Should I complain to the governors?

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Just wanted a bit of input on normal expectations of school head/admin to see whether IABU as I fear I'm losing perspective on this....

background: DD (year 4) diagnosed at our expense as being dyslexic, possibly ADD and mildly dyspraxic. Also being investigated for auditory processing disorder.

Is at large mainstream school-all of her problems been denied/overlooked by school and they haven't been willing to engage with the ed psych report as there are "a very large number" of DC in her year group whose needs are greater.My requests for SENCO meeting/IEP etc and mention of school Action been totally ignored "as all planning now over for this academic year" etc etc. Haven't been able to see Head (secretary says he too busy-told me to send emails which have never been replied to)

Fast forward to last few weeks where we have decided to send DD to a different school. Informed class teacher and sent letter to head via secretary (as he wasn't available for a meeting).
This was 3 weeks ago; have had no reply or acknowledgement. No request for a meeting to discuss why we're removing her or anything like that.

Just spoken to secretary and seems she is unaware DD is leaving. So I don't know whether he never got the letter (as I handed it in in person I doubt it!) or just hasn't bothered acting on it in a minimal way!

WWYD? I'm furious; they have never been interested in DD while she's there and I now it seems they haven't even noticed she's leaving!!

Should I kick up a fuss or just move on? Unfortunately governing bidy dominated by head, secretary and teeachers either from this school or neighbouring infant school. Parent governors appear very pally with head so I fear they will just close ranks!

I meant governing body of course....

That sounds absolutely, gobsmackingly shit.

Yes, I think it is worth talking to a governor. One of the governors should be the Inclusion Link - the office will know who (or will know how to find out) - try that one. Maybe write a letter - be as factual and objective as possible.

Plan B is that your Local Authority Children's Services will have an Area SENCo. It may be worth getting in touch with him/her.

I'd kick up a fuss, it could help someone else in the future. I'd go to the LEA rather then the parent governors though.

Thanks, that's a good idea about LEA as the governors seems like a closed shop.

I'm reassured that you think it is pretty crappy hassled as i was beginning to think my expectations were too high....I'm used to the school being useless but this feels even more useless than normal...

And just for the record at the last visist OFSTED rated the school "outstanding" in every category!!

I would try and put the nasty school behind you and just make a positive start at the new school. Persuing this will only make you stressed and angry, but it is unlikely to do any good for anyone.

But if it makes you feel better, you could write a stinking letter outlining your dissatisfaction with their SEN protocols. And copy in OfSTED.

thanks clam and indigo - I know what you mean about putting it behind us - have been in tears all afternoon as DD so upset at leaving now her friends have had a visit to the next class. It's so hard having to put education first!

I think i do need to do something as I don't want other children to get the same treatment. LEA and Ofsted are probably going to make more sense than governors from the advice on this thread.

Does your DD go to my DD's old school?

I was in exactly the same position 2 years ago. We paid and had DD diagnosed as dyslexic, school not interested, ignore by requests for SENCO meetings, etc. I wrote to LEA and governers in the end to get a meeting. They finallya greed to put her on class action and then when I asked a term later how it was going they admitted they'd forgotten.

I moved DD to a new school. I rang the school on the Thursday morning and said that DD will be leaving at the end of this week to go to a new school as I'm so unhappy. Secretary said "ok, I'll tell her teacher". Never heard a thing from anyone about it.

I was annoyed that they couldn't even acknowledge that she was leaving or attempt to disuade me and say they would sort stuff out. Maybe they were glad to see the back of me!

Anyway I've put it behind me. Complaining won't get you anywhere or make any difference to your DD. That school is crap the new one will be better. I'd look forward and forget them.

stripey your experience sounds very very similar!! You are right that complaining won't get anywhere - I am trying not to put too much energy into writing my letter as I know I will probably get no response.

I think you've hit the nail on the head about their failure to acknowledge she is leaving!! It's as if she never mattered at all and that's what I find heartbreaking. I haven't pestered them about any of this so it's not as if we've fallen out. i've tried to do everything politely and it's got me absolutely nowhere!

Stripey has your DD settled at her new school and are you happier with the SEN provision?

DD has settled in her new school really well. She's been there just over a year. She was in Yr 3 when she moved. We do make the effort to keep her in touch with her old friends, having them over for tea, etc. She joined Brownies so she could see them as well, though she has now given that up but that was her choice and I think it softened the blow.

