Statement for poor pronunciation when starting school

[saltstatement]

DD aged just 4 has very poor pronunciation due to some hearing loss when she learnt all her basic sounds incorrectly, including her vowels. She also speaks quickly, loudly and in lengthy sentences so she cannot be understood. I can understand a fair amount and other children seem to cope but many adults do not.

She is age appropriate or advanced in all other areas so there are no concerns regarding her vocabulary or understanding. She knows her number and letters. Her behaviour is fantastic, she is extremely capable and independent in her life skills and her social skills are very advanced. I felt I couldnt post on the SEN boards as her difficulties seem so mild.

Grommets have hopefully corrected her hearing now and she is in a specialist nursery where she receives daily speech therapy. They are recommending starting the statementing process now ready for her starting mainstream school next September as it is such a lengthy process. Legally she does not need to start until Jan 2015 and could stay at the specialist nursery but she is keen to start in Sept 2014 with all her friends and siblings.

I am looking for experiences from parents or teachers who have experience of similar situations. What we should aim for in the statement and what we can realistically expect? Also any experiences of parents perhaps paying for private speech therapists to come into school if necessary to enhance the support.

[KOKOagainandagain]

www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/tribunals/special-educational-needs-and-disability/SEND_AnnualReport_09_10.pdf

Have a look at the above to see where your LA is with reference to the number of appeals lodged against them.

Can't get more up to date stats in this format - too useful.

[lougle]

I don't think anyone was unjustified in saying that this child may not get a statement, given the OP, which said 'no concerns in any area other than pronounciation....mainstream school.'

Now that there is further information and the suggestion of a specialist SALT school is more favoured, then of course a Statement is necessary in that situation.

Not everything is borne of a conspiracy by Local Authorities and hoodwinked professionals

[KOKOagainandagain]

lougle - I think you must have missed the bit in the original post that said DD was in a specialist nursery and receiving daily SALT.

[saltstatement]

Lougle - My OP said that it is DD that wants to start mainstream school next September , in fact she wanted to start this September with all her friends! My OP said that she could stay in the specialist unit and delay entry to school. I am not favouring a specialist SALT school that is the professionals.

[lougle]

I didn't miss anything, keep. The OP states that clearly, but goes on to say 'statement for mainstream.'

[saltstatement]

An update for all the sceptics. We have been accepted for the first part of the statement process so they must have thought we had a good case whatever MN thinks. If keeponkeepingon1 is correct then 97% of children who have been assessed receive a statement. I have no idea if this figure is correct and even if it is we may be one of the 3% to be turned down but it was definitely worth the application and hopefully will give others the incentive to fight for their children even when others are saying it is not worth trying.

[GhoulWithADragonTattoo]

That's great news, OP. I hope your daughter gets all the support she needs.

[saltstatement]

Just to let all the sceptics know we got a statement for 20 hours LSA support in mainstream school plus weekly therapy from a SALT. For anyone else who wants to help their child don't be put off applying as help is available.

[EdgeOfNowhere]

Wow! That is amazing news. Well done.

I hope she thrives at school and her speech improves.

[mrz]

Well done I'm pleased for your daughter and really wish it was that easy in my area

[saltstatement]

Mrz - I have no idea why it varies so much, we are in an affluent area but not sure if that would have any impact. You state it is such a common problem but that is not the case in our school, I cant speak for the whole area. However I understand her SALT tested her pronunciation as being in the bottom 1% which presumably is nationally. However her statement makes it very clear that no one thinks she has any other problems including the EP and paed reports which is great news.

[gatofeliz]

Well done salt

Ds is assessed as being in the bottom 2-4% for his receptive and expressive language and we are getting no where apart from a few pointless small group interventions every term which the school begrudgingly provide.

He's going into Yr 2 on P scales even though cognitively he's average

I need to move to your area!

[saltstatement]

gatofelix - we may have been in the same situation if she had got to school without a statement however salt applied from nursery so it is in place before she starts school. Although I believe had she been in the bottom 2% she would not have got a statement even here as the criteria is bottom 1%. There is a different package for the bottom 2 to 4% but I cant remember if that is SAplus or not.

[GhoulWithADragonTattoo]

That's excellent news!

[mrz]

I've got children assessed on the 0.01 percentile saltstatement who have been turned down for statements.

[CharlesRyder]

salt I'm glad you got a statement but do you think 20hrs 1:1 (with a L1 TA who will have no specialist knowledge I expect) and an hour a week with a SALT will be enough support?

In your situation I would have pushed for the Resourced place out of county.

[RiversideMum]

I am pleased for you, but I think this shows how flippin' unfair things are and probably why you feel you were met with so much negativity from mainstream teachers. We just got a statement for a year 5 child after applying every year since that child was in year 1. To be honest, it's probably also got a lot to do with motivated parents who push for what is needed.

[spanieleyes]

Same from me, I have just managed to get a statement for a year 5 who we have been trying to get a statement for since Reception, he is currently working at the level of a Year 1. Each year we have applied, each year we have been told he is not far enough behind his peers to qualify for a statement. Any small improvement in achievement has been used as a stick to beat us with, showing that we don't need additional support!
It is wonderful that your child has received a statement, there are plenty more who need more support than we can provide.

[gatofeliz]

River and Spaniel can i ask what was different in yr 5?

We are very worried because Ds is making tiny steps of progress even though its way behind everyone else that we will be in the same position as you.

Did you get better at fighting your case or did they just concede and agree with you in Yr 5?

Sorry Op for squeezing a question in

[CharlesRyder]

LAs start thinking about transition in Y5 so if it looks like a pupil will not cope in MS Secondary that is the point they will get a Statement.

[mrz]

On the other side we have a child leaving us in 6 weeks having been identified as having SLCD before starting school and having applied for statements every year since he entered reception. We have been constantly told we are doing too good a job and that he is making too much progress. The message being if we allow children to sink they will get a statement if we do our job they won't.

[saltstatement]

Charles - do you mean a place in a specialist unit? If so we were offered a full time place in a local language unit but it is in a different school to her siblings and when we visited she was clearly ahead of the other children in her maths and general understanding etc and the staff made it clear that they thought this. We turned it down and chose the 20 hours and SALT.

We will fund additional SALT if necessary and I have been attending weekly SALT for over 5 years now (with one of her siblings too) so am well able to support her at home too. I will be pushing for an experienced LSA and if not then ensuring they are quickly and fully trained. Jobs in the school are highly sought after so they can get very high calibre staff who want term time/school hours.

I am sure it is harder to apply for a statement once they have been a year or two in school. My dd has come straight from a specialist unit so it is easier to fight the case. Also as pointed out motivated parents who fight for their children are more likely to succeed especially if the LA know they will go to tribunal if they don't get it. I can spend unlimited amounts of resources fighting, chasing and appealing if necessary which schools cant.

DD has had weekly SALT since she was 2 despite most people saying it is not offered at that age. This is despite her having great understanding and behaviour and no other problems so it can be obtained.

[saltstatement]

I am not trying to offend anyone who hasn't managed to succeed as all areas of the country will be different too hopefully just give hope to some.