To not understand how a third of Y1 has SEN?

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I mean of course it's possible but statistically wouldn't this be very unlikely? My daughter is Y1 in a mainstream state school, 2 form entry so 60 kids in all. I have a friend who is a governor and she has told me that there are 20 kids in the year with SEN and that she learnt this last year when they were in Reception. I have to admit that I wasn't totally sure as to what counts as SEN but even after looking at the definition I'm puzzled as to how so many kids had recognised SEN in Reception - if they had ADHD or dyslexia then this wouldn't have been diagnosed at this point would it? What counts as a SEN diagnosis - could a parent just state that their child is anxious on an entry form and this go down as SEN?

I have to admit that I am a little concerned about the impact of my child's teacher having to deal with all these additional needs and teach the kids who don't have SEN at an appropriate level. I know that they have to tailor the curriculum accordingly but I'm worried my DDs progress could be hindered somewhat.

Am I being unreasonable to find this level of SEN shocking and be concerned about the impact on my child?

I don’t think some posters realise that having SEN support at any point in your time in education does not mean you ‘have SEN’ in the more traditional sense. My little boy received SEN support when his grandfather died and he struggled with grief. Another little boy in class did when his parents split up. A small group of children did in reception when they simply weren’t yet matured enough to handle the long school day appropriately.

@SpidersAreShitheads lucrative?????? We spend thousands every year (literally!) to get our SENDs child an education, and his needs are not that severe. The provision standard schools are able to offer are absolutely minimal (not the teachers fault!)

Lucrative 😂

My son manages 2 hours in school a day. I barely work but annoyingly work enough that I don't get carers allowance... But yes I have £250 a month DLA - that absolutely doesn't make up my lost hours!

We have to fight for every single bit of support and provision.

I think you might have tagged the wrong person here. I was replying to the daft individual who called it lucrative.

I also have two SEN DC and am only too aware of the extra costs - and difficulties- that families like yours and mine face.

It’s the usual bollocks from people who read the Daily Mail and believe that we’re all rolling in cash from the (non-existent) handouts they imagine we get.

Being identified as having special educational needs in school at the age of 5 or 6 certainly doesn't mean all those children (or even any of them) have been born with clinical levels of disability.

As an example - I used to be a school governor at a primary school that had more than a third of children on the SEN register. Most of those were for speech delay, language difficulties and social/emotional/mental health difficulties. The school put a lot of effort into supporting those children, they had a special nurture class for those that were struggling emotionally in mainstream, a particular TAs trained to do speech and language interventions and emotional support, and a family support worker to help parents with difficulties at home.

When the school was taken over by a big academy chain, the new leadership decided 33% was too big and expensive a percentage of children needing additional help - so the school was told to half it to get it under national average.
So only those children with an EHCP, diagnosis or in the process of a diagnosis stayed on the register. Now only a couple of children per class had any additional needs so no need for a nurture class, an ELSA, speech & language TA.
No need for teachers to have extra TAs in class.

Behaviour in class went crazy and staff turnover increased but the statistics and budgets looked a lot better!

@SpidersAreShitheads sorry!!!!! wrong person, apologies

I mean of course it's possible but statistically wouldn't this be very unlikely?

Statistically it is actually very much in line.
Around 20% of the general population are estimated to be neurodivergent, add to that the other things that fall under the SEN umbrella and it doesn't seem that unlikely that it totals 30%.

I have to admit that I am a little concerned about the impact of my child's teacher having to deal with all these additional needs and teach the kids who don't have SEN at an appropriate level. I know that they have to tailor the curriculum accordingly but I'm worried my DDs progress could be hindered somewhat.

This is the main thing though. Some things that fall under SEN will be incredibly serious and need special schools with all sorts of accommodations, the majority of them will be able to function in an ordinary school setting with some consideration and tailoring.
Why should the curriculum and teaching style be set up to only benefit your DD?
Don't you think those parents have the exact same concern the other way around? That their child's progress would also be hindered by only tailoring the teaching to your DD and not theirs?

