Found out my DS is on SEN register via email?

[Heartearrings]

I have received an email from the SENCO at my son’s school (he’s in year one) that was seemingly sent out to all relevant parents , giving info about the one page profile that they now use for pupils on the SEN register.
No one told us that our DS was on the register? Is this odd? They’ve mentioned before they think he may have signs of neurodivergence such as ADHD / ASD but nothing concrete either our side or theirs.

Does he get any support or intervention?

If they have spoken to you about the possibility of neurodivergence that would have flagged him up as having become known to the SEN team in some way and therefore likely enough to put them on the schools SEN register.

Not a bad thing. Sounds like you have an on the ball school

As above.

Children on the SEN register get extra funding and provisions made for them. If they've got him on the SEN register, I'd want to know what extra is he receiving to help him so you're on the same page at home. It's essentially just a list of children who need additional to or different from their peers. No diagnosis is needed to be on the SEN register either.

It's not great practice to find out over email like a surprise but I have emailed parents in the past to see if they've explored or had thoughts at home about their child having SEN - delivered more tactfully than that of course. I will admit schools are extremely stretched and finding time to meet or call is difficult. I can play cat and mouse trying to get hold of parents on the phone so in the end I send an email.

Does he have an IEP?
It’s a bit rubbish if they really didn’t tell you but children are in the Sen register for lots of reasons.

@Smartiepants79 I assume at this school the IEP is called a one page profile. We don't call them IEP at my place either.

I’d ask them why he’s on the register and then ask what additional support he’s getting, and why you weren’t advised he was being added to the register

children on this register don't receive extra funding until formal EHCP applications have been made and agreed, and this process can take years and will nearly always involve health care professionals / educational pshycologists who are officially allowed to diagnose any neurodivergence. Only THEN do children and schools receive funding. The phrase blood from a stone springs to mind.

Pupil profiles can also be for children who are on a SEN watch list, if you like, ie identified by school as needing extra support, but not yet enough time/evidence to take the process any further. This is good practise e.g. if you have a supply teacher there for a day they will have a class list and however many pupil profiles so can support children ASAP.

E.g. I have a child with a pupil profile who will not qualify for an EHCP or funding, who simply needs approx twice as long processing time.

Being on the SEN register can just mean he might need some extra support in lessons

Wow that's shocking OP, to just mention the possibility but not discuss it with you properly and then send an email like that. SENCO's at primary tend to be pretty shit IMO as often they're just teachers with an extra job to do. They're really NOT on the ball if they're not keeping you up to date with what's going on and what they suspect - you might have wanted to get a diagnosis started if you'd known that they were so certain that there was an issue.

I'd request a meeting with the SENCO asap.

@wafflesmgee
That's incorrect. Look up the delegated budget. Schools receive £6000 per child on the SEN register and then further funding when an EHCP is received, based on however much extra the local authority believe that child needs. I am a SENDCo and my responsibility includes deciding where that £6000 is spent for each child. For some, that will be access to a TA for some lessons, for others it might be purchasing equipment or resources, attending small group reading interventions etc. Staff cost a lot of money so much of the overall spending does tend to go on hiring TAs or an extra teacher who can then take them in smaller class groups to give them more attention.

SENCO here. The school should have formally notified you when they put him on the register, in not doing so they have gone against the SEN Code of Practice. I would definitely ask for a meeting with the SENCO. School should also be keeping you updated/reviewing his one page profile with you 3 times a year. It's positive that they're being proactive, however it's really important that they go about it the right way by working with you as a parent!

Did they really not mention it? I only ask as we have quite a few parents who cherry pick what is heard. I understand - we all want our children to not have challenges but sometimes it can cause miscommunication.

he might be on ‘monitoring’ so technically listed on their register/software but obviously not diagnosed or with iep - this should have been made clearer to you whenever you spoke about their concerns

It's not £6000 per child on the register at all. I'm also a sendco. We have 11 funded children and 45 on the SEN register. We get 11 blocks of £6000 plus their individual top ups. Then get another pot of money to be shared between the rest. It's not very much.

Being on the SEN register for the main part is for those children requiring support 'over and above' the average classroom offer.

My DS was on the SEN register at secondary because he has tics and it was the easiest way for it to be communicated to all teachers that if he is moving in an odd way telling him to stop will be completely ineffective and they should just ignore. We only found out he was on the SEN register when they emailed me to tell me they were removing him from it.

I would try to look at that any paper trail/record is good IF it turns out an EHCP is required and needs to be applied for later on. As long as the information had been sent safely and not breaking data communication guidance I wouldn't be concerned by this. And I agree with the poster above who said it shows that the school is on the ball: you hear so many horror stories of primary aged children not getting the support they need until suddenly transition to secondary is looming and then there is sheer panic to get the issues recognised/supported.

I’m surprised that this can happen without you as a parent being involved every step of the way.

About 10 years ago a family member’s DC was at a private school who submitted a behavioural descriptors questionnaire that had not been shown to the parents first. The child development clinic paediatrician told the school off in no uncertain terms.

I wish all children on the SEN register got £6000! The notional £6000 per SEN child schools get is based on an algorithm that calculates how many children with SEND there could be in a school with those characteristics, demographic etc. What actually happens is that notional £6000 gets sucked up into the normal school budget.

Being on the SEN register (K code) does not mean they have a diagnosis of anything it just means they are needing some intervention at this point. Children can come and go on the SEN register, It is good news that they recognise that your child may need some extra help in some way.

They should do a review with you and have a support plan in place

The £6000 mentioned is a notional amount, it's included in school funding but doesn't specifically relate to the number of children with SEN- so, if a child with SEN joins the school, they don't receive an extra £6000 along with them! The amount received is based on a range of factors, deprivation index, basic level funding, low prior attainment funding etc. Each local authority will have a calculation they use to provide the notional amount, it is included in school financing but is not ring fenced for SEN pupils. In most local authorities, any funding for additional support through an EHCP however, assumes that schools will self fund the first £6000, which is where the misunderstanding that SEN children receive £6000 each comes from!

They’ve talked to you previously about your DS potentially having ASD or ADHD and you’re surprised he’s under SEN? Odd.

SEN is not EHCP, it just means he’s on their radar and they may offer extra support.

We had quite similar with our child. The teacher at the time said he was getting some extra support with his english but never mentioned the SEN register we only found that out later.
I think sometimes teachers are afraid to say it directly as they are worried about parents reactions and so try and sugar coat it. I feedback to our school SENCO that actually we’re grateful of support and that it’s so much easier and clearer for all if just upfront and have open conversations.

His actual learning is really advanced. So I’m assuming it’s something else , he’s been getting good behaviour tokens at school too, so it’s all very baffling.

If they've mentioned possible autism/adhd then they've mentioned SEN. It might be that he's requiring additional support socially if his behaviour and academic progress are OK.

Mine is in Y1, autistic with ADHD, exemplary behaviour, very academically able, but unable to hold a conversation. He has regular interventions (e.g. social skills group) where he, along with one or two other children who struggle, do activities with a couple of other children who don't have social difficulties. This might be some scaffolded play, or a board game, or a sports activity or something - activities which encourage communication, turn taking etc. It's helped him massively so far.

Make an appointment to speak to the SENCO, they should be happy to discuss what he's finding challenging and how they're supporting him.

My son was academically advanced, he too has autism. He had special educational needs because he needed additional support and understanding of his emotional and social difficulties. SEND doesn't mean "behind academically" it means requires a little more than the general provision in place.