DD behaviour problems in Yr1 - should I move schools and if so how?

[Allegrogirl]

DD1 is impulsive, excitable, stubborn, defiant. She is also polite, affectionate and enthuisiastic. She has struggled to settle in to a 90 intake year and suffered soiling and sleep problems in Foundation, both better now thankfully. She is still getting in trouble for hitting out at classmates when overwhelmed by tiredness, distractions, hectic environment.

It has been suggested by me and the school nurse that a TA should take her for time out when she is getting overwhelmed but the teachers can't spare the TA time (10-15 minutes a day probably). In her report she got emerging for concentration but expected for nearly everything else except the creative bit which was exceeding so she achieving despite the problems she is having.

DD is tall, articulate and one of the oldest in the year but immature in some ways. She seems confident but actually gets very anxious which is something I have to keep reminding her teachers. I also suffer from anxiety and I am finding the current situation really hard to deal with.

Our second choice school has a brilliant track record for SN and others who struggle in school. A good ex-teacher friend is a TA there and has suggested DD would be happier there. I am thinking about having a chat with them and putting DD on the waiting list for a place.

I am reluctant to move her in some ways as the current school is close and convenient for drop off, she has friends already and I'm a bit stubborn myself and don't want to admit defeat. I'm worried her problems would continue in the new school and it would all be for nothing.

So, should we consider a fresh start at a new school and if so how? Contact new school direct or through LEA?

Have you had any meeting with the SENCO at the current school, put in a care plan and evaluated if it is working?

I think changing school sounds a bit premature at this point, the cuurent school need to be doing what they can first to support her in class.

There was a meeting last year with the SENCO. School nurse was involved too because of the soiling. No suggestion of SN. DD is having counselling but we don't get any feed back about that.

DH told at second parents evening that things were much improved but end of year report indicated otherwise. On the one hand DD is disruptive and holding up the whole class but on the other no time or TA resource can be spared for her as other childrens need is greater. I do pick up twice a week and always catch the teacher for an up date on a Friday after school to see how she has been that week.

Moaning I'm not aware of a care plan as such apart from 'seeing how it goes'. What sort of care plan might be offered? Thanks for replying.

www.learningtrust.co.uk/special_needs/what_schools_do/iep.aspx

those IEP's exist everywhere, I just found the Hackney version :)

I mean a specific plan of how they will support your DD and documenting how successful it is, ensuring that all the staff are aware of her difficulties.

At the moment it sounds like the SENCO/nurse have recommended a course of action which isn't being carried out by the school?

An example

• She tends to be disruptive during literacy sessions - why? is it because she feels pressured to speak in front of others, is she finding it too difficult? Is it too noisy over at the back and she needs to sit somewhere else Weds - DD supported in a small group with a TA for literacy - she seemed a little anxious but the TA supported her to explore topic A B and C and she met the learning outcomes for the session. Plan - to support in the same way next week and review.

Or - DD keeps arguing and shouting at lunchtimes with the other girls - why? is she too hungry/grumpy because of this, are they all queueing up and it feels claustrophobic, is the dining halls very noisy and full of strange smells - overwhelming from sensory point of view. Could they send her for lunch 5 minutes earlier - have a classroom where children can take themselves for time out at lunchtime if they need it - give them an activity to do at lunch and call it a lunch club for the 'nurture group' or whatever. The MDAs can look out for her and keep an eye for problems brewing.

Just a few random thoughts/suggestions of the kind of things I meant, IYKWIM.

What won't help - the SENCO and nurse suggesting that XYZ happens and the school not doing it.

I would suggest a meeting at school to focus on what they are currently doing/not doing, how is it working, how are they going to support her? Give them a chance to sort it out - but ensure they do sort it out.

JuliaScurr would as SN need to be identified for an IEP to be put in place?

No diagnosis is needed. They should be responding to the needs she has not a label she has, or hasn't, got.