Many Primary schools are experiencing a rise in pupils with SEN, particularly in the current year 1 & reception. some teachers are blaming the lockdown and children and parents using tech a lot during this period resulting in a lot of speech and language and social and emotional issues which, as PP said can result in SEN and not being classed as “school ready”. Children were unable to have the usual opportunities to interact with other adults and children so their development has been delayed. Statistics show that this is happening in larger numbers in more deprived areas.

Statistics aren’t confidential information. She hasn’t identified those children.

@jesshomeEd very few schools (whether an Academy) can afford that level of support anymore.

Also the SEN register should be reviewed regularly. If children struggling early on get support needed they may no longer need to be on SEN register.

Exactly and its pretty well known across most schools that SEN is so much higher because of Covid. I dont think she broke any confidentiality rules staying that fact. A TA in my children’s school was happy to share this information about her class to me (not identifying any pupils ofcourse). Many children in Primary school now missed out on the crucial learning in Pre-school, baby groups, visits from friends and family - the list goes on. We can’t expect there would not be huge issues as a result of this. Hopefully in 5 years, we will see a decline in things like speech delay.

But that doesn’t take away from the fact that Covid or no Covid, there needs to be more schools specifically for SEN children. My eldest started at secondary and the stories he comes home with about other children in his class makes you realise mainstream school is just totally wrong for some children. His school is very strict, its academic and sporty and its just not the right place for some children there. He described a boy who has had a few days there this term as he just cant cope and has severe behaviour issues. I wonder how this boy would be doing had he started at a school specifically to deal with his needs. Just a total waste of his education trying to fit him in at a school that will never work for him.

''preferential treatment'''

My daughter is non speaking 5 year old, diagnosed ASD with a surprise chromosomal deletion which is responsible for her complex needs.

She has sensory processing issues, aggressive and challenging behaviours - head banging on walls and floors, biting, pinching - though I have managed to work with her on those to reduce her exposure to triggers and on redirection.

She has an EHCP but she is not in school because no mainstream school with touch her. We are at least, one of the fortunate ones and she will attend her specialist school in January but we've been fighting for this and her EHCP for over two years. She has a legal right to full time education but this often doesn't appear for children like my DD.

And the EHCP is still really poorly written!

LAs constantly flout the law - as do schools, tbh - where it comes to SEN children. Good luck getting in touch with them too. My local authority doesn't even have a direct line to their SEND department. You simply have to hope they might answer the emails once in a while .There is no preferential treatment. Yes, we receive DLA but its mid rate - the princely sum of £274 a month - because she can at least walk, be it rather clumsily.

For that lucrative benefit, I've still had to give up work to care for her full time - her father/my husband works full time, hence why we can even survive.

Reasonable adjustments for disabled children are not preferential treatment. Non sen children get an awful lot more out of the education system. SEN families often don't want their child in mainstream, but this is what Westminster is pushing for in order to reduce costs for themselves.

Anybody who is concerned about the increased rate of SEN children in mainstream, should look at the SEND Reform Protests group. You can find them on Facebook.

There are a lot of misconceptions about the "perks" that children with SEN get. And I've talked to a few people who have said that their child would be entitled to DLA but they don't claim it because they don't need it. Except they have never tried to claim it so they have no idea if it would be successful or not. We lived with my in-laws for 7 months and about 3 months in my MIL said that she thought we were probably right about our 16 year old being autistic. We'd known this from when he was 2 and he'd been diagnosed aged 9. I thought I would share a few facts with you all about my personal experience with SEN that you might find surprising.

I have a 17 year old with autism who has never been on the SEN register or had any help in school. He can't get to college and back on his own and keeps forgetting to charge his phone/turn it on. If dh is a few minutes late picking him up, ds will wander off and expect us to know where he is. We've lost him a few times and it's so scary.

My 15 year old who has ehlers danlos syndrome, being assessed for autism, has attempted suicide once and told his friends that he was going to kill himself another time gets no dla. We went to tribunal and lost.

