Am I or is school BU?

[SchoolProblemHelp]

Name changed for this as this situation is probably very recognisable to those who know me.

Having some issues with DD’s school at the moment and before I make a formal complaint want to know if I’m being an overprotective mum or if school is handling this wrong.

DD has Autism and Tourette’s Syndrome. Had lots of support in mainstream primary school, teacher’s aide, maths intervention as she is very behind in this, access to quiet area when overwhelmed, able to take time away when suffering tic attacks etc. All of this was provided at school monitoring level and so she has no EHCP in place and we are told she would not meet criteria for one as she was coping just fine with this support.

Went to high school this year and all of this support was withdrawn. New school say it was never a formal plan so no duty to provide it. Still claim she won’t meet EHCP level yet also don’t agree she needs school monitoring support she previously had.

Couple of recent incidents involve:

• Being given detention for not finishing Maths work despite asking and not receiving help (we are aware she is 12 months behind in Maths and in a mixed ability class so she found this above her level).
• Being given detention for walking out of lesson when suffering a tic attack as another child was laughing and imitating her tics back to her.
• Being made to stand up in class and read aloud and told off for ‘being silly’ when she starting ticking due to nerves by a teacher who apparently had not been informed she has Tourette’s.
• Being given behaviour points for ‘chewing gum’ despite it being known by the SEN team that one of her common tics is rolling her jaw as though she is chewing.
• Being given behaviour points for ‘throwing’ a pencil that flew out of her hand when her arm ticked. And when I raised this with the school being told it is her responsibility to inform the teacher at the time that this was in fact a tic, despite this meaning having to disclose her medical history in front of the whole class including children who bully her for this.

The cumulation of the above now means she’s been put on report and has to approach each teacher in very lesson to ask them to write on her report and take it to the head of year at the end of the day. Something she is very anxious about doing as her Autism means she struggles to approach people.

Am I expecting too much of a mainstream school or should school be resolving these issues and stop punishing a child for their disability. If I could get her an EHCP and move her I would in a heartbeat but to get an EHCP you have to show that the school intervention isn’t enough and it was, in primary, but now school won’t put the support in place.

Also, if DD is unable to attend school full time, is alternative provision in place for when DD is unable to attend school?

You really need to educate yourself.

No, they are not classing it as her not attending school full time. Her attendance is just below 70% so she is there more than she is not and there is a bout of D+V where she missed a week in that also. They advised me they are marking this as authorised (when she misses school due to anxiety / tics / migraines) to avoid me being fined but the sceptical side of me thinks this also means they don’t have to support with attendance. To compare her attendance year 6 of primary school was 96% so you can see it’s a huge difference.

https://sossen.org.uk/ might have useful information for you.

i believe that reasonable adjustments under the equality act are an anticipatory duty, ie the school should be proactive. There are templates online for asking for adjustments.

Good luck.

EHCP support thread no. 4 - www.mumsnet.com/talk/special_educational_needs/5197351-ehcp-support-thread-no-4

Please request an ECHNA yourself from your LA. As soon as you can manage.

If school is hostile, maybe a subject access request to gather evidence.

The primary really let you down with transition.

Authorised absences are still classed as absences. With 70% attendance, DD is not attending full-time and alternative provision should be made as well as part-time school (or instead of school if attending school isn’t suitable).

It is the LA who has a duty to ensure DC unable to attend school full-time still receive a suitable full-time education, not the school. ISPEA has a model letter you can use to request alternative provision. This should begin once it becomes clear 15 days will be missed. The days don’t need to have already been missed or consecutive. And provision should start by the sixth day of absence.

SchoolProblemHelp

I am going to say it again, as you appear to ignoring the problem.
The SEND department is the issue.
Teachers are required to read the IEPs of the students in their class.
I suspect that the response form the SEND department is because they are spamming all of the teachers with all of the pupils IEPs etc.
If they are all indeed virtual then they are not putting the correct markers on the registers, if they are putting them there at all.
Yes some teachers will miss the information but for all of them to, there is a major issue with how it is being distributed to staff.

We had issues for a foster child. Would not meet the criteria for EHCP but many schools have an 'awareness' document that a child may struggle.

Our school call it an ILP , individual learning plan. It is purely for that child. It highlights possible issues, how that may present in class, and how staff can help prior to the issue, and once the issue has occurred.
Our child had it and EVERY time we got the call about things that were on it, I would simply say and did you follow staff guidance on his ILP? Many obviously hadn't read it, but those that did were suddenly more aware of how they could help him in class, recognise that issues were bubbling away etc.

Secondary schools are often derogatory about primary support. One told us that another fc primary school had 'simply contained' him, which was complete BS because they really inderstood his issues and supported him brilliantly, with good learning occurring

I support the school where I can but if they treat our kids differently or without following the AGREED support structures then they have me to deal with. My kids aren't doing detentions, being on report if school haven't followed their own documents!!

