Permission for an External Eductional Assessment

[mummytippy]

Dear Mumsnetters

Does anyone know if there's a national policy relating to automatically allowing permission for a child to be absent from school to attend an external educational assessment?... Or is it at the discretion of the Head?

My DS is due to have a progress assessment with the Dyslexia Institute whom he's been monitored and assessed by prior to starting his current school over the lays 18 months.

The assessment will mean he would have to leave school mid morning over the lunch hour and returned back to school immediately afterwards - hopefully by 2pm.

Thank you in advance.

Hi mrz

As I've seen my DS's writing assessment (but stuck in his literacy book) and it was levels... (High 2). How would you broach this? Surely the school should be able to advice something. Is it even right the school have used an 'out of date' marking method?

Hi toffeelatteplease

It sounds like you've been where I am.
I also feel the school are perhaps sitting on the fence with regards to my DS's report though too as no progress is being reported. Naturally I am concerned and would simply like to know where my DS sits. This is why after discussing what's been reported through the school year that the Dyslexia Institute suggested a progress assessment.

The assessment I have now booked is in the time I have my DS.

I too don't believe children should be overly tested or assessed but the DI have known my DS longer than the school.

Sorry, and I don't like OPs who have linked messages but I really feel like I'm fighting a losing battle and I just feel like its a battle on my own.

My DS's father has never been concerned about our son's education. He only attend his first parents eve last year and first sports day 2weeks ago. He is simply blocking because he wills always want or do the opposite to me. It's nothing to do with our DS's best interests.

Currently I don't know whether my son has progressed or not. I am just trying to ask a basic question to the school aren't I?

My other option is to go to Court with the result of the writing assessment (which I accidentally found) despite asking for it twice and also mention the number of unanswered emails throughout the year I have sent just wanting updates here and there.

All I want are some basic answers, not to be bullied by my ex and fobbed off by the school. There is a contact order - that is all.

Not your exact position no. Elements I do very much recognise.

To have got the residency switched I would guess in some way you have been perceived by the court to have blocked your dc's relationship with their dad. If this is perceived my the court as a new strategy to block or hinder the court ordered arrangements you will be utterly ripped to shreds in any contact order. I do think you need to do a 180 pretty sharpish in the language you are using, especially to school. You are not doing it to disparage the arrangements put in place or because you are displeased with the school. You are simply doing it because you are concerned that issues that were unresolved when he was younger are resolved now. Take your ex, the head or changing schools out of the equation entirely.

I seriously would not recommend completing the assessment now knowing you don't have your ex's permission. You need to get it agreed in court. Otherwise you risk your ex writing conditions limiting your rights to consent and further limitin how you can exercise your PR.

Please be very very careful. One false move now could take years to sort out. You need to show co-operation with you ex .

The only way of "winning" this is to stop fighting your ex. Ignore him as much as possible.

Do you have solid evidence of lack of progress? Makes sure you ask school for his school English book or a copy of his best bit of work from the beginning middle and end of the year. Compare this to previous years, a quaint yourself with NC levels and either level it yourself or ask an independent tutor to do so. Do you have evidence of lack of involvement now (not then)

Make sure everything you ask for is evidenced. It's only by doing this you stand any chance of discrediting your ex

Hi ToffeeApple

If you want to know the reason residency was changed I have a post from last year I put on last August/September.

I can confirm it was the opposite of what you believe and I've never obstructed contact with my DS to his father. In fact I offered open contact which he never took up... Then he went to Court after I'd trusted him with a temporary arrangement which I'll regret for the rest of my life.

My ex used falsehoods against me which I can now disprove.
In addition to this assessment obstruction, he also has obstructed and been untruthful about medical appointments of which I can also sadly prove.

I am a rational person who has been a victim of our justice system.

At the end of the day his solicitor quoted the head's viewpoint as being his reason to not allow the assessment. Mainly because it meant time out of school. The Head has now confirmed the schools stance on this and I can discredit him on the points in his letter. The most upsetting thing is my DS has been used as a pawn to hurt me but it is my DS who is hurt.

What I require are Eductional facts from the school so that when my DS has his assessment via the DI, true comparisons can be made. I'm not looking to point score and use my child... I'm wanting to support him as best I can as I always have.

The school used the results from the last two assessments to help my DS settle in as he was new to them. These were given by me freely to aid the transistion for my DS.