My 12 year old who doesn't sleep through the night yet gets no DLA either. We've been waiting a year to see a specialist to assess him for autism and adhd. It's probably going to be another 2 years at least before we see someone.

My 10 year old who has moderate learning disability didn't get an ehcp until year 3. He were the bed every night but the specialist continence team have rejected his referral twice.

My 9 year old has autism and can't be trusted with scissors. He has no ehcp and regularly comes home with a hole in his school jumper and nails cut so short they are bleeding because the teacher can't supervise him all the time. He is the only one of My dc who is allowed to skip the queue at Lego land. He has to have a letter from his consultant to say he is unable to queue. His letter is dated 2020 and soon Lego land won't accept it because it's too old. I don't know if we will be able to get another one because he hasn't seen a dr about his autism since he was diagnosed. We had most of the house repainted a year ago and there is an ever increasing patch of exposed plaster by his bed where he has pulled at the wall.

My dc get funding to attend cheap activities during the school holidays funded by children in need. But mainstream activities like playschemes and scouts won't let any of them attend without a carer. Last time I tried taking my 15 year old to a mainstream activity he was 8. I was the only parent staying and he cried because the other children kept teasing him because his mum was there.

People think we are living the high life and taking in money for sitting around. But although all our dc are in school we spend that time going to meetings, filling in multiple forms and occasionally catching up on sleep. Ds1 finishes college next year so we will have him at home full time as well.

I love my dc to the moon and back and I'm so glad I've got them but it's so hard. And people assume things and it's so annoying.

But it depends what the cause of the behaviour issues are.

I've known several kids with a specific learning difficulty who were acting up because they couldn't access learning like everyone else and felt worthless and their frustration spilled over into the class.

Fast forward to that difficulty being recognised, adjustments made to learning methods and there are now no behaviour issues at all. Indeed they are thriving/top of the class.

I'm sure this experience is repeated throughout schools everywhere.

This boy is physically injuring other kids, can’t last in one lesson without being told off, barely been in, shouts back at the teacher etc. Thats the examples i’ve heard from my child so there’s obviously alot that goes on aswell. I’m fully supportive of having support staff in school to help children with SEN, but this boy has severe issues and I imagine he wont last long. A mainstream school cant be expected to provide support for that level.

But that doesn't address the cause.

I've known some children with ADHD to get physical but once supported/correct medication they thrive.This was mainstream.

As you said it was only a few days in. Thankfully children aren't written off that quickly.

Sorry I meant he has only been in school for a few days this half term. I just don’t see how mainstream teachers are expected to cope with that on top of the main purpose - to teach. They already deal with so many other social issues aswell. I feel for the boy and he deserves an education, but there is no way it is the right place for him. I have friends with children with mild SEN who wouldn’t choose my Son’s school as they do have to be able to keep up with the pace. We need more schools that create a totally different environment for children with certain needs, a gentle pace, longer breaks etc. My son has half an hour for lunch and 10 minutes in the morning. How are some children going to cope with that?

I am guessing that you are not reading now but to give a view on how difficult this subject is - I wanted to cry when I read your post. My son was added to the SEN register in reception and we were told yesterday that he meets the threshold for Autism. He is has speech dyspraxia and school is hard for him. Hard to understand and access the curriculum.

He gets some support but no way enough. For the limited support he does get - is that at the detriment of his peers - I very much doubt it.

I am thankful that these children was recorded as having Sen needs so the schools understand what they are dealing with

If they have an EHCP they have reasonable adjustments. You don't see what goes on behind the scenes. It's easy enough for kids to have slower pace such as being able to leave lessons early or a discrete time out card.

The school will receive additional funding for this. In dc schools for example this funding pays for teaching assistants to help in class to manage these adjustments. Teachers are there to teach but not everyone is able to learn in the same way. It's the job of the school/education professionals to adapt the learning methods to best fit the child with the disorder, not for the child with the disorder to try to adjust to everyone else.

