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Original poster

I've just found an IEP in my DD's bookbag

43 replies

icooksocks · 20/09/2011 21:12

Just opened my year 2 DD's bookbag to find an official looking letter in there, I open the letter and out falls an IEP and a letter saying if my child is on the special needs register then they may be assessed by someone from learning and behaviour support service.
Background-We moved to the area in June, and she started at this school 3 weeks before summer hols. She struggled to settle to start with but appears to be happy now. She is not on the special needs register, she has no known problems, and was always very much an average pupil at her last school.
So what the chuffing hell is going on, how does she go from an average child to one who requires an IEP in the space of 3 months (6 weeks of those not spent at school).
Can anyone tell me whether I should be worried-she is my eldest so have no knowledge of what to do now.

OP posts:

startail · 21/09/2011 12:23

Kittenunderthebed certainly has my sympathy.
Schools communication with parents is non existent.

Becaroooo · 21/09/2011 12:27

sigh. Such bad practise!

This happened to me at my sons old school...we found out he had an IEP and was on the SEN register almost by accident...you should a0 have had a meeting with the teacher and SENco to tell you she was being given an IEP and being put on the SEN register and b) you should have a copy and be asked to sign it at every review - approx every 2 months.

Original poster

icooksocks · 21/09/2011 17:37

Wow I didnt expect to find anymore replies here .
The IEP is focused on numeracy and literacy and has nothing to do with behaviour issues. I have spoken to her teacher this morning and she says she's a well behaved, polite, hard working child who is around middle of the class academically. She just needs some help writing her alphabet properly.

Two of the things listed on the IEP are things the whole class are working towards

could it also be that you have been told, very gently, that there are issues, but maybe it didn't register that they were serious, especially as she has not been in school or long - parents do have a habit of wearing rose tinted spectacles. Nope, I'm completely aware of my DD's downfalls as well as her good points, at no point have the school expressed any concerns, she skips out after school as happy as Larry and I have never even been pulled into the classroom for a word.

'Bad practice' is not jargon. It's a perfectly easy to understand statement. TBH, the lack of 'good practice' with regards this would make me worry what else they are sloppy about and whether they would actually be teaching to the targets stated on the IEP. My thoughts entirely

Tomorrow I plan to find out if she has also been placed on the SEN register, if so I then plan to find out why they felt it unnessercary (sp?) to include us as her parents in this decision.

OP posts:

madwomanintheattic · 21/09/2011 18:30

ah - is this maybe the school just giving each child an 'individual' plan with targets, rather than any identification of sen per se? at one infant school this was how they chose to motivate their kids - the 'individual' plans were taped up all over the walls with targets and photos of each child.

that said, if they have noticed that she is behind (the 'just being unable to write alphabet correctly') then i guess they are being uber-official about ordinary small group classroom work and formally identifying it for some reason. tracking? it might be something they have been picked up for in the past and so are being ultra-keen?

it doesn't sound as though they have identified any major issues, just that they are trying to get her to catch up so that the gap doesn't widen and become problematic.

agree that it would be nice to know if they are categorising her as having sen at this point, or are merely unable to tell their ieps from their elbows.

if it is a real proper sen iep, then i would remind them that parental contribution is best practice, and that you expect to be invited in six monthly at a minimum to discuss progress and new targets. (termly for yr r, usually)

MissingMySleep · 13/10/2011 16:54

can I ask a question about IEPs please?

My son has come home with an IEP that says his problem is smiling when he is being told off. He burst into tears when I showed it to him, as he didn't know that this was a problem and thought he was doing the right thing. Ie I always tell the kids to smile when things are tough, and I tell them not to frown too much as it will make them look like Mr & Mrs Twit when they are older. He thought smiling was a good thing.

Does this really warrant an IEP?

I know I need to discuss this, in a positive way, with his teacher, but I really wanted to pick some of the knowledgable mumsnet brains first if I may.

thank you

MissingMySleep · 13/10/2011 22:32

anyone?

mumeeee · 13/10/2011 22:36

Missingmysleep no smiling when told off does not warrant an IEP. IEP's are for more serious concerns and usually mean the pupil had been put on the schools SEN register. Also IEP's should not just be sent home with the child. The school should speak to you about the concerns.

AnxiousElephant · 13/10/2011 22:45

From what you have said regarding her smiling when being told off, they have probably seen this as an inappropriate response to the occasion and see it as a social development issue i.e. most 3-4 year olds respond with frowning when told off. However, in light of what you have told her to do that isn't the case, she is simply carrying out your instruction of smiling when she feels down. I think what you should do is to explain that smiling during a telling off could seem bad mannered/ arrogant/ rude/ cheeky to a teacher and explain that she needs to look serious and not smile. Although the fact that she has taken you completely at your word in all circumstances is slightly odd given her age as most children will model peer behaviour and can react appropriately emotionally to new situations, i.e. knowing when it is the right time to laugh,look serious or sad etc. The fact that she has taken it so literally needs assessment I think.

