Aibu to be confused at these school SEN attendance figures?

[DaveHasTakenMyHammer]

DD has autism & anxiety and is not managing to get into school. She has been out of school pretty much for 6 months. School tells me daughter’s attendance figures are 70%.

Given that DD does about three hours a week (some days just pops in for five minutes) I am mystified about why the figures are captured like this.

This reads to me like “Jane Doe attends school 70% of the time’’ wheres Jane Doe attends more like 5% of the school week. The school
say it’s an authorised absence. I’m asking for support from the LEA and not getting it. I’m wondering if they might also read these attendance stats as ‘Jane Doe is managing to get into school and attend 70% of the time’.

Is there a method to the school’s attendance stats? Is it legit to capture them in this manner?

AIBU

Does the 5 minutes she's in cover registration? As long as she makes registration, it's counted as in. So even if she often goes home shortly after, she'd be showing as attending for all of that morning or afternoon session.

Have you asked your school for a report which breaks it all down? I got one from DD's school which showed exactly how often she was off and when, but had to explain that is what I needed.

If they're there for register they've attended. If not they're absent. The system doesn't allow for nuance

When Dd was struggling with school they tried to get her to do 11-1 so that she got a late mark for the morning (so still present) and got her afternoon mark. That's all the school were worried about. Not that she would have meltdowns/shutdown, was self harming etc. As long as she had her mark.

If she's there for morning registration (e.g. at 8.55 but the school will have a nominated time) then that counts as there for the whole morning. if she gets in any time in the next half hour she'll be marked as late but present. likewise there will be an afternoon registration time around noon and if she is present at that time she is considered present for the whole afternoon session even if she leaves at 12:15.

It is "legit" in that all schools do it this way.

You should ask for a break down.
People are right that if she is there for registration she has an attendance mark.
Id also be interested if they are marking absences as I (illness) of x (not required to arrend) or (c) authorised.

Create your own evidence. Track it for 4 weeks- note when she is in and when she isn't.

Have you applied for an Education Health and Care Needs Assessment? You can apply yourself.

What support do you want? It's good to have an idea of what you think might help. When DD2 was in the same situation last year (ASD, anxiety, school avoidance), I was very sure that her current school could not support her and would not be able to meet her needs. Through the EHCP process, I was able to get her a place in an independent special school (3 children in her class, with a TA who attends all lessons with them) and deceleration to allow her to repeat the year that she had essentially missed.

Schools have no discretion in how they record attendance figures. Does not allow for legitimate difference.

I get why it is misleading though.

I have an EHCP already. I have never heard of deceleration. I am looking into schools and expect a battle with council not wanting to pay for a specialist school.

If DD can’t attend school full time the LA must make alternative arrangements to ensure she receives a suitable full time education (s.19 of the Education Act 1996) and anything specified and quantified in F (s.42 CAFA 2014). If they aren’t doing this currently email the Director of Children’s Services reminding them of their duties. If that doesn’t work or you have already done that email again threatening judicial review if provision isn’t provided. If that fails contact SOSSEN for help with a pre-action letter.

Have you requested an early review of the EHCP?

@FloatingBean what period of time is reasonable for the director of children’s services to put something in place? I have done that email.. they say they are investigating..

School is carrying out an annual review as soon as they get my daughter an EP assessment.

If you haven’t had a satisfactory response within a week move on to the next step. So, if you have already emailed and it’s been a week email again threatening judicial review. If you have already emailed threatening JR and it’s been a week you want a pre-action letter, SOSSEN are reasonably priced.

s.19 provision should have begun once it became clear DD would miss 15 days. The days didn’t have to have already been missed or consecutive.

Personally, I would request an early review from the LA now. When was the last AR?

Thank you @FloatingBean - the last review was in November and the ehcp with named provision was released in February. I’m within the dates whereby I can appeal the ehcp with named provision.

I am a single parent with sod all help from dd’s dad and, although I work full time, I don’t have the cash for a judicial review. I’m spending some money on a tutor for DD each week already.

The director of children’s services has delegated someone to investigate this. That was more than a week ago. None of the actions in Section F are being delivered.

If you are still within the timescales do appeal. Check whether you are eligible for legal aid. If you aren’t but can’t afford independent assessments contact Parents in Need as they can sometimes help fund assessments.

The Director of Children’s Services can delegate all they want, I would still email them personally threatening judicial review - sometimes the threat is enough so this is still worth doing. If SOSSEN’s price (£145 - I’ve put the price as some people think it’s considerably more) is too much have you checked to see if you are eligible for legal aid?