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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Original poster

DH is fuming and I need information about the IEP that we have just been given for my DS who is in Yr 2

66 replies

chattysue · 16/12/2011 15:54

At school pick up time my DS told me that I needed to see the teacher, my DS stayed with my DH and I approached the teacher. Then in front of everyone the teacher handed me a completed IEP for my son, she signed it and told me they would review it termly.
The teacher had mentionned that she wanted to do an IEP for my son at parents evening back in October.
My DH is fuming that we have had no involvement in the IEP and feels that it is not necessary for the reason that they have written.
Can anyone share with me how the process of an IEP works?
Thank you! CS

OP posts:
mrz · 16/12/2011 17:04

any medical/physical condition would only apply if it creates and educational need

Original poster
chattysue · 16/12/2011 17:04

Kardashianw, thank you for posting. I feel much better for listening to MN views.
I'm pleased that evrything worked out so well for your DS.

OP posts:
coppertop · 16/12/2011 17:07

It might be that as your ds is getting older they are thinking of ways to make sure that he uses techniques to make sure that he can understand as much as possible about what is happening in the classroom. At this age he may still be relying on the teacher to remind him to sit where he can hear more clearly, but as he gets older it will be easier for him if he can find the best methods for himself. If he gets into the habit of sitting near the teacher, or positioning himself facing the front when doing group work, then he will eventually be able to do this automatically rather than relying on reminders from adults.

At his age there will still be a conflict between wanting to sit next to his best friend and needing to sit elsewhere to follow what is happening in the classroom.

Original poster
chattysue · 16/12/2011 17:12

JWIM Yes, the Hearing Consortium have been involved with DS. They have never suggested that he have an IEP, although they have reminded DS, us and teachers about where DS should sit to hear best.

To my knowledge this approach was sufficient to help DS in Yr1. Maybe DS has started to experience hearing problems in his new classroom?

I thought after parents evening that we would sit down and share information with the teacher. My husband was definately under the impression that our view would be sought!

OP posts:
JWIM · 16/12/2011 17:22

The IEP is recording the advice from the Hearing Consortium and involving your DC in taking action to improve his learning environment.

Is there a more fundamental lack of communication that you/your DH feel has happened since DS started school or just this year. If you have information to share that needs longer than a parent evening slot then better that you ask for a separate meeting with school staff and letting them know what it is you would like to discuss so that they can be prepared for the meeting too. School will generally only ask you to come in if they have concerns.

Is your DS happy at school and making progress?

Original poster
chattysue · 16/12/2011 17:30

mrz DS has no behavioural problems and is in extended maths and litetacy. He is motivated and curious about learning. I would say that in terms of his education all is well.

DS's IEP only states that he needs to sit where he can hear that teacher - hence my DH recation that this is a paperwork exercise.

With the current MN comments he is slowly coming round to the benefits of the IEP!!

OP posts:
Original poster
chattysue · 16/12/2011 17:32

mrs - apologies about spelling mistakes in my previous post!

OP posts:
mrz · 16/12/2011 17:41

Perhaps the teacher is finding he has difficulty in the classroom when he sits a distance from her/him. Buildings can have an effect on hearing aids so sometimes it is as simple as adjusting seating plans. We have a child with ASD who needs to sit with his back to a wall preferably in a corner rather than mid room and this is included in his provision planning (we don't use IEPs)

Original poster
chattysue · 16/12/2011 17:46

JWIM
There is a lot of background that puts DH views into context.
Briefly... DS left F2 with a balanced EYFS profile and was assessed as 9 in maths areas.

When he started Yr1 he went into supported maths. We wrote a nice letter to his teacher pointing out his EYFS profile and explained that we didn't want DS pushed or pressurised but we did want DS to be encouraged. The letter was never answered.

DS was moved to extended maths. We saw his teacher three weeks later at parent's evening and thanked her for moving DS. Her response was ' ah.. that letter...I decide which group your child goes into and you have no input in that'

DS's Yr1 teacher is also the SENCO.

Consequently DH not impressed and this set the tone for the rest of the year!!!

DS enjoys school and is happy and settled.

We will go into the school in January and talk to his new Yr2 teacher.

OP posts:
mrz · 16/12/2011 18:07

As a SENCO I never do paperwork that isn't necessary (I don't have time to make additional work)

Original poster
chattysue · 16/12/2011 18:15

mrz, fair comment. I think the best way forward is to use the IEP as a line of communication with DS's Yr2 teacher.

I don't mean for us to sound ungrateful for the IEP - we just thought that as DS is our child we would have more input, instead DH in particular feels that our views are seen as unimportant.

The solution - read up on IEP's and meet with the teacher to air our views.
No more complaining - just positive action!!!

