SEN school closed already. Could cry for my boy.

[newyeary]

ASD school already closed as they've said they don't have enough staff and don't plan on reopening. They've told us they have already moved to the remote learning that we are all used last lockdown. Thank you and goodbye - basically.

Remote learning last time was a worksheet each day uploaded to their website and a weekly zoom which no children ever attended for obvious reasons. Their school day is so much more. They have lots of learning, daily mental health lessons, daily SALT, social communication groups etc. They have a right to their EHCP. I'm so sad that his fabulous school when he's there is giving up on them so quickly. Obviously they can't be taught remotely so they get nothing? This happened last time and no one was allowed to attend for for 2 months and then only 1 day a week.

DS is 10 and has already missed half of his primary school years due to no school being available and then lockdown. He's an only child. No friends outside of school. No contact with anyone. No interests except deteriorating mental health without the regularity of school. I'm so sad for him and us. His life chances are already so compromised.

According to the guidance, SEN schools are to stay open apparently.....

Op, no!

How many of us know all the laws that apply to us, many mn do not know their employment rights, many businesses do not understand their obligations.
Many schools do not know their legal obligations many local authorities do not understand the law echp etc.

Op I would just keep trying to get some access at some time.

Really sorry to hear you've been left in the dark again. Would it be possible to contact your local authority who provided rhe EHCP to see if your child could enrol in another school? May be a bit daunting though for your child

I vaguely remember this was being discussed in the first lockdown (schools working together if establishments had to completely close and remote learning wasnt an option for the carer).

It doesn't matter whether they 'feel' the children are vulnerable because they all have EHCPs. They have been determined by the DfE to be vulnerable, whether there is 1 child or 100. So they have to accommodate all of them. Unless it is actually impossible as all staff CEV

Neurologicallyspeaking Our special school told us today that our child’s EHCP and ss involvement did NOT make him vulnerable and entitled to be at school.

@newyeary

According to the guidance, SEN schools are to stay open apparently.....

Hi OP, can you link the exact guidance for this please? Our SN school is open tomorrow but they are risk assessing all children and will be told whether or not we will have a place by the end of Tuesday. I want to get my ducks in a row if I need to challenge their risk assessment.

@boobybum

Neurologicallyspeaking Our special school told us today that our child’s EHCP and ss involvement did NOT make him vulnerable and entitled to be at school.

That is madness. Contact the local authority to verify - we've been told all children with an EHCP are entitled to a place during any lockdowns.

@PennineSpring it's quoted in a guardian article that someone mentioned on a different thread but I can't find it in the actual guidance.....

@MellowYellow101 this seems to be the difference across different schools. The definition of vulnerable!

@MellowYellow101 Funnily enough our child was at a mainstream primary before September 2000 and that school said they would get a temporary member of agency staff to more or less babysit but now they are at a special school they won’t get anything!

@boobybum @newyeary that sucks. Seems like SEN schools are actually making it more difficult with the use of definition and hiding behind their names as specialists (therefore no 121). Sending good vibes your way, hope you manage to get the support you need during this lockdown xx

Maybe this’ll help OP. This document states which children ‘vulnerable’ refers to and it clearly states children with an EHCP are classed as vulnerable.
www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision#vulnerable-children-and-young-people

The guidance is so vague it allows schools to do what they like. I’m furious. Actually I’m too tired to be really furious. When will we get a break?

That does contrast sharply with this, from DS2's school.

I can see the dilemma faced by special schools, certainly. They are being asked by the government to remain at full capacity and I can see how that wouldn't be possible with increased distancing and some staff shielding (and others, unable to access key worker school places if they're the only family member who is a key worker)

That doesn't help our children, though.

I am hoping that, once DS2 realises that no, we haven't been lying and his taxi will not arrive, tomorrow, he might just stop growling, eventually, as he has made himself hoarse.

Awful OP. I'm always in awe of parents like you. Hope you and your boy find a way through.

The above by Deux guidance is what is current. The school is working on the outdated guidance from last lockdown - when EHCP duties were suspended - and when schools were told to risk assess and only offer places to those who were safer at school than at home. The current guidance is all EHCP children in school = all SEN schools must open. I think an issue is that last time SEN schools could get away with just sending some worksheets and website links and so staff could do this while their own children were home - this time they will need to find childcare as they are expected to be in school. If you have EHCP ask the council sen team to sort it out on your behalf. DS was out for 4 months last time and the school was really unsympathetic that I had to work from home. I had a chat with a teacher earlier today (inset day) who hinted they expected to be closed so I think it will come as a shock to a lot of special schools that they are expected to stay fully open this time.

