Reception and homework, very upset ds

[rebl]

I posted the other day about reading words that are being sent home. My poor ds is in bed crying his eyes out over these words. Yesterday he just didn't "get it" with his words. 3 words were sent home yesterday. Today he's been sent home with those 3 words and 2 more. He got them out himself to do but started crying straight away saying it was too hard. So I said it didn't matter, we would do them tomorrow as he was tired and he cried even more saying he was meant to learn the words . The poor boy can't even retain what the 5 words are let alone read them. He's been crying on and off all evening about these words . Crying about school being so hard . He's in bed crying now and refusing to sleep saying he needs to learn his words. We've tried getting them back out but he then just cries that he can't read them. The poor boy is just 4 and he's deaf. This isn't a good start. I don't understand why they're piling the pressure on so soon, he's only done 4 half days and we're at this already.

SEN Code of Practice - Consider this the 'Bible' of the school in relation to Special Educational Needs.

If at any point you read 'must' - it is legally required. They cannot choose not to do it.

If at any point you read 'should' - it is considered best practice, and they can get their wrists slapped by the First Tier Tribunal (previously SENDIST) if they don't.

5:56 The triggers for School Action Plus could be that, despite receiving an individualised
programme and/or concentrated support under School Action, the child:

continues to make little or no progress in specific areas over a long period

continues working at National Curriculum levels substantially below that expected
of children of a similar age

continues to have difficulty in developing literacy and mathematics skills

has emotional or behavioural difficulties which substantially and regularly interfere with the child?s own learning or that of the class group, despite having an individualised
behaviour management programme

has sensory or physical needs, and requires additional specialist equipment or regular advice or visits by a specialist service

has ongoing communication or interaction difficulties that impede the development
of social relationships and cause substantial barriers to learning.
5:57 Where schools seek the help of external support services, those services will need to see the child?s records in order to establish which strategies have already been employed and which targets have been set and achieved. They can then advise on new and appropriate targets for the child?s IEP and on accompanying strategies. The targets set may require specialist assessment arrangements to measure the child?s progress. If so, outside specialists, for example educational psychologists may be required for this.

5:58 The SENCO and class teacher, together with curriculum, literacy and numeracy
coordinators and external specialists, should consider a range of different teaching
approaches and appropriate equipment and teaching materials, including the use of
information technology. The external specialist may act in an advisory capacity, or provide additional specialist assessment or be involved in teaching the child directly. In some instances improved management or alternative arrangements based on advice from health professionals may considerably reduce the child?s special educational needs.

5:59 The resulting new IEP for the child should set out fresh strategies for supporting the child?s progress. Although developed with the help of outside specialists, the strategies specified in the IEP should usually be implemented, at least in part and as far as possible, in the normal classroom setting. The delivery of the interventions recorded in the IEP
continues to be the responsibility of the class teacher.

5:60 If the SENCO and the external specialist consider that the information gathered about the child is insufficient, and that more detailed advice must be obtained from other outside professionals, then the consent of the child?s parents must be sought.

5:61 The SENCO should note in the child?s records:
what further advice is being sought
the support to be provided for the child pending receipt of the advice.

OK, so if I understand that all correctly my ds must be on school action plus?

I'm confused. The school/ht definatly said he's on school action NOT school action plus. Is this a question for ToD or school? God, I'm useless, I don't even know who I'm meant to talk to.

This is way too much for the first weeks of reception. They should just be getting used to routines, each other and staying awake!!

I think you really should speak to the teacher, to explain everything, just like you have done here, rather than just writing in his book.

I would say so, rebl. He is getting regular visits from an outside agency. They can't manage him without them.

Do read on in the SEN COP, it gives a very clear and helpful example on page 103:

"f the LEA conclude that, for example,
the child?s learning difficulties call for:

? regular and frequent direct teaching
by a specialist teacher

? daily individual support from a
learning support assistant

? a significant piece of equipment such
as a closed circuit television or a
computer or CD-ROM device with
appropriate ancillaries and software

? the regular involvement of
non-educational agencies

the LEA may conclude that the
school could not reasonably be
expected to make such provision
within its own resources and that the
nature of the provision suggests that
the LEA should formally identify in a
statement the child?s needs, the full
range of provision to be made and
the review arrangements that will
apply. The LEA?s conclusions will, of
course, depend on the precise
circumstances of each case, taking
into account arrangements for
funding schools in the area."

I suspect that the input you are talking about is going towards Statement territory, tbh.

I was thinking about this thread last night.

DD came home with a collection of flash cards and a note from her teacher that said these were some of the words our children would be encountering over the next few weeks and it would be helpful if parents could help them learn them. The letter then went on to suggest some things we may like to do - eg drawing pictures of the item and sticking the card underneath, making up silly sentences with the words and maybe labeling some things around the house with them. Most importantly the letter added that the words were based on the levels the children had now been assessed at and we were not to push the children if they didn't want to.

Not sure what I'm going to do with shouted, wanted, there and that though!

Do they do Ginn reading scheme at your sons school OP. The words you listed all sound like level one words for that scheme to me.

rebl how has this week been for your DS so far? is he finding it any easier?

desertgirl thank you for asking. He's not happy. I'm not happy. I don't know what to do. Both my children are being failed by the school now. The whole family is now in a state which won't be helping ds. He's been sent home with letters today, again no visual support. I've not even got them out for him to do. I just want to cry but I can't, I have to be strong. I'm so tired of all the pushing I'm having to do with the school and we're only half way through week 2.

I just wonder if the school is crap or my expectations are waaaayyy too high or what. I'm so upset you've no idea. I'm so tired you've no idea.

DS tonight has fallen asleep with only minor problems, the 1st time since he started school. So that has to be positive.

Oh no, I'm really sorry to hear that. So odd that what they say doesn't seem to translate at all into what they do.

Your poor boy. And poor you. I hope you get some good sleep tonight too.

Rebl - I'm so sad for you, your DS & the whole family :(

This is not a good start to school for any of you.

And i do NOT feel your expectations are too high (well maybe they are of this particular school sadly), every child should have their needs met, especially if they have an added issue to contend with, and especially for ALL new school starters.

I hate to say it but maybe looking around at other schools might be the answer, and in the meantime pushing for a statement & any external (ie forced upon the school & monitored) support there is out there.

Contact anyone and everyone (I know, it's exhausting and to have to battle like this is so unfair), councillors, LEA, etc.

Rebl my youngest DD has just started 1, she still can't read or really recognise letters - we don't do homework etc etc, I didn't with my 3 older ones either. This school is being so pushy there is just no need.

My youngest had speech problems due to poor hearing - when she first started her teacher could understand very little of what she said. This had been picked up on by her already at nursery visit and induction days - she was straight on the SENCO list, straight into having 1 to 1 time to practice her tricky sounds and lots of other techniques to help her.

That is the sort of support a child with mild hearing problems should be given on a plate, your school is very much letter your children down.

rebl, I've just read your thread. I am so sorry for you, your DS and your DD. My DS has just started year 1, he only started bringing words home in his last term in reception. The school are expected too much from the reception children, which just looks like is compounding your DS's situation.

My DH is a teacher, and he was shocked to read what your DS has been put through.

By the way I can identify with him finding it all too loud. I am hearing impaired myself and I ahve huge problems with filtering our background noise in group situations, I find any large social situation a pain. It must be many times worse at the age of 4 when you are tyring to get on in a new situation.

I really hope things improve for you all.