Part time reception still

[Teddybear12345678]

My daughter has been going to school since September reception have placed her on part time table because of sen needs not coping with transition not eating lunch or using toilet . Doesn’t have EHCP I feel like she’s missing out not 5 till march .

Older yhan 5 you can insist on full time and view part time as illegal exclusion. Don't know about under 5 though.
I take it they are applying for an EHCP?

The not using toilet shouldn’t be an issue, there are lots of children still in pull ups in reception (some without SEN)
but the lunch could be an issue, could you move to packed lunches? Scope to go home for lunch and then go back (although I realise that’s a pain for you logistically)

Have they applied for a ehcp? I understand it must be frustrating but if she's refusing to eat then they can't really have her there all day without eating that's not in her best interests.

The not using toilet shouldn’t be an issue, there are lots of children still in pull ups in reception (some without SEN)

Of course it is an issue. Who do you think will change her ?

@Teddybear12345678 Have you had meetings with the SENCo ?
Does she have individual plans in place? Has the SENCo explained a plan to work towards her attending full time ?

Request an EHCNA now. On their website, IPSEA has a model letter you can use.

If you want DD to attend full time, she can, unless the school formally suspends her. Until next term when DD is compulsory school age, you can choose to send DD part time or not at all, but the decision is yours.

She obviously finds being at school stressful so I think part time seems appropriate

Who are you expecting to change these children?

My dd is reception and still has a nap every afternoon and SEN so we are just doing mornings

My dd (no EHCP) is changed by the teacher or a TA. The school have a care policy for any children still in nappies it’s not an issue at all .

I think until compulsory school age you won't get far but next term you can start the fight. And it is a fight getting a SEN child an education.

Info on part time timetable here:

www.ipsea.org.uk/faqs/part-time-timetable

School should be applying for EHCP now. Parents can do this don't assume school have it in hand.

Definitely read up on illegal off-rolling. You should know about this before rocking the boat. I didn't and when I sought support for my reception aged SEN kid they just took him off school roll rather than deal with it. He's year 3 now and still has no school place. He has an EHCP but no schools can meet need so he's left with nothing and I have to constantly complain and go to tribunal to get a pathetic amount of provision. My advice is read up on everything now so you are prepared for the process and can't be misled with misinformation.

I think until compulsory school age you won't get far

This isn’t the case. OP can challenge this now. She does not have to accept it.

2.17 of the School Admissions Code (which you can see here) makes it clear it is the parents’ choice:

“Admission authorities must provide for the admission of all children in the September following their fourth birthday. The authority must make it clear in their arrangements that where they have offered a child a place at a school:
a) that child is entitled to a full-time place in the September following their fourth birthday;
b) the child’s parents can defer the date their child is admitted to the school until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which they reach compulsory school age and not beyond the beginning of the final term of the school year for which it was made; and
c) where the parents wish, children may attend part-time until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which they reach compulsory school age.”

You may also find the statutory school suspension and exclusion guidance helpful here. Most of it applies to those below compulsory school aged. Where it doesn’t it explicitly says so as stated on page 6.

Some bits you particularly might find helpful are:
“19. Suspending a pupil for a short period of time, such as half a day, is permissible but the formal suspension process must still be followed. Each disciplinary suspension and permanent exclusion must be confirmed to the parents in writing with notice of the reasons for the suspension or permanent exclusion.”

Also of interest may be:

“20. Any exclusion of a pupil, even for short periods, must be formally recorded. It would also be unlawful to exclude a pupil simply because they have SEN or a disability that the school feels it is unable to meet…An informal or unofficial exclusion, such as sending a pupil home ‘to cool off’, is unlawful when it does not follow the formal school exclusion process and regardless of whether it occurs with the agreement of parents.”

And

“30. A part-time timetable should not be used to manage a pupil’s behaviour”

@Burntt if DS is not receiving a suitable, full-time education, have you pursued a pre-action letter for failure to provide provision under s19 of the Education Act 1996? Then JR proceedings if that hasn’t worked? This is separate to the EHCP process.

Have you talked to the school about moving to a full timetable and why they don't want to?
I am sure they will be thinking of the child's best interest and maybe do not feel that they can cope with a full school day. If they can't eat lunch then it's tricky for them to have them all day, as surely they would be hungry and that could result in other problems.

If she is not settling well and unable to use the toilet etc, could you ask about keeping her back a year? Perhaps she would do better with a younger cohort?

Who do you think change the children that have frequent accidents? And in the first term of reception that’s a good 1/3 of the class in some cases!
As an TA I’ve changed children in pull ups up to Y3 (with SEN) and in reception (neurotypical)
it’s part of the job description now!

edited for typo

Has she got SEN?

Yes they said they are applying education plan and toilet I wasn’t very clear on toilet she will not wet her self but hold her wee . She has lunch in the classroom with other children who struggle . Nursery coped fine with her was only two days as it was all I could find in my area . I feel like she’s just missing out have to wait for a meeting date which they haven’t given yet .

@BrightYellowTrain thanks. Yes I'm trying that route but cannot find a solicitor with capacity to do JR. I cannot afford it without legal aid seeing as I cannot work with a child at home with such high needs. I also know from other local parents that our LA just ignore JR anyway in some instances so it may not solve the problems anyway. My son has very complex needs and requires high levels of support and supervision, there just are not provisions able to meet his needs even if the LA was prepared to spend the money- I've looked myself and can't find anything full time which is why we have the joke that is EOTAS cobbled together from the provisions that will take him. And they are not educating him they are struggling to meet his basic care needs and keep him safe. There will always be the argument that safely trumps a right to education and we fall at that hurdle every time I complain.

You need to keep on at them. @BrightYellowTrain gave great advice I'd recommend including those quotes in letters.

There isn't enough money to meet the needs of all the children who need support. School staff are stretched and stressed. They will likely have multiple children with SEN they are trying to support and if some of those parents nag and complain more that others those are the children who get the help. I made the mistake of not wanting to be difficult and fall out with the school at first before I understood that unless I was no progress gets made.

There is an amazing wealth of knowledge and support online from fellow parents. Make use of it

When you say ‘they said they are applying education plan’, has an EHCNA request actually been submitted to the LA? If so, when? If not, should make the request yourself ASAP.

@Burntt the LA may ignore the pre-action letter. They cannot ignore JR proceedings themselves. No matter how much they want to and try. Finding someone to take on the case is a matter of perseverance, but worth it in the end. What firms have you tried?

EOTAS/EOTIS doesn’t have to be a joke or cobbled together. It is worth looking into this more to understand the scope of it. It is bespoke to the individual’s needs.

Section 19 provision has to be suitable to the age, ability, aptitude and to any special educational needs of the individual child so the safely argument is irrelevant. Safe provision must be provided. Similarly, SEP in EHCPs is dependent on individual needs and would need to be whatever ensured safety.

Yes

to add they have the care policy for changing for any child sen or not that isn’t toilet trained yet .

It's a MASSIVE issue.

I agree

Without SEN it’s just laziness on behalf of the parents.

Havent said anything as of yet . They put a behaviour book in her bag and last time it was filled out was in October . She has a pediatrician appointment in February