I'd prefer to be given the option to be honest. I don't believe sending my DC in is the best thing for him at the moment. His school contacted to let us know Sunday and called parents earlier to let us know school was closed to most pupils. I'm aware it's not the same situation for everyone though it if they do state they must be open, please allow us the choice to keep DC home if we feel it's right for our child. I say this as a parent to 2 other DC who will also be home.

Hi OP
We are in the same position. My son is in year 7 and started secondary sen school in September after being in a primary sen since he started school. He really struggled starting the new school, I won’t say too much or I will out myself. We were told by his school that as a sen school they were going back on the 4th, on the 3rd they said they were having an inset day instead, and now they are saying they only have the staff to take children who either have 2 parents as key workers or single parents who are key workers.
It breaks my heart that he has regressed in many ways and that missing so much school will have a huge impact on him. I’m a key worker, my husband works from home so we really struggle to do any kind of home schooling. He is saying he is frightened. I’ve been relatively ok about it but this time its really hit me. I don’t blame anyone, well thats not true I hate that so many people haven’t taken this seriously.
Sorry thats turned into a bit of a vent.

Our Sen school is only opening to vulnerable pupils. Quite who that is as all the kids in a Sen school are surely vulnerable. I’ll really struggle to get my 7 year old back to school if she’s off for two months. I’ve had to send my ds (who has an ehcp) back to mainstream as he can’t cope with his younger sister. Inbetween a very destructive 7 year old who needs constant 1:1, I have my 12 year old who needs to remote learn and also my job. My dh last time was useless and left me to it but I can’t do it again. Sadly no chance of me being furloughed either.

According to all the news reports, specialist schools and AP are staying open but the government guidance just says all vulnerable children to attend so I assume they are generalising?

Either way, our school is using the lack of staff as a reason rather than school is closed because all schools are closed. With shielding back in place, who knows what staffing they have.

Ds is in year 5, the last time he did a full school year in a school was reception year 😢

Teacher in an MLD LA school here.

The NEU last night advised members to return as the section 44 letter stated we would of course support with vulnerable/key worker pupils, so unless the school are currently hit with lots of absences for other reasons, they should be open.

The DfE guidance is vague as you would expected. The unions say not all students with an EHCP are vulnerable and schools should risk assess as individuals.

Schools do not have a right to say no to any with an EHCP.

We are dividing up into those we are worried about and want to encourage to come in and those we are not and would prefer to home-learn with regular checks from school.

We are anticipating more than said yes last time. We are also working in the dark as although we spoke to parents yesterday, this was before BJs announcement.

It’s a mess. But you should fight for your child to go in if you believe the impact on him outweighs the social responsibility of reducing the spread/personal risk of Covid. It’s so tricky, it’s just a rubbish situation.

*do not have a right to say no unless they have sufficient staff for it to be safe.

My ds’ mainstream have sent out three emails between 8pm and 8am today. They’ve got the SLT on the gate reviewing applications - we have an ehcp. My ds has ft 1:1. I cannot provide that at home. He will not learn. It’s now making me feel hugely uncomfortable about sending my son back.

@Irre247

Teacher in an MLD LA school here.

The NEU last night advised members to return as the section 44 letter stated we would of course support with vulnerable/key worker pupils, so unless the school are currently hit with lots of absences for other reasons, they should be open.

The DfE guidance is vague as you would expected. The unions say not all students with an EHCP are vulnerable and schools should risk assess as individuals.

Schools do not have a right to say no to any with an EHCP.

We are dividing up into those we are worried about and want to encourage to come in and those we are not and would prefer to home-learn with regular checks from school.

We are anticipating more than said yes last time. We are also working in the dark as although we spoke to parents yesterday, this was before BJs announcement.

It’s a mess. But you should fight for your child to go in if you believe the impact on him outweighs the social responsibility of reducing the spread/personal risk of Covid. It’s so tricky, it’s just a rubbish situation.

It sounds like your SEN school, like most in my LA (including my sons SEN school) are working from incorrect guidance. DSs school have even linked the current guidance but have worded the letter assuming that theyre working from the last one

Email the headteacher and LA case worker the following:

'As ... has an EHCP, and is therefore classed as vulnerable, we cannot accept their losing that amount of learning.

We understand that the legal duties were relaxed for a portion of last year (to “best endeavours”) but that currently the duties under S.42 and S.43 of the Children and Families Act 2014 are in full force at this time, therefore ... is still currently legally entitled to receive every intervention specified in their EHCP.'

Hit them with the law. They have a legal duty to provide.