Ds excluded, can I refuse to collect?

[pinkandsparklytoo]

DS is 6 and in year 2. He has been excluded several times this term, and various times last year and I have always collected him. However I am sure I have read somewhere that I would be within my rights to refuse to collect him. Is this true?

The PSP is a pastoral support plan. Unfortunately your guess as to my whereabouts is wrong, I am in a county starting with a W

You need to make sure the exclusions are official and documented as this can be a positive step towards earlier statutory assessment

Can you say what your child's difficulties are? Does he have a diagnosis? Who has been involved at SA+?

Pink - we have 'chatted' about this before
I have gone through similar and have been advised that the LA would change policies to ensure that children are not kept on part time timetables for too long . How many other children are being treated like this and not receiving the education that they are entitled to?

You really need to take this higher than the school and contact the Head of Children's Services at the LA. Contact details are available on the LA website.

From DFE guidance

Can a school place a pupil on a part-time timetable?

As a rule, no. All pupils of compulsory school age are entitled to a full-time education. In very exceptional circumstances there may be a need for a temporary part-time timetable to meet a pupil’s individual needs. For example where a medical condition prevents a pupil from attending full-time education and a part-time timetable is considered as part of a re-integration package. A part-time timetable must not be treated as a long-term solution. Any pastoral support programme or other agreement must have a time limit by which point the pupil is expected to attend full-time or be provided with alternative provision.

Some more guidance here

Hi Tethers - did you get my pm? (namechanger)

Hi OP,

I understand that the legal position is that in the event of a formal exclusion, on the relevant day school must contact you, but if you cannot get there, they have to hang onto your child until normal collection time.

Thereafter you cannot send your child in until the exclusion has expired.

My 10 year old had a 5 day exclusion in the summer term. I went for him as soon as I heard but it took 40 minutes. When I got there he was semi-foetal, sobbing in the head's office, absolutely distraught. I cannot conceive of not getting to him asap. Exclusion is one example of something for which you can get statutory parental leave from work (unpaid).

I put in for stat ass myself in July. My LEA agreed to assess and mid-October they agreed to issue a statement, though it will take time for that to come through. There was an extra 4 weeks allowed for reports to be submitted because of the summer holidays. So whilst it does take time, it will not take less time if no request to assess is submitted and the initial request to assess is pretty simple and can be downloaded as a template from Parent Partnerships websites.

As for a part-time timetable or unofficial exclusions, they are as dodgy as everyone here is saying, but my experience is that very occasionally, whilst you wait for support to come through, they may possibly have a place if they can be handled without too much stress for you as a family.

pink,
everything about your posts just makes me want to scream. A 6 year old with a number of official fixed term exclusions both this year and last year for bad behaviour / hitting, whilst on a short hours timetable but not willing to consider formal statutory assessment to me is a school that is looking to get your child off their roll.

You need to establish just how official these exclusions are - basically they are official if you get a letter confirming the exclusions. You need to put in writing to the school you request for statutory assessment and you need to tell the school that your child is on a full timetable from now on and that you need to talk with the school about the support they will offer to ensure that his behaviour improves. Do not be put off by lame excuses about funding and staffing or threats about permanent exclusion, you need to take control here. If the school still seems unwilling to deal with it, then you need to escalate to the Director of Children Services at the LA.