pupils with "statements" ?? What does this mean ?

[sparkle1977]

We are currently in the process of choosing a primary school for DS1 who will start in Sept 2011.

Have been looking at the Ofsted reports. Our most local school and also most preferred school states in the Ofsted report that it has below average numbers of pupils with learning difficulties but higher than average number of pupils with statements.

I had thought that statements were connected with learning difficulties but maybe this is not the case ?

What are "statements" and is this fact something to be concerned about at all ?

Statements aren't necessarily for learning difficulties. A child can have a statement if they have mobility issues for instance - statement might say some sort of alternative PE lesson for that child.

There are 3 categories of 'special education needs'. School Action, School Action Plus, and a Statement. Statements are very hard to get because they mean the LEA has to give the school money (the other categories don't get money)

Anyway - you don't need to worry at all. It may well be a good thing - it's impossible to tell from just the raw data.

The more telling statistic is their CVA (Value Added Score)

My experience is that good schools end up with lots of SEN kids that the bad schools have driven away by not looking after them properly.

There will be all sorts of kids in your child's class. Some will be bright, some won't. Some will be bullies or snobs or racists. And some will definaeley have special education needs. Means nothing. Your teacher will be experienced in teaching all sorts of kids. Kids who concentrate and want to work and kids who don't. Kids who love school and kids who hate it etc. A statement tells you absolutely nothing about how a child will behave in the classroom.

Child in my dd's private school has a statement. She is very bright and intelligent but has a medical condition which means she needs the help of a TA to help her access the curriculum.

It really can mean anything

Thanks for all your replies.

It seems that this aspect of the Ofsted reports is of no concern then really. Shall not give it another thought.

In some cases it can work to your child's advantage. if funding for a TA is given to a statemented child then that is another pair of hands in the classroom in general.

It can mean in some cases that children may have learning difficulties and that can impact on SATS results. But SATS do not a good school make.

Sparkle, can I make a suggestion, go and visit the school, this will tell you far more than the Ofsted report - this is just one part of the puzzle, and I speak as a former Inspector.

Like any report, it is written in its own code and often what is more telling is what is not included rather than what is and what may seem outrageous to you is perfectly reasonable when you have the rest of the picture. Remember that the language which can be used in reports is very carefully monitored and frankly the report structure before the latest change was too short and light on detail to be really useful.

I would say that the first 10 minutes in the school will tell you an awful lot. You can smell, see, hear and touch a good school. If you go in and you can smell the loos and yesterday's dinner, hear noise rather than a working hum, see dirty playgrounds then you know that there may well be potential problems. Trust your gut instincts and speak with other parents and the children at the school.