To ask if you'd complain about this?

[accom]

DS is 14, he has adhd, he is on medication but he still is hyperactive at times. The school is fine with him leaving the classroom to go and sit somewhere to calm down as he can't focus. Today, probably because of the heat and him eating sweets (the whole class was given them and he didn't want to be the odd one out so he ate them) he couldn't focus in his last lesson, he asked the teacher (it was a cover teacher so they don't know him) if he could go to his head of year or the learning support room to calm down and he was told no, DS then kept walking around the classroom so ended up getting into trouble. He told the teacher he couldn't do his work but the teacher told him to shut up and stop being disruptive or he’d be given a consequence (c1/c2 etc and c1 is a warning but the rest are detention etc). DS told me he put his head on the desk to try and behave but apparently the teacher didn't like that either and gave him a c and wrote in his planner that he was refusing to do his work.

Would you complain about this or let it go?

How would he know it was lost (and ask for a new one) until he couldn't find it?

In short, the school needs to do better. If it isn't their policy to make cover staff aware, or to offer a suitable "pass" system for kids who lose things due to disability or whatever then they need to review those polices

Sorry, posted to soon

All her access and special arrangements were on her pupil passport. It should be easy to look up the information, even if it she didn’t have the pass.

The information was always available, it was because teachers hadn’t bothered to read it

@rishisboater

I don't think those saying he shouldn't have lost the pass really understand how adhd can be.

Seems pretty daft to me they expect these not to be lost.

The cover person should have been made aware of your son's needs and in any case if they weren't I assume they'd be experienced enough to have seen your son's behaviour and thought to consider for a moment that there may be something going on there rather than assume he was lying.

I would absolutely complain.

my first thought! Permissions like this should be logged in some kind of handover document that supply teachers can check for themselves. Child's responsibility can be to ask and not to keep hold of a pass. I am a neurotypical adult and forever losing things like this. I am not sure about formal complaint but actual serious conversation needs to be had with head of year or whoever.

I'd complain. Teachers like this make life so hard for non-neurotypical kids and they need to experience consequences. The school should have informed the teacher but the teacher also should have had some compassion and respect for your son to either give him chance to find his pass or by asking the head of year if he is correct. Both school and sub need to know that they let your son down that day.

My ds2 was given the library as a safe space, the librarians were fabulous, they had board games available, talked to the dc using this space and taught them how to help in the library. Most importantly they stopped problems developing before they started.

They had a new staff member start who seemed oblivious to all of this and when ds2 was attacked by another dc (age 15) he defended himself using self defence techniques he had been taught at King fu. The staff member told ds2 he was banned from the library prior to any investigation being carried out.

I phoned the school, not to complain that he was banned but to find out as a matter of urgency what they were putting in place for him as a new safe space, and to ask how the event was able to happen. They did a very quick investigation, established that ds2 was not at fault, reinstated his safe space access and apologised to ds2. The staff member left the school shortly afterwards. They take their duty of care seriously.

Don't frame it as a complaint but as a question. How can we stop this from happening again? What are you doing to support ds? (Would removing the sanctions help?)

Complain. This is my fear (cover teachers and inadequate communication) with a child with similar needs. Not necessarily the teacher or cover teacher’s fault- the school need to centralise their data and make it readily available for cover teachers as standard.

Can he get a little lanyard pass holder thing attached to his bag (even on the inside) to keep his pass in one place? I know it's murder trying to keep track of bag contents and important things, if you can make a fail-safe method it could help?

And actually, as others have said. The pass system is stupid for a kid with ADHD. being able to find something when you're struggling to contain yourself is incredibly difficult and stressful. It just needs a note in the register or on the teachers desk.

@whitershadeofpale

I think it’s a combination of factors. I wouldn’t complain but I would highlight that this sort of information should be passed on to cover staff. However, at 14 your DS should be taking some responsibility and make sure he has his pass and communicates his needs.

As a key summon of ADHD is losing things I think that's an unrealistic expectation on a 14 year old. It's also extremely difficult for a young person to "communicate their needs" to an adult in authority who has already decided they are in the wrong in front of a class of other children.

The responsibility is on the school to ensure all his strategies are communicated to supply teachers.

Of cours you should contact the school, the sub should have been informed.

Could he keep a photo of the pass on his phone?

I would raise it with the school (rather than complain). This happened to my DS (who has ADHD and ASC). He could feel he wasn't coping and asked to leave as per his strategies but was told he couldn't. He ended up throwing something which accidentally hit the fire alarm. Oops!

Thankfully the school realised what had happened, acknowledged that he had tried to use his strategies but had been prevented from doing so and he didn't have any consequences for the fire alarm.

@accom

DS was given a pass to show his teachers but he couldn't find it so the teacher assumed he was lying.

Great thing to give to an adhd kid who no doubt looses and forgets most things! 🙄

💐from one adhd mum to another

@LunaLula83

His pass was given for a reason. Dont loose it

He has ADHD. Don't be so ableist.

It's a cover teacher so it's understandable (to a point) that they didn't know about what was in place. Is there any way he can have a card or something to carry, that he can present to cover teachers in the future if needed?

I'm sure if you speak to the school his C1 can be removed from record given the situation, so don't worry about that.

