Does school have to inform parents if child having help from SENCO?

[popgoestheweezel]

A parent of another child in ds' yr1 class has just told me that our sons (and 3 others) are going out of the classroom to have some extra help from the SENCO every thursday afternoon.
This parent found out by accident when a teaching assistant said something. When she asked the teacher about it the teacher said it was nothing to worry about. We are both surprised that our children are having extra help yet they didn't mention anything even though we've recently had parent's evening.
Is this usual?

I would have expected them to let you know!

Do you know what the extra support is for? How long it is going on for? Why your son was chosen?

I would definately ask for a meeting!

If they did not feel the need to inform you then it cannot be anything like a IEP, for which you would need to be consulted, so it does sound more informal. But, saying that, surely it is good practise to involve parents??

We know absolutely nothing.
They know we have serious concerns over him and they know he has already seen a paediatrician and has now been referred on to CAMHS.
We had a meeting with one of the teachers (a job share) and given them information on Pathological Demand Avoidance (what he is being assessed for). I suggested another meeting once they had read it all but she said that wouldn't be necessary and nothing more has been said.
That meeting was only 2 weeks ago (just after parents evening too) so they have had plenty of opportunity to mention it. Surely they ought to have done?

It is good practice to inform parents, but if he's not on an IEP it isn't a requirement.
I'd go along interested rather than upset and ask what they were working on and how I could support more effectively at home.

Maybe it's a trial run at supporting him and the others, and they are still working out what's the most effective approach or strategy to use.
So they'll tell you more formally when they think they have a better idea of how they will support him.

I just think it very strange that they have had two opportunities of telling us and they haven't. It's like it's some sort of secret!
We had a meeting with the head and the senco back in reception and were told that there was no need for any intervention.

Now it seems they think there is