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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To complain?

3 replies

Hyergrund · 18/03/2025 06:05

I know schools are under incredible pressure, but I have a situation where I do think the school should be more accountable.
My son has SEN and a speech delay. He is very quiet and easy going, easy to overlook. He is above expected level in reading and maths. No behaviour issues.
His current school was going to refuse his placement. They asked for more money from our Local Authority and accepted him with higher funding. This was supposed to find his provision, but I’m sure he only gets a very small percentage of the provision the school has stated that he needs.

Many reports I get from the school have awful wording. One of the first reports I had (he was 4) stated that he had ‘a tiny squeaky voice’ and that he ‘just sits there’.

A document that was supposed to be actioned (by law) 8 months ago has only just been completed. The school should have been working with the Local Authority to get this right, but told me a 6 month delay was ‘normal’ (it’s actually unlawful). They gave the Local Authority incorrect information (they said he had been discharged from speech services when he hasn’t). His document is now only in place because I have chased and chased and challenged wording such as his speech provision.
This is all supposed to be the Local Authorities responsibility, but I think the school have been terrible. I can challenge the Local Authority - but it is very difficult to hold a school accountable, plus the potential repercussion it could have on my son. Should I complain about the school - and how??

OP posts:
Theresacatinmykitchenwhatamigonnado · 18/03/2025 06:09

You are perfectly within your rights to complain, follow the complaints procedure in their policy - it will be on the website or you can ask for a copy.
Why do you want him in that school? If they are fundamentally not good, complaining will only paper over the cracks.

Hyergrund · 18/03/2025 06:20

@Theresacatinmykitchenwhatamigonnado
Thank you for replying!
I don’t think the complaints procedure at the school is unbiased. It involves complaining about the person who makes decisions about his SEND provision and she would know about my complaint, It would involve going through the school governors and I think they’d have a vested interest to support the senior managers at the school. I think this could then have repercussions on myself and DS.
He is only at the school for another year, it is his local community school and he has strong friendships.

Not only is it a case of another school accepting a child with an EHCP, it’s the disruption it would cause DS to move.

OP posts:
ScienceFanGirl · 18/03/2025 06:56

You have to follow the official school complaints procedure before you do anything else. If you don't, you will just be referred back to it.

Or move schools.

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