MissingMySleep · 13/10/2011 22:51

He is 8 and I had another chat with a teacher friend, as I was getting my knickers in a twist about this, and she wondered if it is an embarressed smile, as some of her pupils do that.

I have spoken to DS again and explained that smirking or laughing at someone is really rude, and said that DH adn i want him to be thoughtful and polite when he is at school.

And I will see the teacher on Monday to ask why this has suddenly come up now, after all he has been at school for 4 years already and none of the other teachers have mentioned it. My concernwas that he was so surprised, so she obviously hasn't discussed it with him either.

Thanks for replies, it is helping me. I am worried that I am so sure my DS can do no wrong that I am overlooking something that I ought to be considering.

AnxiousElephant · 13/10/2011 22:57

Sorry Icooksocks my first post was to missingmysleep! as I thought she was the op! Started reading from the top!

I think if your dd is on an IEP it is likely to be a co-ordination/ fine motor skill issue from what you have said regarding writing the alphabet.

I do completely agree with everyone who has said that the correct process hasn't been followed and this is unacceptable.
Definately ask for an appointment with her teacher/ SENCO.

AnxiousElephant · 13/10/2011 23:01

Missingmysleep - sometimes taking things very literally and difficulty finding the right emotional response can (but certainly not always) be a sign of Aspergers which is much more common in boys.
I do think your friend is right as well though - they do sometimes have a nervous smile and that can't be helped (dd1 Y1) does this sometimes when I tell her off especially if she is embarrassed about what she has done.

MissingMySleep · 14/10/2011 09:43

ok thanks for that, I will have a look at other indicators for aspergers to see if they are relevant for my DS. Thanks for the reply :)

mrz · 15/10/2011 19:16

School Action
The following triggers for intervention at School Action are suggested within the Code of Practice

? Makes little or no progress even when teaching approaches are targeted in a child?s area of weakness
? Shows signs of difficulty in developing literacy or mathematics skills which result in poor attainment in some curriculum areas
? Presents persistent emotional or behavioural difficulties which are not ameliorated by the
behaviour management techniques usually employed in the school
? Has sensory or physical problems, and continues to make little or no progress despite the
provision of specialist equipment
? Has communication and/or interaction difficulties and continues to make little or no progress despite the provision of a differentiated curriculum

MissingMySleep · 17/10/2011 09:18

oh Mrz thanks for that, that's really useful to know.

I cannot see that any of these apply to my son. He has rubbish handwriting but his maths is great and his english average. He is (I think) a lively, energetic 8 year old. They don't always sit still and behave like little angels in a classroom environment.

I wrote a letter and sent it in on Friday so she knew what my thoughts on this were (ie does this really warrant an IEP and that I was saddened that my son had ben upset when I showed him the IEP; that he hadn't been aware of this issue (smiling when he is told off)

Tonight is parent's evening so I am girding my loins.

My mother says I am far too soft and wants to come to teh parents evening with me, argh even at this age, mum is embarrassing me!!

Any tips on what to say / what not to say are much appreciated.

IndigoBell · 17/10/2011 09:40

Don't take your child to parents evening, so the teacher can discuss things properly with you.

Don't be defensive. You don't need to agree with them, but just acknowledge that that is what school thinks. Reflecting on it later you may still disagree, or you may see what they meant.

There may be more going on than you realise. ie school may have noticed quite a bit of behaviour which together adds up to 'not typical' behaviour.

Take notes.

Is parents evening going to be long enough? I think it would be too rushed and would be better to discuss it at a longer meeting.

If he is on the SEN register, then school need to so something about his difficulties, not just acknowledge them. So what are school doing?

If you are not happy with what the teacher says, make a separate appt to see the SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) later.

MissingMySleep · 19/10/2011 18:37

thx Indigo bell that is so useful

I need to go back as you are right parents evenign was a quick 10 minutes

as I am a wimp I was nice to make up for the stroppy letter that I sent on Friday

here is the rub - his teacher IS the SENCO

AnxiousElephant · 20/10/2011 21:41

So what did she say missingmysleep?

MissingMySleep · 09/11/2011 10:31

havent plucked up the courage to get back in. Have a torn knee ligament so havent dont the school run for a month or so, but I think I will start walking soon, so I can then nip in after school and ask her whats going on.

His teacher is off sick and the cover teacher yesterday had him sit out of PE, as he told his friend to be quiet, when they were asked to be quiet.... I am not impressed but I know so little of how one manages a class of 8 year olds that I am not sure what is and is not reasonable. Also I am never sure if I get the whole story from DS, it will be his perception of what happened, he doesnt fib to me, but he is happily unaware of a lot of what goes on around him.

I do need to go in to look for the 2 coats and 4 jumpers that he has lost in the last 4 school days.....

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