Email from school that I probably wasn't supposed to see - f**king livid!

[FidgetyFingers]

I requested a copy of DS2's (secondary) school record when he left there a few months ago. He has quite severe SN, NHS paediatrician diagnosed with his assessments taking place at this school.

Enclosed in the paperwork was an email from his form tutor, his form tutor for 4 years, to the inclusion manager, stating that I had been on the phone to her as I was very unhappy about detentions 'again' for minor transgressions in the scheme of things and 'that I expected special treatment for my son due to his 'SN'.

DS has severe learning difficulties with several other co morbid difficulties and never should have been in mainstream school anyway but there was no choice as I couldn't get him an EHCP.

I am so fucking angry as this proves they never took his SN seriously at all which they proved in the way they treated him!

I also found a copy of an email from said inclusion manager to all his teachers outlining DS's behaviour plan and stating that if he failed to get enough points, he would be excluded.

Same woman sat across from me in a meeting with the Board of Governors insisting that I must have been mistaken when I said that she'd told me this on the phone.

I am absolutely disgusted that such people exist and are in authority of vulnerable children .

AIBU?

guienne

I am quite glad pengggwn has demonstrated the way some teachers respond when faced by a parent who expects them to fulfil their statutory responsibilities - i.e. with personal attacks based on nothing except a dislike of being held to account.

It highlights exactly what I, and other parents, have posted about

I can't actually tell what @Pengggwn is meant to have done wrong here? Questions were asked, factual answers were given and she's being attacked for it. If I have SEN concerns about a child I teach, I fill in paperwork and pass to senco. They are the ones that organise any assessments, keep a holistic view of the child and involve any outside agencies. They then put advice together on how best to support the child which is then shared back to the teacher and we do our best to incorporate it, bearing in mind some classes every single child might need additional support and there's no extra adult in the room!

Allington

It doesn't. You are utterly wrong. My statutory obligations do not include making recommendations and referrals to specific charities on the basis that you believe they would be helpful. Working against my SENCO and Head would be very silly, as they are vastly more knowledgeable than I am in this field. I can't emphasise how utterly ridiculous I find your argument. It doesn't matter anyway, because you would get nowhere trying to 'hold me to account' for refusing to refer a parent to a charity about which I know sod all. At all. So I am perfectly comfortable calling you unreasonable.

And I say that as a parent of a child with additional needs

greathat
That's not the right way to do it though as penggywyn and myself have found out.

You are getting mixed up - I didn't say anything about referrals to charities.

Allington

Excuse me. You are quite right. I think the same about your fundraising and your request for an adjustment, however. You seem quite simply unwilling to consider that any other perspective than yours might be "reasonable", given the particular context of the school. Different example, but the point is exactly the same. I don't desire not to help any student, but sometimes there are perfectly valid reasons why I can't, and you seem to want to hop over these. It is dismissive and rude. And yes, entitled.

As I said earlier, the school gave no reason for turning down the request.

So you have no way of knowing whether:
a) the request couldn't be accommodated for a valid reason, or
b) it could have been accommodated quite easily but the school doesn't want children with SN

So you assume the school MUST be reasonable, and therefore I am unreasonable, dismissive, rude, entitled, I must have a 'reputation' etc.

Of course, I may be all that
But the fact is you have thrown all those accusations at me without any reason to believe either side of the story.

Which, as I have said, illustrates some teachers' approach to parents of children with SN.

Not to mentione the fact that what I requested is standard practice in many schools i.e. support for DD with a transition.

Nor did they make any alternative suggestions for handling the transition - to make life easier for the teacher as well as DD.

Which does suggest they simply don't want to bother.

Allington

No, that isn't the case. It is your general attitude of "it should be possible" and "other people have told me X" and "standard practice" that I am finding fault with. As well you know. And I am not assuming that you have a reputation. I am wondering. The reason I am wondering is that it is decidedly strange that on two issues you are so insistent about, you have received outright refusals without explanation. Two possibilities there. Either the HT is a terrible communicator/horrid person who just wants to make your life harder, or for some reason communication with you isn't getting them anywhere. I know which one I am betting on.

Well, I don't expect to find agreement with you - I have read other threads with your dismissive attitude to parents.

I am happy to let this thread stand and illustrate what I am saying.