OP posts:
Kardashianw · 16/12/2011 18:26

chattysue your welcome. Also on ds IEP there was ONE incident where he had not listened to instruction and she put that down as a target and I personally think it was to fill up the boxes as they need about 4 points so I just went along with it!
I did have a word with deputy head as I was just handed this IEP to sign without warning and she had a word with teacher and they went through it very thoroughly. Go an speak your concerns and you may pleasantly surprised :)

Kardashianw · 16/12/2011 18:28

Ps I was exactly the same as you dh fuming!!! but it was all positive and I was so grateful for the extra help especially the one to one x

Original poster
chattysue · 16/12/2011 19:02

Thank you so much Kardashianw!
I'm curious - what are the 4 points that you talk about?
CS

OP posts:
Original poster
chattysue · 16/12/2011 19:05

Also Kardashianw - I don't know if I made this clear - DS teacher didn't ask for our input or signatures.
DH felt that the IEP shouldn't be used if we hadn't signed it. IndigoBell has explained that our input and signatures aren't required.

OP posts:
mrz · 16/12/2011 20:05

Some schools will set four targets on the IEP (it is up to the school )

JWIM · 16/12/2011 20:08

OP I think a meeting with the Y2 teacher would be sensible but would counsel against revisiting what happened in year 1 as you saw it - that teacher may have had good reason for the decisions they took re groups.

When you meet you can ask about the IEP and how it is being implemented and when it will be reviewed. You could also ask how your child is doing now, what targets they have for the term/to end of year and how you can work with the school to support your DS.

Ja9 · 16/12/2011 20:15

Im sorry that i have not read the whole thread...but i wanted to add something about the children not having ieps until now. Often a child's needs only become evident as the children get older and the gap between his or her behaviour/ attainment/whatever and that of the rest of the class widens.

Also, can i reiterate that it is good that the school have put/ are putting things in place for the good of your child. It is not about labelling children but about supporting them to learn most effectively.

Hth. Xx

atiredmum · 16/12/2011 21:10

I was just reading the thread with interest and a couple of posts that caught my attention were the ones saying because he has hearing aids then he is automatic sen or should automatically have IEP. When I had a hearing aid I would feel that I wouldn't need to be treated any differently just like my son who wears glasses. I do, however, think it means you have to be mindful that there could be issues there at some point as things change.

Dreamer234 · 16/12/2011 21:27

IEPs flag up needs to teachers. Children go onto IEPs when the teacher needs to do something specific to meet the child's individual needs. Needs change so they can come off the SEN register if they nolonger need anything different in terms of provision. Sometimes they are on the register because of the involvement of outside agencies (as is often the case with hearing or visual impairment). These agencies then keep the SENCO informed of their monitoring so that the school knows if they need to alter provision.

SEN protocol can vary between regions and the goal posts seem to constantly move (from a teacher's point of view in any case). Terms & procedures are not uniform across the UK.

rabbid · 16/12/2011 21:32

my son has had an iep all through primary and i felt a but peeved that he needed on at the start. but it means he's been given alot more one to one support than he would have got had he not had one.

at university we are taught about learning styles, yet at school we never took this into consideration at all, hence why some children fall through the net, just because their learning style is different.

Dreamer234 · 16/12/2011 21:52

IEPs usually mean that the child's progress & next steps are monitored even more closely. Can only be a good thing. As many others have said: they mean more paper work so not done just for the sake of it. Also, if a child falls behind because the school hasn't picked up on their needs then that really is dreadful.

sashh · 17/12/2011 08:12

I teach in FE - I have to do an ILP for every learner - very similar thing.

It is not just about your son, it is about the teacher(s) - in FE we also do a 'class profile' which is a document with a couple of lines about each learner.

It is a reminder to the teacher that you son needs to be able to see the teacher and to use his hearing aid. It means if your usual teacher goes on materinity leave or has a day off sick the covering teacher can see why your son might need to sit in a particular place.

Kardashianw · 17/12/2011 11:46

chattysue they always have made me sign the IEP and gave me a copy, yet I am still waiting for the 2nd one which I know he has reached each target set on there.
When I read up about IEP it does say it should be written with both parents and SENCO but it didnt seem to work like that in our school.
On the IEP there was 4 boxes each with a target in each box and what they was going to do and what the outcome would be.

Also I didn't sleep for weeks properly, oh I stressed so much. Now I look and think back and think what a goof I was. Ds just needed a little more time than others!!

Kardashianw · 17/12/2011 11:50

Ps my ds started to wear glasses they flagged up his eyesight during reception. He wears them all the time now but in year 1 he had to be constantly told to wear so maybe this had partly to do with IEP?