Lower ability pupils can't catch up

[learnandsay]

Doesn't it depend on what you mean by catch up? I'm not familiar with Levels and SATs scores. But isn't the point that some schools don't seem to have a strategy for getting all pupils to reach the top level (Level 5) in 3Rs?

Surely some schools start with children who can't even speak English. Presumably those children are harder to teach than the ones who can already read, write to-some-extent and multiply by the time they start Reception.

I also notice that some initially well performing children leave primary school performing poorly. (I'm pretty sure this is a parental-inclusion problem) ie it's the parents and the school's fault not the child's.

Schools performances

Ok. Now I see what you mean. And to a large extent I agree with you.

Therapies that are available to kids at SS should be available to all kids who need them.

I should not need to send my child to a specialist dyslexia school to get the therapies they use there.

exactly. and your choice shouldn't be send them to SS or watch them drown in mainschool or at best have a minimally trained LSA sitting with them.

in an ideal world ss and mainstream schools, facilities and staff would have merged into one site spaces with fluidity for children to flow in and out of mixed ability classes, specialised help classes etc. imo.

Or to home educate :)

Yes, there are many problems with provision for children with SEN.

i'm no sen expert but i'd imagine from what i read and hear from parents there are plenty of kids whose needs vary over time. it sounds like kids on the autistic spectrum have periods where they could manage well in mainstream lessons and periods of stress or disruption or whatever triggers it where they could need more specialised help and environment. having both on the same site doesn't land them in an either or scenario but allows fluidity.

also kids getting special help and assistance may progress onwards and have a natural and gradual means of moving into mainstream lessons again.

all on one site in a culture of it being normal to have different needs and need different things at different times.

Lots of schools have resource units like you describe. And if you have a statement for the most common conditions you can often access a resource unit like you describe.

(There's one resource unit for each condition per LEA and you need a statement to go there)

every school should have it. and it shouldn't be luck of the draw as to where you live or whether you were able to get a statement.

An ASD unit attached to a school is normal and implements exactly what you describe.

I work in a rural area (lots of small village schools) and there are 6 special schools in the whole county (290 schools in the LA) so the logistics of merging onto single sites would be a nightmare if not completely impractical.
Personally I think there needs to be more specialist units attached to mainstream schools) for children who don't have needs that require SS but need extra to the provision normally available in mainstream.
As a SENCO and full time class teacher one of the problems I encounter is the belief that SN is someone else's responsibility

Indigo there isn't a single ASD unit in my LA! I have two ASD pupils in Y6 and secondary is going to be a problem socially.

For example here are the resource bases for kids with ASD in Wandsworth

So, yes there are more options than what you describe.

Every school can't have a resource unit for every condition. How many deaf or blind kids does an average school have? It makes far more sense to congragte all the expertise and children for low incidence stuff in one place.

We have a secondary resource unit near me for kids who don't have statements.

School wasn't doing that well and so in order to 'compete' with more desirable schools they opened a unit. Now they have loads of applicants. and for SEN it's one of the best schools locally.

Mrz -I don't mean to come across wrong, but won't socially secondary school be a problem for those kids at whatever school they go to? Won't a normal school provide sme kind of lunchtime club or homework club or something to help them at lunchtime? I thought most secondary schools did.

Mrz - I also don't know what the ASD outreach team is like in your borough. If you don't have a unit they must be very busy :) and possibly they might even give schools good advice.

(please don't tell me you don't have an ASD outreach team....)

Socially they don't have a problem in primary everyone accepts their differences and they are very popular but in secondary they are going to be vulnerable because of those differences. Parents with experience of local schools say those types of provision don't come close to solving the issues and my personal experience with my son is completely negative I'm afraid.

Yes we have an ASD team and they are very good although overworked and losing staff in cutbacks. My school is recommended to parents with primary age children with ASD by the EP service as we have expertise and a history of success (but not the funding to provide it) and to some extent our success is the problem. Children do well and achieve well so do get a statement

sorry that should be don't get a statement!

Mrz - this is where the specifics come in.

You, as SENCO, will be involved in those boys transition to secondary school. There must be loads you can do to make a difference.

And there must be loads their parents can do, by working closely with the school. By being a PITA and pushing the school to do the most it can. (you must tell the parents they need to do that:) )

It still won't be ideal. But it will be the best that is possible given all the constraints. A few simple things can make a huge difference.

I think parents time and expertise are very undervalued by schools, because we're not 'professionsls'.

Indigo we have a fantastic transition programme with local secondary schools (although their transition teachers aren't sure they will have jobs next year with government cuts) but according to parents after the initial settling in period these children have a hard time in and out of school.

One school told me they have one TA for almost 1000 pupils so weren't sure how they would manage with a child who has a statement for physical needs (completely dependent on others for physical needs) and has lots of equipment that needs to move around with her.

But this just makes no sense. A school of a 1000 students has a budget of millions. And they're saying they can't affor to pay a TA minimum wage to look after this child 1:1?

They have been given the money for this child. (whether directly or via the whole SEN budget) They need to spend it on her.

Once again. Somethings going wrong somewhere :(

Secondary schools get a fraction of the funding for SEN compared to primaries.

They still have an overall budget of millions.

I just don't believe they can't find the money for a TA.

Except, that I believe anything now wrt lack of SEN provision.

I've just looked up typical staffing for secondary schools.

schools workforce

No. Of TAs FTE per school range from 0 - 13!

Stas seem to vary area to area quit a lot.

schools workforce.

I was told they are allocated £3K for a child who needs full time 1-1