I'm a teacher and happy to answer any questions

[DellaF83]

Hi, I'm an experienced primary school teacher and happy to answer any questions anyone may have.

But reassessment by the LA will in reality mean very little disruption to your son's school day even a visit from the ed psych, maybe an observation and a one to one assessment. Visits from SALT (laughable) and OT if the statement has provision from them on it and maybe the Inclusion Service or at least that's what would happen here.

No Statement is needed. He receives no where near 6k of additional support, has not for years. I won't be pushing for reassessment at this point in time, why inflict all that assessment on him? It would not be for his benefit, he has already being discharged. Why should he have to prove himself any further? His attainment is OK too.

At the AR weren't you asked whether you believed the statement should continue to be maintained (I've been asked at every AR)? I'd imagine a No then would set the cat among the pigeons

So if after AR they decide no changes put in an appeal saying that you want the statement lapsed. They won't go to Tribunal, the LA won't even reassess they will do just as you ask and be punching the air with joy no doubt.

I don't honestly know what the LA are up to.

I suspect they have a huge backlog of paperwork and previously, before the current legislation they had reduced the amount of funding they delegated initially to schools because more schools were applying for Statements. They would then delegate the funding received from Statements back to the schools. I suspect the administration cost was more than the funding they gave out.

Anyway the new legislation is being rolled out so we will have to see...

I have not being asked that question at AR. The school has, in the form they fill out. I had to request the paperwork retrospectively. The first time I did this it was met with shock. My reports were not submitted for the first two reviews. They have been this time (I hope, the school said they included it) with the school's report. If not I'll have to meet with the LA. Let's say the whole process has been a bit of a learning curve and very slow...

I don't then see why the school don't want the statement lapsed In our LA lapsing a statement would be a direct hit to the school's funding as they are fully funded but in a school where statements don't bring funding it would just give the school freedom to use those resources elsewhere.
Is your ds primary or secondary? Could the statement be useful in getting dc into a school you want? I'd consider all the implications before I gave it up though if I were you.

On the contrary the Statement did bring funding in. Thats what I meant when I said once a Statement was awarded, the LA delegated back to the school, they were responsible for spending the funding to meet the Statement.

Wow I get to approve what is sent to the LA and amend it as I see fit as well if I think it needs it because school and I are a team and they consider my knowledge of dd as equally important.

Obviously that is what I would like. I have been helpful, volunteered, the lot. My DC has settled there though. I don't know anywhere else locally that would be better and how would you fund out? Some of the teachers are lovely. The Statement and its whole process is a real millstone though. Completely different to our own experience I expect.

Oh right so obviously school have a reason to want to keep it then. It's not good that paperwork is filled in retrospectively and that your input isn't seen by the LA I would send in my own input to the named person by registered post or by email and copy the school in tbh.

'find out' and 'your own experience'

Hmm I might have to. I wanted to be able to trust them.

Well dd's school was recommended to me by the Early Years Teaching Service who were part of her MDA team. Dd doesn't attend the catchment school, I visited them all in a five mile radius, I spoke to parents, grilled HT's and SENCo's. I knew what I wanted and looked until I found it I suppose.

My DS was Statemented in reception. I wanted him to attend the local school, it is our community, we are part of it.

You see the statement should be a blessing rather than a millstone, you've done the hard bit by getting a statement now you just need to find the school who will use it to ensure your ds reaches his potential. If he's achieving and making progress without the statement just imagine what he could be doing with support tailored to his own particular needs.

Where is the Op.

I'd like to ask please - do you really like those "world's greatest teacher" mugs?

He is very intelligent but then I would say that, I'm his mother .

I don't want the support for him. I'm not a great fan of a great deal of the generic interventions that he has received. He has been happier since the support has tailed off.

Dd had a statement before nursery and I wanted dd to attend the school that could best meet her needs and our catchment school (although OFSTED outstanding) would be poor in comparison to the school she's in. It's not important to me to be in the community I suppose because ds's school is 30 miles away dd's is just three away so feels local to me.

I never wanted the Statement. I applied on the school's advice. I expected it to be reviewed properly.

But school is about more than the academics isn't it? Dd has no academic support but has bucketloads of emotional support so that she can be included in absolutely everything and so that she has friends and is happy and content whilst there and isn't at the point of meltdown when she comes home.

I wanted dd's needs met and I knew having a statement was the best way to ensure that they were. I wanted to have a say in how her needs were met and I wanted her to have that protection so that support couldn't be taken away on a whim or because other children had needs too.
We have completely opposite viewpoints and experiences don't we?

Emotional support? Don't know that they are qualified, we have had to terrible pop psychological gems...

hmm I have come to that conclusion, regarding the experiences. Yes they can certainly shape your views. I understand why you take the stance you do though, just know, from experience it is not all that is out there.

I'm not sure how representative my experiences are or even whether all who go through this would realize, so many want to trust the professionals. I did but just couldn't.

Dd's TA is hugely sensitive to dd, she can read her body language because I taught her, she knows where dd will struggle and is at hand equally she fades away so that dd can be independent when she chooses, she can prepare dd for all sorts of challenges, she can ease her path with teachers and peers. I'm not talking about sitting there showing her pictures of happy and sad faces I'm talking about someone who reacts and adapts to how dd is at any moment in time.