I hope you can get your DD get the support needed x

It depends. If things are exactly as you describe then the school is being awful but...
It sounds unlikely to me. There could well be an alternative reality where she is not working hard, is being disruptive and rude. Only you know the truth op.
On the support front you need to apply for an ehcp now.

I never usually think this or suggest this but this poor girl, is there any way at all you could home school? The school sounds SO shit and she's being bullied. I would definitely home school if I could in this situation. Or at the very very least I'd switch her schools.

I can't edit my previous post for some reason. I've just read more of the conversations and have seen you've added her IEP (which I can't read unfortunately)
Our fs has nowhere near the difficulties of your daughter but his plan has so much more than you DD's has on.

YES teachers can be told to read it, actually its part of their duty. If they do NOT that is NOT your issue, HOWEVER you then refuse to allow your child to be punished if school have not followed their own document.

She has pass to leave class, therefore she cannot be penalised for leaving class just because the teacher is ignorant of what is written on her IEP.

Stand up and make sure they are doing what they say they are doing. And as for a PP 'YES , BE THAT parent' and advocate for your child. If school are wrong call them out for it-

My rules are
Listen to schools side of a story
always be calm,
always be polite
Support them when appropriate
Call them out when appropriate

What I will say about DD’s school is they have listened. DD hates maths, but loves her maths teacher which I think is amazing.

they told parents not to help, but then give detentions if the kids don’t get 100%, it’s mad

@FrippEnos I’m not ignoring it. I’m well aware the SEN team (and the whole school attitude towards SEN) is at fault. I’ve already made a formal complaint following advice on here.

@Photodilemmas We are looking into changing schools if we get nowhere with the complaint, which is what the school want I expect. But home schooling is not an option no. I work full time and can’t afford not to.

That's a shame, what about temporarily whilst you change her schools? Can you work from home?

I’m a midwife so don’t think my patients would be impressed 🤣

What about her dad?

Having read some of your follow up posts I am wondering if a change of school is something you should be strongly considering. It sounds so poorly run.

I teach secondary and I'm really shocked by the "can't make teachers read it" comment.

Everyone I work with would WANT to read it, quite aside from it being our duty to do so.

@Phineyj Thanks your input. We do think this is what we’re going to but it’s sad we have to do. And the school gets to continue “managing out” pupils with SEN needs rather than changing their practice. Even the ofsted report stated that the number of children with SEN needs is “well below” the national average along with children from a minority ethnic group and children on free school meals all “well below” the average. It saddens me that schools are allowed to effectively force children out of the school and no one questions this because it’s an ‘outstanding’ school with excellent exam results.

You have missed DD’s name in one of the photographs. You might want to ask MNHQ to remove the photo with it in.

On the learning plan, at the top where it says ‘SEN needs: Social emotional and mental health (SEMH)’. DD has needs in other areas too - Cognition and Learning, Communication and Interaction, Physical and Sensory. I know they go on to expand on other areas of needs further down, but only listing one area at the top gives a false impression to anyone who just glances at it. If the ‘Level of need: Monitoring’ is related to what DD is coded as, she should be coded as K - SEN Support. Rather than N - Monitoring.

I wouldn’t deregister and EHE. It is easier, although not easy, to get support when DC remain in the system. Bluntly, you are someone’s problem. Whereas if you EHE it is easier for professionals to sweep DD’s needs under the carpet. Although that doesn’t mean they have to attend school full time if they can’t do that. At the minute, the LA has a duty to ensure DD receives a suitable, full-time education. If you EHE, the LA will say you are making suitable alternative arrangements thereby relieving them of this duty. And if the EHE the LA has an incentive to refuse to assess or refuse to issue an EHCP because they know if they refuse there is a higher chance you will continue to EHE.

Hey you've not blanked her name out on the second photo. Maybe ask @mnhq to edit or remove?

You can't change a whole school OP.

Your daughter can't be the collateral damage.

Have you had advice from Smira on the situational mutism? I suspect it's more common than people think.

SchoolProblemHelp

Thanks for the reply, I am sorry if I come across as pushy and not supportive.

Looking at the form

Is it a screen print from the schools parent portal?

Its not very good, The use of gender instead of sex is usually quite indicative of a management and SEND system that looks good but generally has no depth to it.
Where you have level of need : monitoring is IMO wrong it should be active as monitoring implies that no response is required by teachers only the SEND department.
The passes required reads like a tick list that no one has checked off.
The reasonable adjustment section isn't to bad but it mentions the passes "below" but they are above (minor but annoying), and where are the suggested strategies to aid her learning?
The ones that are there are very generic or should be happening as good practice.
The sensory and physical is interesting but is again generic and not linked to lessons where they could be.

It looks like a general form that has been "dumped" on the system with no thought as to who will be using it.

@BrightYellowTrain Thanks I have reported the post so mumsnet can remove it. Well spotted and thanks for letting me know!

Also good point about them
not listing the full spectrum of need at the top. In regards to the level of need, I have said before that I don’t think she should sit at monitoring level but they disagreed.