel this negative towards the teacher for the whole year.

You'd be appalled at the lack of training there is on aspects of SEND. This, despite the fact that all teachers are teachers of all children and that the SENCo is responsible for ensuring that there is provision, but not the delivery of that provision.

I'm sorry you've had what seems like a poor start with this teacher, but I would endorse trying to build bridges before September. I think the teacher may well have been trying to develop a relationship with you, but got it wrong.

I think perhaps he has become confused by the acronyms.