To be this upset about a school place

[cdoth]

Been in tears since I found out my DS didn't get offered a place at the school I applied for.

For background - he has significant speech delay and is on the pathway for an autism diagnosis. He is currently at the nursery of the school we put as our first choice, he is really settled there and they have been fantastic with regards to his SEN. They are helping us to gather as much evidence as possible for his EHCP. The school is also the closest one to us.

I am distraught with worry for what the future holds for him now having to go to a completely new school. I can't stop crying because this seems so unfair for him. He is not good with new places/people, when he started his current nursery last year it took weeks for him to settle in because he was so upset. And for him to have to go through that again genuinely breaks my heart.

I know we can appeal but I don't feel hopeful. Has anybody else been in the same situation? I just don't know where to go from here now.

Just as a matter of interest, the posters who appealed/made a call with a few minor veiled threats and got a place - has this been in recent years? As where I live I can’t see this having worked in the last 7-8 years, as some schools have been that oversubscribed throughout.

I would absolutely be meeting all the Sencos and heads of the school you want, the school you were offered and any others that are nearby.

The one thing I am certain of is that for a child with SEN you need to feel confident that a school actually wants your child and isn't going to put barriers in your way to support (e.g. not meeting the EHCP) in the hope that you eventually move them (and this happens more than you might think).

Another good idea is to join local SEN groups and hear the inside info. from parents with children in the schools you are interested in (I was advised to do this by CAMHS and it was excellent advice).

Also, definitely apply for the EHCP needs assessment yourself, and start the ball rolling to defer a year so you have more time to work out what to do.

It is also worth starting to investigate if there are any specialist schools near you as this may be something you want/need to pursue if not now then in the future. These schools are often very oversubscribed and it is harder to get in (if not impossible in some places) to get a place in the later primary years.

Deferring a year at least gives you time to make a better and more informed decision.

I could've written your post myself 4 years ago. DD didn't get into our school of choice either. This was the school where she was attending nursery and where DS had gone for 8 years and been very happy at. She also had a speech delay and was on the pathway to an ASD diagnosis. I'm not normally an emotional person, but I was SO expecting her to get in I ended up crying in front of her nursery teacher when she said she was sorry DD hadn't got in. We were told appealing wouldn't do any good and there just wouldn't be a place for her unless 2 children dropped out. One actually did, but obviously that wasn't enough.

The school she did get into was our last choice on the list, and one we never dreamed she'd end up at. Although I was incredibly upset about it, DD didn't really understand, and we decided to let her go to the school she was offered the place at. She's ended up being very happy there and although I do still wonder how she would've got on in the school we really wanted, she's doing well where she is.

Yes it does - and if they don’t name your preference you can appeal.

the law is very clear on this. Parents have a fundamental right to have their children educated in a mainstream setting. The LA cannot override that right. Ever.

Are you actually familiar with the legislation that covers all of this?

My situation was different to yours but my ds was in nursery and was starting school in the September but school said because of he’s needs etc he would really need to go in to a unit . He had a EHCP but wasn’t diagnosed with autism so he couldn’t get in to any of the units without a diagnosis . They kept him in to nursery even when he was suppose to start school until they found a school for him and he has a diagnosis . While you’re waiting to appeal I would speak to both school and senco to see what support they could give u .

Might be worth focussing on the school he has been accepted to. What is their SEN provision like? Will he know anyone there? Read their ofsted and school website- it might make you feel more positive about it: You say it took him weeks to settle at nursery- sounds rough but he’ll settle at the new school too. Can you start or join a Facebook group for his year at the new school and try and arrange some meet ups over the summer so there are some familiar faces.

Is the school your catchment?? It can be closer geographically but not always catchment - doesn't mean you can't apply but if it's the most oversubscribed school in the country and not your catchment then Your chances of getting in were always going to be difficult?

Thanks so much everybody for the advice. First thing I will do is speak to the nursery, I will also mention the EHCP and I'm going to look at applying for it myself so we can get the ball rolling. Everything is so overwhelming, he's my first and only child so I have no experience with this and don't what the "norm" is.

So an ECHP hasn't actually been applied for yet? You need to get cracking with that. The IPSEA letters a PP linked upthread are great, you might also need them if your LA is behind with getting their applications processed (as so many are). There are time limits which apply to the process which they must not exceed by law.

You'll get support from posters who've been through this already, but kindly, this is just the beginning: you really need to start finding out what support and services are available to your child and push for them if necessary. It's a steep learning curve that none of us wanted to be on, but you are the best advocate that your child is going to get, and he needs you to fight his corner as he cannot. It's your job to find out as much as you can so you're armed with relevant information and gird yourself to being assertive (if it's not in your nature to be pushy) for what he needs.

I really hope you do get the school you want, it sounds like you will be near the top of the waiting list so don't give up hope. But don't forget that although you and your ds would prefer to stay somewhere that is familiar with familiar staff, that setting might not be the best one for him ultimately. Change is unsettling and frightening for young children with autism, but sometimes it's necessary if another placement is actually better suited for an individual child. Don't get hung up on this one school just because it's the one you know and like... if the provision isn't as good, it won't be doing him any favours.

Forget about appealing this time, they won't have made a mistake over the distances and your child's SEN won't make any difference to the criteria. You might have to later on (I did for secondary) but not for infants. Hoping you move up the list soon!

I'm a borough cllr. And I absolutely have helped reverse these decisions at appeal in the past.

On what basis? That doesn’t sound lawful.

When a decision has been made wrongly without all evidence being considered.

Why aren’t you encouraging parents to access the lawful route of appeal?

.

Thats not correct. The LA must name that parental choice so long as the placement is not “incompatible with the effective education of others or an inefficient use of public funds.” Children and Families Act, section 35 I think.

My last post was to Keiraninthecommunity who doesn’t know what she’s on about.

It’s annoying isn’t it.

OP, as previous posters have said, get the IPSEA link up the thread and send the letter TODAY.

it is a 20 week process, but the first 6 weeks are deciding if they will assess. Then assuming they do (labouring the point that you have demonstrated that your child “has or may have a special educational need which may require provision in the form of an education health and care plan”) then the draft is issued with the placement blank at week 16, and then you can name your choice of school. And that should be in time for September.

Very.

OP you could also look at specialist provision and go along and have a frank chat to the head and see if you think that’s a good fit too. Then you know your direction regarding placement.

Week 20 is the first week of September. School isn’t named until final plan issued. It won’t be in time.

op - first off, ensure you are on the waiting list for your first choice and get confirmation of where you are on the list. There is loads of movement on waiting lists. Whoever at the school told you it was the most over-subscribed in the country cannot possibly know what and who knows what definition of "over-subscribed" they were using!!

Secondly, start investigating the school you have now been offered. Go and visit and talk to the SEN lead etc.

It must be a horrible shock and hugely stressful, but you will feel better when you have an idea of your next steps.

Might just wing it. Depends on the school, the sen officer, the plan etc. strictly speaking they can issue at week 16 but then there’s the simmer hols, so it could mean a slightly late start, at worst.

@cdoth what was the reason for you not getting a place there?

I’ve had cases where the school place is confirmed before the issue of the plan and the child has started there, BUT the big caveat is that these were mainstream so there was no argument anyway really that would have stuck. It’s more for specialist places where it gets much more complicated especially if as it is here, there aren’t enough specialist places.

They won’t issue early.

There is a massive shortage of EP’s. They aren’t issuing early. And the application is never going in today.

It could be just in time. Especially if the school is supportive and onboard and expecting to be named, and the LA caseworker is relieved to take an easier option than in many cases. Definitely worth trying.