Learning support assistant being used to cover other classrooms.

[Haddocksfunkychick]

My eldest ds has EHC plan that was finalised last summer with a role being created for a learning support assistant to be with him for 25 hours per week.

This role was filled with a great Lsa that really supports my son. He's moving up to secondary school in September and it's been all go with supporting his learning. He has short term memory loss which was only diagnosed in last year.

What's really bothering me is that when another TA is off sick or has to go to a out of school event, my ds's 'lsa' is being moved to a different classroom to then support the teacher.

If anyone has advice of how I tackle this matter with the school, it would be greatly appreciated.

Please don't get me wrong. I think it's dreadful what's happening in the schools because of the funding.

Don't worry, Ewe, it's a common misconception that statutory support from EhCPs is flexible. In many schools, too!
1:1 off? Cover should be found. Ime that comes from other TAs in the school, the general ones.

Just had minor breakdown as I keep thinking that I am wrong. Wrong as in expecting the school not keep moving his lsa to other classes.

mycats and thegirl Thank you so very much for your advice.

Ds does need consistency it's all over the plan. He's a lovely boy and he's great at sports and maths but he needs so much help with words and remembering them. His short term memory loss is the cause. And I just want all of my boy. I want him to remember and to feel better about himself.

We've fought so hard for all this for him and I feel like I'm letting him down.

You aren't wrong at all, haddock! Not morally, not legally, no way. You're advocating for your child in a polite and very reasonable way. There is nothing to feel guilty about or ashamed of.

The LSA would not be at that school if it wasn't for your son. You and your son take NOTHING from the school, or from the other children, by having her with him. But they take from him when they move her.

If the school won't sort this out, contact SOS SEN for further support.

They are letting him down, not you. Not through malice, or even incompetence, probably. Just ignorance about their responsibilities under the EHCP .
You are armed with that EHCP and the terms of the support as laid out in it.
I know it's hard and I know how upset you must feel, but it's his right to have that lsa supporting him and helping him with his communication and memory needs.

OP as pp have said - that money is given to the school to pay for those hours for the one to one for your son. Not for another floating LSA. Or lunch lady, or cleaner, or nurse, or reception staff member, or whatever else they might feel they need instead on any given day. Think of it like that.

Thank You Luckless I'm so confident in everything else in life. I don't ever let anyone get the better of me but when it comes to my son, than I'm crippled with anxiety.

The Lsa is lovely. She's so bloody brilliant with ds. I will quickly chat to her in the morning and then email the senco. The headteacher will fob me off. I need to take action now and get a grip

Dig your heels in and keep repeating to them that they do not have MsX The General TA, they have MsX The 1:1 TA.
Is she a Level 3 and taking whole classes?

An EHCP is a legally binding document, 25hrs 1-1 support means just that, the school must provide the Support set out in the EHCP, if the school doesn't provide it then you should inform the LA as it is their responsibility to ensure that the Provision in the ehcp is delivered as per the terms of the ehcp.

You could approach the SENCO first and see what she says.

PS, by removing the TA the school are putting your child at a disadvantage, a direct contravention of the equality act.

Does the EHCP say 25 hours of 1 to 1 support? or some other wording?

Lsa is supporting the teacher so not taking the class herself.

I just done a draft email that I'm going to send to the senco in the morning (she's great and is quite scary) so I will see what she says. The authority offered 17 hours for ds and we battled it out to 25. The senco thought we would get 22 hours top.

I just sat down with Dh and looked through plan and every update since. In every plan it stars that he must get 1:1 with his lsa during any or all literacy based work. I've just realised that they partnered ds up with a clever girl in class to do topic work this week. And of course this has happened when the lsa has been moved to another class. Poor girl she shouldn't have to support ds while she does her own work.

25 hours of 1:1 support is stated. He got this as he need the help before moving into year 7.