School Action Plus Surprise

[holycrumpets]

DS age 7 is happy and confident at school, just started year 3. Academically he's about a year behind, has been since reception. As far as I know he's never had any extra support. I've never been told of any specific academic problems apart from handwriting struggles.

Today the head gives me an envelope, smiles, tells me DS is getting lots of extra support and please can I read and sign the enclosed. I get home and read a two page Action Plus Plan. Sorry what??? Never seen anything like it before.

Sooooooooo.....do I just sign and feel grateful DS is getting help? Should not there first have been an Action plan? Why is he suddenly on Action Plus? Do the school receive funding for Action Plus? Should school have discussed the plan with me first maybe? Just feel a bit bewildered!

School Action Plus is language from the 2001 SEN Code of Practice, not the (current) 2014 Code of PRactice.
It referred to dc who were getting support over and above that which could be provided from within the school. So where outside agencies were involved.

the term now (which covers both School Action and School Action Plus, is SEN Support.

However - putting aside the use of older language, then it is pretty poor practice to hand over a finalise document as the first point of interaction - they should have been discussing it with you, and ideally have invited you in for a meeting to write the document together (I know this isn't always realistic, when SENCos have limited time).
On one hand, it is a positive that they are now at least recording what they are doing and sharing it with you (maybe he was on plans before but they didn't get shared with you ?), but it is pretty poor practice for this to be the first indication that he is having this plan.

If he's always been behind though, I think the bigger question is why this is the first plan you have had, when it should be about the 10th.

Thanks for replying Backforgood. I don't even know who the SEN person in our school is - I've only even heard the term on Mumsnet! We are in a very small village school of 50 pupils so this may mean we have no SEN specialist, I really don't know. Thank goodness parents evening is coming up. Feel like I have a lot of questions...

Every school has to have a SENCo (sometimes called SENDCo / Inclusion Co-ordinator / Additional Needs Lead / other names for the same thing). What happens in little schools is that the staff wear many, many hats. It is possible it is the Head Teacher, or any one of the Teachers, but there will be one somewhere.
In truth, I wouldn't wait until parents evening - teachers have a 5 minute slot for everyone and this is going to take a longer conversation.
I'd go back to whoever handed it you and say you want to arrange a meeting with the SENCo to discuss it in more detail

School Action Plus was replaced 5 years ago so I would be concerned that the school is not up to date with the SEN Code of Practice. It was replaced by SEN Support and this is generally for children who are receiving support from external agencies, or have specific SEN. They must have a SENCo. Very poor practice to just hand it to you with no explanation. Make an appointment with the SENCo ASAP.

To add any child to the SEN register requires parental agreement.
There should have been a discussion with you about their concerns, what they have found to work and not work and what plans they are considering.
There must be a SENCO in school even if it is a part time role. There must also be a Governor responsible for SEND provision.
Giving you a letter like this with no feedback on his barriers to learning and without any input from you is unacceptable. They should have a SEND Information report on their website along with an Inclusion policy to refer to.