I wonder OP if it would work for him (rather than just telling a person with ADHD not to lose something!!) to have his pass attached to his bag (perhaps punch a hole in it and attach with a key ring or carabiner so he always has it to hand? If he's embarrassed perhaps it could be clipped inside his bag?

Or another suggestion, what about on a lanyard around his neck? That's how I make sure I don't lose my work pass 😊 (I have ADHD too).

@LindaEllen

It's a cover teacher so it's understandable (to a point) that they didn't know about what was in place. Is there any way he can have a card or something to carry, that he can present to cover teachers in the future if needed?

I'm sure if you speak to the school his C1 can be removed from record given the situation, so don't worry about that.

Something like a pass? Good idea, I bet no-one has thought of that 🙄

As a key summon of ADHD is losing things I think that's an unrealistic expectation on a 14 year old. It's also extremely difficult for a young person to "communicate their needs" to an adult in authority who has already decided they are in the wrong in front of a class of other children.

Yes, this!!

I know when my DD has been in the middle of a telling off, she has found it very difficult to speak up and communicate her needs to a member of staff, in authority, who isn’t listening.

@DumplingsAndStew

What a sad lack of understanding about ADHD there is by many on this thread.

Still such an ignorant idea that those with ADHD are just the naughty kids that won't do what they're told.

No excuse. Educate yourselves before weighing in on issues you don't understand.

I completely agree with this. It's the same on every thread about ADHD, still such a lack of understanding and knowledge about ADHD.

I really can't believe the amount of people saying, well he just shouldn't lose his pass. Honestly makes me want to pull my hair out. They wouldn't say something similar to a person with a physical disability. "Well you just need to get up and walk then you wouldn't have a problem with there being no ramp for your wheelchair. You need to take responsibility not expect others to sit these things for you." This is the same thing people!!!!!

Just going to put it out there that often SIMS access is not given to cover staff. In my experience it's really hit and miss and seems to be down to the individual school. Occasionally we get full access but more often it's the restricted version that lets you just do a register without seeing any other information, sometimes we get a printed class list that we send to reception after calling out the names. Sometimes we get nothing. If I had a tenner for everytime I've had to pass around a sheet of paper for students to write their name on! I'm experienced and can usually sort things out but what about cover supervisors who are untrained (so cheaper)and often straight out of uni? When I was teaching full time, I used to leave meticulously planned lessons and notes about the groups including SEN needs but have rarely come across this on supply.

OP I work in a school in a support role. So I would be the one called to remove the student had it escalated that far. You definitely need to highlight it to someone, that cover teacher could be back again. It’s also a learning curve for your DS. Come up with a plan as to what he can do if he was in that situation again. I would send an email to form tutor, learning mentor if he has one, if not, then the SENDco. If there’s any kind of student support/behaviour management team also send it to them. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve received the odd email like this and when investigated the story that went home wasn’t what actually happened in class!! But if you don’t tell them they can’t know and deal with it. Don’t think of it as a complaint, it’s just letting them know. We issue “time out” cards, if he is prone to losing it or going in to panic mode when trying to locate it. could you suggest that something is put in his planner as back up?

I do appreciate what PP have said about it being end of term and everyone frazzled but it’s not really relevant. I was knackered last week of term but that doesn’t mean I could just ride roughshod over systems etc.

Just read a further PP. I wouldn’t attach the pass to his bag or a lanyard.

If he’s been given a C1 or C2 that’s a SIMS consequence system so they do use SIMS. Of course cover teachers or supply teachers have access to SIMS. The school might not use all the features on SIMS but pupil SEN passports and notes can definitely be made available. It’s essential in secondary schools where pupils are taught by many teachers that important information about a pupil’s SEN is easily available.

I’d not complain as such but definitely email the head of year, head of house, whoever is the main point of pastoral contact and the SENCO/INCO for clarification of what happened and whether the cover teacher had all the facts. Ask if the consequence stands.

I’m not a fan of pupils wearing a lanyard advertising the fact they have SEN! Maybe one of those extendible, retracting key lines or a curly cord with clips so the pass can be attached to the inside of his bag and easily found and shown without having to detach it?

With the emphasis on inside of his bag.

@DumplingsAndStew

What a sad lack of understanding about ADHD there is by many on this thread.

Still such an ignorant idea that those with ADHD are just the naughty kids that won't do what they're told.

No excuse. Educate yourselves before weighing in on issues you don't understand.

Oh indeed! My DD, has it, 3 x A* at A' Level and now at a Russel Group Uni studying a fairly hefty science subject. Medicated and still loses stuff. Struggles with concentration, restlessness etc. Was never "naughty" at school, probably chatty but nothing else.

Me, 48 years old, terrible chatterbox at school, could have done so much better but was undiagnosed. Poor to average GCSEs and A'Levels and mediocre degree from ex Poly Uni. Also never "naughty" at school. Good school reports for behaviour but talking in class, day dreaming, not concentrating losing stuff and being disorganised was always mentioned. Go figure! Now am Director of (well known in it's field) UK company.

ADHD is so misunderstood, and the reason why only about 5 people in my life know about it. I can't be bothered with the "no you don't" comments, or "we are all like that" comments. Ugh!

Oh and OP, I wouldn't complain but would bring it to schools attention.

Perhaps also have someone in class who can speak up for him - a studious girl would probably work best as I guess they are the most "trust worthy" in a stand in teachers eyes who doesn't know who anyone is.