I had another thread about my son's SEN and my issues with his secondary school discriminating against him for not recognising that his severe learning diffs affect his ability to do his work and the way he interacts with his peers seeing as he 4 years behind them developmentally and emotionally. I have had to make complaints, apply for an EHCP on my own and it has been an utter nightmare since he started there.
Anyway, I decided enough was enough a few months ago and took the decision to move him to a new school (closer to home), his twin brother is also not happy at (same) school for various reasons (he told me he would run away if I sent him back there a while back as he has experienced bullying) and said he wanted to move too as he has more friends at nearer school so I put in an application for them both to move.
Nearer (which is catchment) ignored my regular phone calls asking to come in and discuss my son's moving there. Kept leaving messages which were not returned, so just thought they were crap at returning calls from parents who kids were not in the school - fine. I went in there personally and spoke to the admission's officer who confirmed there were places available in year group, so I filled in transfer forms there and then and was told that it should be fine for them to start after the summer holidays and someone would contact me for a discussion. I informed them that DTS2 had SEN and was being assessed for an EHCP at that point.
Two weeks passed and I had not heard anything, week before summer holidays. DS's should have had interviews with Head of Year, school records needed to forwarded etc. I sent an email formally asking for a response, no acknowledgement. Kept calling, told I would be called back.
Day before summer hols started, I finally got through to the admissions officer who admitted the applications had not been processed as they were busy with 20 other applications. I admit I firmly stated my case that this was very frustrating as I had been told that the DS's could start at beginning of new term and I had needed to inform their current school what was going on etc. I was told that I would be contacted on the first day back........so I had to send DS's back to old school which they were not happy about and meant that they knew they would be moving soon so didn't help in them settling back.
End of last week, I got through to Head's PA asking what was happening, was told that the school did not have to admit my son's even though they had spaces available. Emailed the Head complaining about delay and stating that I would put in an appeal if not heard by end of this week. No acknowledgement.
This week I find DTS2 will be getting an EHCP so I have put new school down as named school.
New school rang me this afternoon telling that they will admit DTS2 as they are the named school on his EHCP but will not admit DTS1 (top of class, no behaviour problems ever) as they don't have to as he already has a place at a local school and this is the advice of the Education Authority. I say well what is the purpose of the transfer form that I filled in weeks ago then? They reply it is only for kids moving into the area.
I knew this was wrong so rant LEA and they said they would not have told the school they could do that and of course, I can move my child's school!
I don't know what to do now and time is marching on. When I get their refusal, if I do as PA said she would have to speak to the Head when I said I wanted this in writing asap, I can appeal. An appeal could take us up to next half term to be heard and this is impacting DTS1's education.
Did I piss the new school off by chasing them? Isn't that what any parent would do so that you could make sure your DC were sorted in time for the new school year? Did the DS's current school bitch about me making complaints about the blatant discrimination and lack of support they gave DTS2. Head of current school is not impressed that I called them out on this. I am trying to think back through phone conversations with the new school in case I inadvertently called them fucking cunts after being told for the 10th time someone would call me back. I am sure I didn't but I should have done!
Aaarrgggghh!