Genuinely, is it unreasonable to move my child to a school that is already over their numbers?

[Toomuchginger]

She has an EHCP, so we can nominate any school and the one that has the best reputation for SN is already way over the number of kids they should have, and also includes an unusually large number of kids who already have SN.

My daughter's EHCP covers things which dont bring any funding in, and she wouldnt get exceptional funding either. Yet the alternative is to keep her where she is doing really badly.

The head has been welcoming but also candid about the pressures his staff are under and wants to "manage expectation." And my friend made a throw away comment about the other parents not being happy about yet another child coming in to an already over full year. AIBU to move her anyway?

I don't think you ABU. Do what you feel is best for your daughter.

Depends what your other options are really.

I think you should also look at other possibilities before making a final decision.

If they head has already been "candid", then it may be that he is preparing you for the idea that they may not be able to accept another child with additional needs/EHCP.

I don't think you would be unreasonable to do it if you genuinely think it's the best option for her.

However, I would look carefully at other options - often school reputations are quite out of date. You might well find that there is another school that would deal better with the SN issues which isn't over subscribed. I'm sure this school would do their best but it does sound like they're under a lot of pressure.

You have no reason to think she will do any better there. If they are Over subscribed they won't have the resources, either monetary or hunan to properly meet her needs. Also, when you name them they may appeal on the grounds of damaging the education of others. Which they can do. I am a senco

Littlefish the head has no choice, kids with an ehcp can be admitted as an 'exception' over numbers. It just means those on the waiting list have to wait a little longer for more places to drop back before an offer becomes available. Thems the breaks, I say do what's best for your daughter!

ZigZag - that's not my understanding. Schools are sent a copy of the EHCP and asked whether they are willing/able to meet the needs of the child. If a school feels it already has other children in the class/school with a high level of need, and they cannot meet the next child's needs, then they do not have to accept the additional child. You are right, however, that children with an EHCP CAN be admitted as an exception over numbers.

Flipping heck it is such a dilemma. This school is the one that everyone involved in SN in the area says is amazing. It was failing but was one of the first wave of academies and had cash pumped in plus a very dynamic head. And currently my child is utterly miserable so anything would be an improvement on that.

The head said he would take her btw, without question, but kept reiterating how overstretched they already were.

YANBU to do what is best for your DD....I would consider how your DD is going to cope with the bigger Class size .

Yes thats the other thing - she would effectively be going into a much bigger class in a much bigger school with less adult:child ratio, and that was sort of what the head was getting at.

Dont know what to do.

I can't imagine that it would be a good thing for either your daughter or the other children tbh. More children quite likely means less attention and, if your child has additional needs, she will not necessarily get what she needs at this school. Its reputation for working with children with AN may date from a time before it was overcrowded. It could be going downhill now.

However, if you're convinced it would still be a good move then I don't think YABU to do what's best for your own child.

I would probably look at every possible school first and then make a decision but if I felt the school with a good reputation is the one you want then you should move your child there. Dd attended a similar school with the same sort of reputation and dynamic HT, she had a statement but the ethos of the school meant that even without a statement there were many provisions in place for children with additional needs and I believe dd would have managed in that school even without her statement.

Is there a 3rd option? A new school but not this one?

and FWIW I moved dd from a class of 16 with two TA's (including dd's assigned TA) to a class of 28 at the better school. Small classes aren't the be all and end all IME knowledge, experience and a willingness to go the extra mile for all their children is what counts. There might have been a better ratio of adults to children in her first school but if the support is the wrong sort of support because of inexperience or lack of knowledge then the adults attention may as well be elsewhere.

The thing is, the more overstretched the school / class becomes, the less well they will do with additional needs as there just wont be adequate time or resources. Keep adding higher needs children to the school because it is known to be good with higher needs children will reverse that Fact

If the head is trying to put you off he doesn't want to take your daughter as a pupil, even if ultimately they will accept her.

He's telling you they're stretched already. There won't be appropriate staffing or funding for your child, and the more stretched the staff and resources become, the less brilliant the sn provision will be.

I'd look really seriously at other options.

If the EHCP is quantified and specified then the school will have no choice but to meet the terms because it's a legal document. It's not so easy if the EHCP is wishy washy though but in dd's case (because her statement is tight in so far as it states what will happen, for how long, when,how often and who by) regardless of the needs of the other children or the school's funds her support and programmes are carried out as a priority. Obviously that means that the needs of children without an EHCP/statement get pushed down the scale which of course is unfortunate for them, but not my concern tbh. School have the option of using funds from elsewhere or going cap in hand to the LA but they don't get the option to fail to meet dd's statement.