The fact remains that my DS had a writing assessment done (the whole class did) and I haven't been supplied with the result after I've asked on more than one occasion. Surely it's quite a normal question. The only reason I knew about the assessment at all was because my DS was upset after it as he felt he hadn't done well. I asked about the result at a meeting with the SENCo (she said she'd find out from the class teacher) and two emails later... The last one in April... I still haven't officially been told.

I am going to ask to collect my sons books on Friday, but I do have screen shots of some of his work as evidence from the parent's day. I have books from his last school where his handwriting is neater and he was achieving more in class.

I really am not trying to cause trouble or upset things... I just want to be absolutely prepared for the hearing and am very aware that his school closes on Friday.

My concerns with the school have been relayed to Cafcass and my DS has now spoken to Cafcass regarding his wishes and feelings. I'm just trying to bring it all together. I hope this makes sense.

Yes, I have evidence of lack of involvement now as well.

I would ask the school what the high 2 means - it would be poor practice to use a single test to assess a child so it could be the level applies to that piece of work only. You need to know what measure the school is using and what that means. I would make an appointment with his teacher to discuss his progress/achievement this year.

Have you received his report?

Thank you mrz

The maths teacher had said 'stage 3 developing' mid March.

As a whole up to this point I've been told verbally he is on level with his peers... in the middle of the class... but it's a mixed year group... a year 3/4 class.

I asked his class teacher just under 2 weeks ago about progress and she said it was slow and gradual.
His maths teacher meanwhile (but back in March) had said he had made little progress and had 'vacant days'.

At his last DI progress assessment they said he had not progressed to where he should be and gave recommendations on differentiation to aid my DS in class. This was passed to school and afterwards I've asked about this and other questions via email but not had answers.

The teaching staff are busy with limited resources and an explain action given by his class teacher was 'there are children' far worse than my DS.
That I appreciate but my DS's education is priceless to him and why should he be 'over looked'.

Do you have legal representation? What do they say? if you don't beg or borrow put it on a credit card to get it quick. You a not going into a friendly situation and actually I worry your evidence is weaker than you think

I used to have these arguments with my mum. She would say "but you had evidence" I could never explain why the "evidence" was not good enough. The only evidence good enough is the uninterpretable kind. You're ex turns up in court says he interpretted the head's comment as that the test was unnecessary given the school says good progress is being made. He goes on to say but because of your attitude to him and the school you are interpreting everything negatively as a result of your negative attitude, he is incorporating your "evidence" and stitching you up in the process. Suddenly your evidence is working against you.

You need the assessment to prove lack of progress. Your ex simply has to provide the report as evidence that the school feels there is progress. Neither the court nor your ex needs the assessment to happen. Do it against the resident parents consent you are absolutely playing with fire. The books are only useful as your kind of evidence if they show a dramatic decline. Even then it needs to be sustained not simply temporary.

To my mind your quickest way to getting thus assessment done is to drop all mention of progress ex blocking it. link the assessment to the previous inconclusive one. If you have any evidence that a review was recommended at the time this is really good evidence. Use his books to pick up a few commonly considered dyslexic errors done recently. Say in court how it is in the best interests of the child to get diagnoses early, ideally supported with evidence from the national dyslexia charity if possible. Hey presto court supports you.

If your evidence is what you have written here I worry it isn't good enough. can see more holes which if I was a very nasty ex I would be picking at. I do worry without legal support you are sleepwalking into a bloodbath

Your results from the DI assessment is very good evidence. If it was put in writing.

Evidence from teachers not unless it was put in writing.

Best bet to get assessments done is to play up the recommended ongoing monitoring

I understand ToffeeLatte

I have to leave for work in a few mins.
I am not wanting this to look like any kind of fight, I just want facts and believe I can ask for them without causing upset at the school.

I also understand on what you're saying on presenting the evidence the way you suggest. I learned last year that things can get very messy in the Courtroom being twisted and turned.

I have to dash now, but plan to send an email to the school on my lunch hour. I just want to ask the right questions... I genuinely am a concerned mum.

Oh god yes!

Ended up with issues with ex through family court and sendist tribunal. At one point I had 6 experts on both sides of the table (both Lea and mine) agree scool wasn't challenging ds' potential, all except ex (and ex school). The tribunal judge still quoted ex in the judgement. They thankfully did not actually rule with his opinion but sadly they did give it written validity. By no means the worst example I can give of what my ex did and utterly incomprehensible illogical rulings but it is the only one I can share.