The new school is much better, the SEN provision is certainly there if she needed it as I see other kids getting a lot of help. To be honest I didn't push it and I don't think I ever told the new school she's dyslexic. I wanted to leave it and see what the new school made of her.

We paid £400 for the test and were told she had "mild dyslexic traits/tendencies". The centre then offered specialist tuition. Now at the time DD was a year behind at achool but I wasn't sure whetehr that was due to poor teaching at the old school or "dyslexia". I was slightly suspicious that it was in the centre's interest to say she was dyslexic so we would pay for tuition. Obviously if they'd said it was severe we'd have told the school.

So a year on in a different school with no SEN support she has gone from being a year behind to now being at the top of her year and have been told that she will likely pass her 11+ if we put her in for it.

I certainly feel now that her previous problems were due to the old school and am happy to forget about the dyslexia label. Though will always keep an eye out for any problems that may be linked. Interestingly her old school has since failed its Ofsted. They said that the school were providing an unacceptable level of education and were not monitoring preogression. I'd been saying that to the school and the LEA for 18 months!

I hope your DD settles in well. Be prepared for tears on her first morning. I had to carry DD in screaming the first morning!

stripey I'm v. glad it has worked out so well for your DD and sounds like you did absolutely the best thing! She has done fantastically well academically too! Will also be trying hard to keep up with old friends though imagine it gets difficult after a while.

DD is ok about changing schools as she likes the uniform better at new school (shallow emoticon!) but I don't think reality has sunk in yet....its heartbreaking taking her away from her friends because the school is incapable of doing its job...if she was unhappy there it would seem more logical to change schools somehow!

Definitely kick up a fuss.

Ah see, the problem I had is that DD prefered the uniform at her old school.

It does get hard to keep up with old friends and that has definetly been the worst part, when she gets upset as she hasn't seen X for a few weeks.

Her new school is very small so there hasn't really been the friend opportunities there either and that hasn't helped.

has it been worth it do you think though? how many people does she have in her class? has she now forgotten old school or is it still very much in her mind?

School sounds shocking crap.

As an aside I just wanted to recommend this as something to look into that may help your dd, it's something I used to help 2 of mine with fantastic results

www.inpp.org.uk/

It has been worth it. She says that she's glad she moved schools and that she enjoys school more now. She's interested and enthusiastic which she never was before. She doesn't talk about her old school anymore, but just mentions a couple of her old friends.

There are about 16 in her new class and thats a mixed year class. There are only 2 other girls in her year.

I hope you manage to get it all sorted and that your DD enjoys her new school. In my opinion I would write to the LEA as although it will not help your DD if enough people complain they might do something in the future..... plus if enough people had written previously then maybe things would have been different for your DD. (Maybe a touch optimistic, but you never know!!)

Thanks everyone - balance of opinion seems to be that it is worth complaining to OFSTED and LEA - I feel it's worth it as incompetent schools will never get any better really if they get away with such shoddy behaviour!

Stripey my DD's new school is tiny too - 10 in her new class so I am worried that we are sacrificing a lovely big group of friends for a very small potential friends pool. It breaks my heart that we have had to take this decision as crappy current school basically can't educate her (she is at the same SATs levels at the end of Y4 as she was in Y1/2).

Thanks cargirl that site looks great will have a really good look in a minute!

Jumping in a bit late here I think, but I work in a state middle school and you must complain to the local LEA in the strongest possible terms and ask them to investigate your complaints.

We deserve so much better than this from our schools.

thanks bigfoot - good to hear that it's not just a case of my expectations being too high, which is quite frankly how I've been made to feel by the school in my dealings with them!

Agree with everything above, but you could also contact SOSSEN, and charity which helps parents with children with SEN find their way through the maze. I know a couple of people who have had help from them, and they have been amazingly supportive. They are currently helping a friend to is taking the borough to court over a failure similar to this.

www.sossen.org.uk

And complain to the Inclusion Governor, and the LEA, but I am sure SOSSEN would help you with this.

Really really that your DD has to change schools over this, she should not be the one suffering.

Good Luck.

Thanks escorchio for the tip about Sossen - will definitely contact them - and for the other things you have said. It's just nice to come across people who understand why I am so upset over this. Thank you!