Children removed from drama school

[AccountantMum]

I have 6 year old twins that attended a weekend drama school, they started late last year after attending a trial. They are the youngest in the small class the rest being 7/8.

I mentioned to the teacher a few weeks ago that my twins were going through an ADHD assessment which school had suggested as they struggle to concentrate and stay still, and on Saturday the teacher spoke to me after the class to say my son had pushed a boy and my daughter had not listened well.
They do struggle with concentrating at times but this would be the first instance of violence - and I spoke with my son who had a differing set of events of which he claims they were lifting each other up (still not what they were meant to be doing).

The teacher emailed me today and said they can only come back to class once they both have specialist 1-1 SEN assistants with them.. stating they are both a danger to staff and students and that during the trial one of them tried to take the radiator off the wall.. I think in essence she doesn't want them to come back which I agree with. (And she was very clear on both needing although there have been no complaints about my daughter apart from not appearing to be concentrating one week)

She has stated she will send a refund if I send bank details - this was in the original email. I think she is planning on refunding half of February payment however - they were made to buy compulsory branded uniform with their names on recently which they will not be able to use and pay an "annual fee" which they claim covers show costumes and other stuff throughout the year. Do you think I would be able to get a refund on these?

I know that she doesn't want them in the class and is not planning on them attending with specialist 1-1 SEN assistants - and they don't need 1-1 assistants they get on well at school and their other extra curricular clubs but I am aware they struggle to sit still and are the youngest there.

This is a shame as badly behaved kids often benefit from creative activities like drama in the long run and get loads out of it. And can help with their concentration and listening skills…
I doubt you will get the money back but as they had attended such a short time and aren’t allowed to continue you should do.

They don't override the rights of others to enjoy the class they have paid to do.

Come on. Nothing was said until ADHD was mentioned. It's perfectly obvious that the teacher has disingenuous motives.

Or perhaps she been trying to cope but just reach her limits?? As perhaps mum has and that’s why she decided to send such small kids to a long hobby!! I think trying to break a radiator off a wall was very stressful for the staff.
Everyone is chucking the words ableism and discrimination and all I see is a parent who picked an inappropriate activity for their children regardless of disability. Op needs to recognise this and focus on what suits her children better. My child has a disability and there are a whole host of activities I wouldn’t subject him to as he wouldn’t enjoy them.

Of course it's ableism - she's not even treating the twins as individuals. The op has already said that her daughter's behaviour is much quieter.

I tell you what, how about we all keep ND kids indoors the whole time so that they don't inconvenience NT kids, whose needs are obviously greater(!)

The irony of this is off the charts. One day your child will enter the workplace and you'll be glad of all the protections in place that stop them from being removed for their dyslexia. Perhaps show some understanding and awareness for others in the same boat with different disabilities.

Most six year old would struggle with length of hobby!! Before screaming ableism perhaps consider if neurotypical kids their age would manage this, or more importantly enjoy it. My experience of six year old would say after a long and demanding week at school this hobby is too much. I only know one child out of a class of 35 who does a hobby like this a weekends. She’s an outlier in terms of behaviour but still I sometimes think she looks tired. In many countries formal education has only just started at six and op is expecting them to attend school all week then do more at weekends.

You don't know that. Op says her children struggle to behave.
In my experience the drama school give children a month or so to try and settle and learn to behave before speaking to parents. Any more is ruining the experience for the children who are behaving.

There's no irony at all.

Making accomodations for people doesn't involve allowing them to ruin the experience for everyone else.

OP this all seems strange, why did they not mention anything at the trial? I would raise that and ask for all the money back. They are the same two children who attended the trial, the only thing that has changed is you mentioned they are having an ADHD assessment.

The other thing that jumped out at me was:

"I do have to let them know they are not welcome back".

I am very much hoping you don't literally mean you are going to tell them they aren't welcome back! You need to protect their feelings, they are only 6 and will barely even know they have done anything that isn't acceptable!

Maybe your son needs an activity where he can burn off energy and frustration after a week at school in an environment where there are not too many rules. I'm thinking trampolining, running, hitting a ball around with a parent (but not formal football or tennis lessons). Cycling but in a park not on roads. Drumming. That sort of thing. What he needs might be different to what his sister needs.

Stagecoach are AWFUL. I’m still holding a grudge against them from about 10 years ago.

They phoned me to see if I was re-enrolling and for payment but I was in a meeting so they phoned my emergency contact (FIL) and basically demanded payment from him. He was so worried DD would lose her place, he paid it. I didn’t want to re-enrol and they wouldn’t issue a refund.

My point was that she has explicitly discriminated because she perceives they have a disability. She has explicitly said as much. Therefore she needs to be taken to task on it. If she had just said 'they're not quite ready for such an intense session at their age' then I wouldn't have commented.

But they haven’t been discriminated against from my understanding she says they would be allowed to return with 1-1 assistance. To keep them safe as they are unsafe. They have offered an adjustments just one the op doesn’t want to pay for: that is what DLA is there for..