Take care of yourself. Courts tend to rule in favour of what is convenient for them (best interests of the child my foot) you need to make sure what you are asking for is "easy" for them.

Hi Mrz

Yes, I have received my DS's report. There is no mention of any assessments.

Thanks ToffeeLatte

Okay...

So the legal advise was to write to my ex's solicitor and ask whether they have anything in writing from the school to substantiate the paragraph of the letter where the Heads viewpoint is given.

As to the obtaining levels on my DS, I emailed the SENCo and asked them (thinking she would be in the best position). The reply I got was that my son's class teacher is the best person to advise me so she has forwarded my email. I have to say this concerns me as shouldn't the SENCo know and be the first port of call.

In the email I also asked for my DS's books and at the very least copies of his best work from each if the books I available. Especially his latest work from after the parents eve.

As a SENCO I would be able to access a child's levels but the class teacher should be the first contact as they are the one who works with your child every day and have the most up to date information. Assessment is a continuous process (as in day to day) not just one off tests which can often give a distorted picture of a child's ability.

Hi mrz

Thank you. I understand. I just thought the SENCo would also know or have a record of the assessment scores in my DS's file.

Can I ask, as my DS has a SEN profile what test/assessment would/should have been done with him to come to the conclusion of a SEN profile being issued?

I haven't heard from my DS's class teacher so I hope I'm not going to be putting her out tomorrow when I collect my DS.

Many children will be on the SEN register at some point in their school career it simply means they are receiving additional support for some reason. This could be anything from speech therapy to 1-1 support due to global developmental delay.
Most children will move on and off the register relatively quickly.

As SENCO I have access to children's data but the class teacher will have the most up to date information (that may not have been entered into the file yet) as they are the ones carrying out the assessments.

A child can be included on the SEN register if teachers and parents agree there is a need. It doesn't mean that additional tests or assessments are automatically required to identify SEN.

Thank you mrz I appreciate your time and the information you have given.
I hope it's not too big an ask for my DS's class teacher tomorrow.

Hi, thanks everyone on your comments so far...

Well I spoke to my DS's class teacher (she said I could have 5 minutes) and was told she was not at liberty to tell me the result of the writing assessment as it's for internal use only. When I explained I couldn't derive progress from my DS's school report in view my DS has a SEN I was told I was expecting her to breach school policy in telling me. I explained I just wished to know where my DS was in relation to the new national curriculum. I added the SENCo had forwarded her my email and said she was in the best position to answer the questions within it. The class teacher said she was copied in? she mentioned the Head and said that parents were not given such information - - only at the end if years 2 and 6. I then said, could you not have just emailed me a quick reply explaining this or could the SENCO not have told me this? She told me that 'it is her time?' So she doesn't reply tomparents emails? (Why does the SENCo?). I then said 'so my child's progress over the course of the year is to remain 'secret' is it?' Her reply was I could interpret it any way I liked. I then explained again that I just wanted an indication as 2 weeks ago she had said his progress had been 'gradual'. She then said she wasn't prepared to go into things and the my 5 minutes was up. I feel so cross and she spoke to me so rudely ... And in front if my DS. At one one point because she was talking at me I went to say something and she said 'quiet-still talking' just like she must say it to the children! I was not expecting such a response. Not sure where to go from here now but feel extremely cross with her attitude but importantly I have no idea of my DS's progress still. Any comments most welcome.

. The school only has to report levels for Y2 & Y6 (levels have been scrapped so this is the final year they will be reported).but you do have a legal right to be informed about your child's progress and the school must provide you with an opportunity to discuss this.

Thanks mrz

She said she had met me last October to discuss my DS (which is when I was given my DS's SEN profile and signed to acknowledge it). This meeting was also to see how my DS was settling in. Then she said you both (that's me and my ex) attended a meeting together (which was March). She added this meant I'd had an extra appointment to all the other parents.
In my email I had also asked for my DS's books or copies of best work from the beginning, middle and end of the year but my DS took his books home yesterday to his father's and she had nothing to give me.

I am quiet disgusted with her attitude towards me tbh and especially in front if my DS. Afterwards he asked why was she being mean to me :-(

If your child is on the SEN register they should discuss progress with you each term.