Child been put on SEN register

[GladAmberOtter]

So as the title suggests my child has neen put on SEN register at school. The reason im posting here is because i know that a lot of who home educate have an issue with the school system and pigeon holing. My DC is 5.4 one of the youngest in the class and we knew she was a bit behind, but not this much!! They want to ‘close ‘ gaps and say it may not be permanant. My reservations about thd school system are coming true! I just believe she is learning at her own pace and should not be measured or compared to anybody else. Obviously im concerned, sny ex teachers here who can clarify? Are the standards too high?

I'm a current teacher. Have they outlined to you what the concerns are? Schools wouldn't usually put a summer born baby on the SEN register if they're learning at their own pace so I would suspect they think there's more to it.

They just said she hasn’t caught up as much as they had hoped and it was more about giving her extra support to catch up. They didn’t give an indication there was more too it, as they pointed out that lots of kids excel and come off the register. My point was really are they expecting too much, why wouldn’t a summer born baby be put on a register?

Just being summer born wouldn't mean having SEN as most summer born children would be keeping up with the class.
Sounds like a good thing that the teacher has noticed your child is struggling and needs extra support?

If children are at school they are inevitably going to be measured and compared - the teacher's main job is to get all the children to the same standard for that year.

I would embrace it then. Early intervention is key. If they offer extra support now that's brilliant. It doesn't mean any long term SEND.

Children don’t get individualised help there are 30+ children in one classroom with one teacher if your child is behind it may be because of that

the teacher's main job is to get all the children to the same standard for that year.

I would hope that the teacher's main job is to get each child to reach their potential that year. You're never going to get an entire class to the same standard, especially not in reception or year 1.

The aim in Reception is very much to get them all to the same standard, it's called a good level of development and it's what teachers and schools are judged upon.
'Reaching potential' sounds great but it's not the aim.

A summer born would be put on the register if it was felt that they were behind more than could be explained by their birth date.

If the school has recognised a problem and are doing what they need to do to rectify that by putting interventions in place, why are you seeing that as a problem?

Would you prefer them to see that your child wasn’t keeping up with her peers and then do nothing about it?

The register is t a diagnosis or a judgement, it’s just what schools do to keep themselves accountable so that children aren’t left to struggle with no help.

The school sounds great and proactive and is offering additional support unprompted, I know it can be difficult to hear of possible SEN especially if you are not expecting it but I would embrace their offer with open arms, not pull her out simply because you disagree. They see many 100’s of children so can usually spot it and early intervention is key. I have two summer borns, one no issue keeping up and one who always did (now diagnosed with dyslexia amongst other things) and I wholeheartedly wish her school had picked it up earlier.

The SEND register isn't just a list of children with additional needs; it's a record for teachers and parents of the individualised interventions that each child needs in order to have their needs met in school. Your DD might or might not stay on it, depending on her progress.

It isn't a 'measure' of your child, nor is it a race. It is there to help her make progress.

Have you taught reception? There are different expectations depending on the child.

My school puts children on the SEN register if they are significantly behind the rest of the class.

The trouble is your post seems to be predicated on the idea that being on the SEN register is a bad thing.

The teacher has noticed she isn’t keeping up with her peers and is putting support in place to help her.

Anyway I think this child is year 1.

They won’t be expecting too much…..they often don’t put kids on the SEN register, when they do have SEN…..so you can be sure there are concerns

Sounds lovely.
But ultimately - there's a standardised target for every child to reach. GLD is the expectation, and children who aren't reaching that expectation will be getting extra interventions.
The education system is about children reaching a particular level at a particular age. Whether that's in Reception, Year 6 or GCSEs.

Surely it’s a good thing her needs are being identified and they’re coming up with a plan to help her? It isn’t usual for a summer born to be put on the SEN register unless they are much further behind then expected or there’s other issues being noticed. I have a summer born who’s the youngest in her class, she started reception this year and is most definitely not behind the majority of her class. She’s already being moved up reading groups and keeps up with the others. Summer born doesn’t automatically mean behind so they don’t treat them all the same.

Of course there's that expectation - ARE exist for a reason. But in reality every decent teacher knows that not all the children in the class will make the ARE. And some will go beyond.

children who aren't reaching that expectation will be getting extra interventions.
That's exactly my point when I said to embrace the interventions. It may well be enough to lift this child to the ARE. It won't with everyone.

Educational standards are designed by politicians so that there’s some kids who don’t reach expectations. If everyone reached expectations then the educational system becomes what politicians and newspapers call “dumbed down”

I have an August born who started school before the right to defer and he was behind in infants but achieved expected by year 6. He has ADHD and dyslexia so school has been harder for him compared to his siblings but achieving expected by year 6 and beyond means that he managed to get GCSEs and onto the college capital of his choice where he’s very happy.

Where kids don’t make expected levels, schools do not become super concerned as long as there’s progress each school year. I’d be asking the school about the interventions. In my son’s case, his school only ramped up the interventions in year 5 because of year 6 SATs but he made massive progress in year 5 which put him on the path to good GCSE passes later. I would have been delighted if the interventions were earlier but they kept on saying that he was young and he’d catch up. Without the year 5 interventions, I’m not so convinced that things would have panned out so well for him.

I’d encourage you not to look at it as pigeon-holing, nor labelling, it’s good they have offered to give your child extra support based on a need.

Think about your child, not the politics nor the education system as whole, if you do, it will only be to the detriment of your child. Unless your child is extremely distressed by school in my opinion home-schooling is not necessarily the answer.

You can also do plenty at home to help close the gap too. Phonics, basic math etc can all be taught by a parent.

I just believe she is learning at her own pace and should not be measured or compared to anybody else

That’s just how milestones work, though? If your child wasn’t walking at two or wasn’t sitting up at one you would be worrying because they would be behind compared to their peers.

Do you not think her learning should be measured at all? And how else could it be measured really other than in comparison to averages? What if she can’t read at ten?

It's a good thing. I don't know what your issue is.
It's making sure she gets the extra support she needs.

OP-you seem to attach intrinsic shame to the term SEN.

I should add a child can also be put on the SEN register as an unusually high achiever. That happens too.

It's just a list of
Special.
Educational.
Needs.

Personally all kids have SEN, of course they do as they're all different..But then it's not my world is it.

It's not a punishment - they've identified your child needs extra help and are wanting to provide that. I'm not sure why you're so annoyed

I should add a child can also be put on the SEN register as an unusually high achiever. That happens too.

Exceptional ability is not legally considered a Special Educational Need.

All DC do not have SEN.