Allington

Except that it doesn't.

😂

@pengggwn keep fighting the good fight!

I have to say I find pengs approach, a much better approach than a teacher who has done a few half days SEN training and think they know it all.

I would much rather a teacher tell me, hands up, I don’t much about SN, diagnosis, EHCP process or Education Law. Speak to the SENCO.

Pengggwn and teachers of her ilk are awful to deal with - I've come across a few. I agree with Allington.

We do not apply for the EHCP but only contribute to it. We refer on for advice. I am sorry if you think this is not good enough

Jimmy, did you not notice the part of my post that said "I don't suggest the class teacher's job is to apply for an EHCP"?

lizzie1970a

So the teachers that know that SEND exists, tries their hardest to follow EHCPs or any advice/strategies that they given, cares about the child and the whole class and does everything that they can do, but won't give advice because they are unsure of the details are terrible to deal with.

Just goes to show that you can't please some folk.

Pengggwn, my most recent suggestion was that, if parents of children with SN in your class are complaining that you are not meeting their child's needs, you refer them for help through IASS for helping in getting the funding via an EHCP which would allow you to do so. That isn't some miscellaneous charity, it is the body set up by the government for that purpose and the Code of Practice specifically refers to them as the organisation to which parents should be referred for support. Teachers are expected to be familiar with the Code of Practice.

Guienne

It doesn't state anywhere in the SEN code of practice that I have that teachers should be referring parents to anybody.

BoneyBackJefferson
No I couldn't find it in the Code of Practice either.
I'm sure Guienne will be along to post a chunk of it soon though.

You couldn't find it?!?!

2 Impartial information, advice and support What this chapter covers

This chapter is about the information, advice and support which local authorities must provide for children, young people and parents, covering special educational needs (SEN), disability, health and social care.

Relevant legislation Primary

Sections 19(c), 26(3), 32 and 49 of the Children and Families Act 2014

Regulations

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014
The Special Educational Needs (Personal Budgets) Regulations 2014

Introduction

2.1 Local authorities must arrange for children with SEN or disabilities for whom they are responsible, and their parents, and young people with SEN or disabilities for whom they are responsible, to be provided with information and advice about matters relating to their SEN or disabilities, including matters relating to health and social care. This must include information, advice and support on the take-up and management of Personal Budgets. In addition, in carrying out their duties under Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014, local authorities must have regard to the importance of providing children and their parents and young people with the information and support necessary to participate in decisions.

2.2 Local authorities must take steps to make these services known to children, their parents and young people in their area; head teachers, proprietors and principals of schools and post-16 institutions in their area, and others where appropriate.

2.3 They must ensure that their Local Offer includes details of how information, advice and support related to SEN and disabilities can be accessed and how it is resourced (Chapter 4, The Local Offer).

2.4 Information, advice and support should be provided through a dedicated and easily identifiable service. Local authorities have established Information, Advice and Support Services (formerly known as Parent Partnership services) to provide information, advice and support to parents in relation to SEN. In addition, many local authorities provide or commission information, advice and support services for young people. Local authorities should build on these existing services to provide the information, advice and support detailed in this chapter.

Boney - you picked up on one issue that I didn't even think about and wasn't referring to specifically. I was thinking more about her attitude in general to a simple request for a little girl to get to know her next teacher a bit better. I've worked in classrooms and everyone I have it wouldn't have been a problem - 10 minutes here and there so she can adjust. Allington wasn't being unreasonable asking the school this. Pengggwn's shitty attitude shines through the way she responded to Allington. Met quite a few teachers like that. Lots of good ones too though.

magicroundabouts

You are confusing my responsibilities with those of the LA, there, aren't you?

lizzie1970a

Like I have said many times, if this request was workable, I would do it. Why wouldn't I? My issue with Allington - and now with you - is this complete certainty that this is a "simple request". If there are good reasons not to do it, it stops being "simple". It is utterly flabbergasting to me that you are refusing to engage with this principle: these decisions are made in context, not on the Internet.

Guienne

Show me the relevant legislation that says I need to make this referral if a parent does what you said. Let's make this simple. If the legislation says I have to, I will. Never have I come across this obligation in any of my training or practice, but I will concede that I could be wrong. Chapter and verse, please.