Calling all SENCOs, how do you think the action short of strike could affect provision for children with SEN?

[daftdame]

Just this really. Following on from another thread that mentioned the action I am concerned about the knock on effects for children with SEN. Only being 'allowed' to report annually does not work for this group of children. Progress needs to be closely monitored and shared with parents along with other bodies. Annual reviews, along with end of year reports, along with meetings with SALT for example. All this requires teacher input. All in accordance with SEN CoP.

www.nasuwt.org.uk/consum/groups/public/@journalist/documents/nas_download/nasuwt_011050.pdf

Link^

The only reporting annually is one of the items that concerns me re SENs.

Well, I'm not in NAS/UWT personally, but I would interpret that as being an instruction for class teachers (and secondary subject teachers) to only write a 'school report' once a year for each pupil. I would never count an IEP review meeting or an Annual Review Meeting in the same category. I would also assume that, as SENCO, the role is different from a class teacher role, and part of the job - even if working to rule - is conducting Ann Revs and IEP revs. A SENCo's job description is always going to be different from a class teacher's job description.

Regardless of action the progress of SEN children will be monitored closely (as will all pupils) and shared with parents (but perhaps not always written down?).

Thanks for your replies

Just for the record I'm a SENCO and a full time class teacher as is the case in many primary schools

No teacher worth their salt would allow children to not make progress, or be left to fend for themselves, simply to make a political point.

That isn't the intention of the action. The action (which nasuwt has been part of since dec 1st 2011!) is designed to get rid of unnecessary paperwork- for example, management introducing new policies without consideration of the workload impact.

Hmm I'm pleased that is the way you all interpret this.

It is something I have wondered about for a while. The SN boards are full of provision being somewhat lacking, even when diagnosis and Statements are in place. I have wondered whether the action contributes to a general mindset that the work involved was over and above what could be expected.

Annual parent consultations would also fit into this category and the fact that a lot of designated TAs end up doing the photocopying suggests they might be taking up the slack, so to speak.

Our statement reviews are held during the school day, with the teacher released from the classroom to attend. So that fits in with the "action short of ...". We don't have IEPs, we have provision maps, but these do need discussing out of school time, but a 15 minute meeting after school still fits within the teacher's directed hours. I think if a parent wanted these meetings at 6pm (as some of the teachers at our school have reported) then that would not.

MaybeBently I think it is understandable that parents might ask to have meetings at 6pm.

Annual Parent consultations are often held at this sort of time and the parents won't necessarily know all the political ins and outs of action short of strike etc.

Having a child with SEN takes a lot of organisation for working parents, there can be many appointments they have to attend (which are not that flexible) and their employers may not always be that flexible either, which can be an added stress.

So it is understandable that they might ask the school for a meeting time that fits in with everything. It is also understandable that teachers may say no....but I would hope this was not a source of conflict.

They won't get review meetings at 6pm because it would be impossible to get all the professionals involved to attend at that time ...

and that has nothing to do with the union action just simple logistics

'Regardless of action the progress of SEN children will be monitored closely (as will all pupils) and shared with parents (but perhaps not always written down?).'

In YOUR school mrz and in my ds' current school. Not in the 4 that my ds attended before that though.

I understand that, but not all IEP reviews are multi-agency so the request maybe understandable.

Can't reviews be done virtually anyway?

I've never understood why not, though apparently not.

Starlight Now that would be interesting... My husband has done phone meetings and face time at work. Could be the future, especially getting professionals to 'attend'.

It's the blimmin NOW, not the future. I always wondered how an education system that was supposed to be preparing our children for their future can be so backwards.

I could have a mini rant about stage not age, unauthorised absences, exclusion policies, evidence-based practice etc etc.

Backwards we are........

Luddites

i can never get hold of one professional on the phone at a time I'm free never mind synchronise half a dozen! Sometimes it seems I spend half my time leaving messages for people who are not around/in meetings/not working today/on stop the clock or phoning people who are trying to catch me when I'm not teaching.

As a governor I don't think we can expect teachers to run IEP meetings for non-statemented children at 6pm as it is not within their directed time, but if they offer, then that is a different matter. I think unions would have something to say if heads and governors insisted regardless of the work to rule.

If they can get to a room on the other side of town for a specific time, then I'm quite sure they can pick up a phone where they are.

Daftdame have you been affected by this in any way? Not getting written reports would not have a knock on the progress of the children, as the Action isn't saying to avoid meetings with parents (but 6 p.m. would be unreasonable). Reports to outside agencies etc aren't being ruled out, my understanding is that it's just written reports to parents...?

"Parental consultation
1.14
The NASUWT recommends that teachers should only attend one parental consultation per year
for each year group. These meetings should be counted as directed time and identified in the calendar of meetings.
1.15
In a week where there is a parental consultation meeting scheduled, no other meeting outside school sessions should be calendared to take place.
Open evenings
1.16
There is no requirement for teachers to attend open evenings. However
, where they agree to attend, these should count against directed time and against the weekly total of meetings.
Pupil reports
1.17
Reports to parents, including comments from teachers, should be made once per year.
1.18
Where they have not done so, schools should consider introducing an electronic system for
generating reports, which includes a database of standard phrases that can be tailored to suit
most circumstances. There is little point in seeking to be original in every report or going beyond a crisp and concise format. Interim reports requiring written comments from teachers should not be undertaken. If the school determines an interim report is required, then it should be capable of being electronically generated from information/data the teacher has recorded once in the agreed assessment system" (NASUWT)

This is some of what concerns me. I don't really know whether it has affected me or not. Communication has not always been straight forward, or easy to arrange, I don't really know the reason why in each case. I was wondering whether Union actions could be a partial reason.

I've never managed to get them all in a room at a specific time StarlightMcKenzie ... paediatrician don't work on the same days as speech therapists who don't work on the same days as occupational therapists who don't work on the same days as physios who don't work on the days that the Ed Psych can get there ...

Parents are entitled to receive copies of all the reports written about their children.

My dd's nursery teacher works until 7:30pm every night. I know because she walks past my house or I suppose she could be on her way home from a nearby pub.