There is absolutely no reason why kids with SEN (which covers a huge spectrum) can't excel in mainstream if given the right support.

DD's reception class was half SEN and her teacher had said it was a struggle to cope. Ended up changing schools.

I agree with you about offering support and lots of children with SEN can go to mainstream school, but there’s a limit. Also, it cant ever be at the detriment of the majority of the class and every time this boy has been in, it has been. My Son going to school doesn’t impact on anyone elses learning so it is unfair if trying to keep a child in a mainstream school impacts on the other children. Other than following him around the playground 24/7 (he throws items at other kids) its going to be difficult to keep an eye on him the entire time. There are some children that mainstream school is just not for them so why are we forcing it? Because there’s a severe lack of specialist schools.

My dh has an EHCP and is better behaved than half her class. She has as much right to be in mainstream as anybody else.

I agree with you here and think perhaps I might have misjudged your position. No child should have to put up with having things thrown at them.

I do wonder though if his behaviour if having such an ongoing negative impact on the rest of the children and the child himself isn't benefitting , is the issue being managed appropriately by the school. It doesn't sound as though it is.

This bbc report goes some way to explaining what's happened.

The gov knew this was coming and haven't prepared the spaces.

So mainstream have the children that send schools for moderate learning difficulties have, and those schools have many more children who are classed as severe learning difficulties than they used to have.

I work in a send school and our cohort has changed enormously in the last few years.

Overcrowded specialist schools: ‘We’re teaching in cupboards’ www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-64418797

I haven't read all the posts but just going to throw my experience in.

As the mum of a SEN child, diagnosed autistic, and suspected ADHD, he has an EHCP and I can tell you that there is a huge SEN reform movement, with protests etc but it hasn't got much publicity because being honest, no one outside of SEN parents really care. Also the government are trying to cut EHCP awards by 20% so that will mean more SEN children without support and in mainstream schools.

My son needs a SEN school. He is currently in mainstream. He will have to have one for secondary school because he will not be able to cope or get there, so we are starting to apply now (he's yr2) so that we can get a space by the time he needs it (yr 7), because they are so oversubscribed. Government have promised more SEN schools. They haven't materialised. These conditions are far more widely recognised now. We need more SEN schools. But we also need parents of NT children to care and push with us to get these.

What parents of neurotypical children need to understand is that the more SEN children that are forced into mainstream settings where their needs are not being met is, that teachers will have far more time taken up by these children and it will detract from everyone's learning.

My child attends but he is not learning. His EHCP states is needs an individual tailored curriculum, so that he can excel at the things he is good at (maths and science) and get help with the things he isn't as well as assess him in ways that he will do. Mainstream cannot accommodate this. For the year 1 phonics test, he wouldn't sit and complete it, so he has been put down as 'cannot read'. He can. Fluently. But because he cannot be assessed in a mainstream, they have essentially said he can't do X y and z. He can. The school are lovely. They are bound by the rules and assessment regulations. The sendco is wonderful. They are supportive and helped enormously with our EHCP. But mainstream is not the place for him. I have two NT children so I know both sides of the coin.

But according to one Kent Tory councillor, having an EHCP is 'the in thing to do for parents nowadays'.

Yeah absolutely. It's absolutely the in thing to have a disabled and/or SEN child and need extra support for them. We all planned it, because we thought it sounded like an absolute hoot, rather than the soul crushing, horrific, stressful and downright agonising process it actually is.

Fun fact, my son was diagnosed ASD before we applied for the EHCP. Full reports. From paeds, ed psychs the lot. SENDCO said it was one of the strongest applications she'd ever put in. They still declined us first time 'because his condition may have improved in the six months since the ed psych report'. It was immediately approved upon appeal. Most are turned down first time and over 90% are won on appeal. They just want to grind the parents down so they don't have to fund an EHCP.

I honestly feel totally invisible most of the time. No one cares and in fact most people tut and make unhelpful comments about how my child cannot possibly be disabled, I just need to give him a good smack.