DS1 school report - daydreaming in class

[sophy]

DS1 is in year 5. Just got his school report which goes on about his lack of attention and daydreaming in class. This has always been an issue as DS1 is borderline Aspergers, which school is aware of. DH furious about comments in report -- thinks it is school's job to engage the child, deal with the problem, and they are clearly not doing it.

Anyone else had similar experience with advice to offer?

Does he have extra support in class? I would arrange a meeting with the SEnco and teacher and ask them how they are going to support your ds and help him stay focused.

He has been on and off School Action. Just put him back on.

We are getting another assessment from SALT.

DH just thinks class teacher is wrong to go on about DS's lack of attention when 1. there is a reason for it and 2. teacher should be dealing with it.

I agree with your dh - its fine to point out that the problem is ongoing but the teacher also needs to be using strategies with him to help him with this and if the ones she has tried aren't working to try others.

You say he is borderline AS - who told you this? a paed or the school?

Your DH is being slightly unreasonable imo. I am a teacher my son (aged 9) spends a lot of time daydreaming but its my sons fault i think not the poor blooming teacher trying to cope with the demands of the 30 or so kids - teachers do try to engage - you can't please all of the people etc

I think you are right dustystar.

He got diagnosis at 3 from Gt Ormond St Hospital.

We have known about if for a long time and have had loads of expensive SALT in past.

teachers (and i include myself in here as one with a severely autistic child) have NO training by and large in aspergers and autism

ASDmum the class size is quite small - only 19 - but it's a newly qualified teacher and I wonder if lack of experience is problem.

Would you rather it wasn't mentioned? That surely would be a disservice to you? I'm not sure why dh is furious.

The school are alerting you that it's an ongoing problem which they are trying to tackle. I teach high functioning Aspergers and I would guess that your ds sits under the watchful eye of the teacher but he still needs lots of reminders despite switched on teaching (not just for him but for the whole class) and as soon as the pressure is removed he goes back to day-dreaming/not paying attention.

Have you considered getting him reassessed? AS can be difficult to dx before 7-8 - our borough won't even assess until they are 7.

DH thinks teacher has written off ds as hopeless case.

My ds1 has similar difficulties and this has been addressed in his IEP as one of his targets.

If it's enough of a problem that it's being mentioned in his school report then I think you need to talk to the teacher and SENCO about strategies for dealing with it.

But the SENCo does have training and should be working with the teacher to support sophy's ds if the lack of attention is causing problems.

Was there more in the report that suggested that Sophy?

Dustystar not sure what benefit would be in having him re-assessed. He clearly has problems, but he is never going to have sufficiently bad problems to warrant a statement. Fine in mainstream school etc.

Was originally diagnosed by team under one of top Autism specialists in UK.

SALT is doing another CELF (?) test.

Heated, I think it is the style in which they write the reports which causes the problem, all a bit too factual iyswim.

I was confused as to whether your ds actually had a dx or not. Usually when people say that their child is borderline it means that they don't meet the criteria for a full dx. If that was the case with your ds then getting a full dx would give you more ammunition when it comes to getting him support.

Coppertop, I forget, do you get an IEP on school action or is it School action plus?

No, diagnosis was "borderline ASD".

Ds1 is on SA+ but I'm fairly sure they have IEPs for SA too.

Thanks everyone, lots of helpful advice.

Think will wait for results of new Celf test and then get school to put paying attention as one of IEP targets.

Had forgotten about IEPs!

And will get DH to take a chill pill.

Does it ever get easier?!

Have you thought about petit mal epilepsy ?

article here

my younger ASD boy has those - elder may too i guess - always thought he was daydreaming as you can eventually get him out of it but couldn't with younger one - shouting, clapping in front of face made no difference - he wasn't there whilst having them