Another failing school

[Beoley2011]

I know there have been many failing school threads on Mumsnet, but I would like to find out if the experience with my son's school is common.
I have had my doubts about my son's school for a while, the recent Oftsed report just proved that I was right.

My son is a fairly immature 6 years old, who is very lively, and finding it difficult to concentrate and gets disrupted easily. Since 2015 December he has been taken out of his class most mornings and put into a smaller class, however he is also missing out on all lessons, and clearly falling behind.

I understand that it is very hard to work with disruptive children, but he cannot stay out of class for too long, and I think it will make it even harder for him to settle later.

I am trying to teach him at home after school, having given up my full time job and currently looking for a part time position.

The SENCO at the school, after talking to DP and me trying to tell us how vulnerable our son is and having a stammer and have gone behind our back contacting our GP to have our son assessed when we asked her not to. I know he hasn't got any special needs, I used to teach children with special needs. A speech therapist just recently assessed him and said that he has no stammer at all and his vocabulary and general knowledge is exceptional.

Sorry about the ranting, but I feel my son is totally let down already and I am not sure how can I help him.

At DS2's class, there is a boy who is quite disruptive, I think he has been taken out of the class most of the lessons, otherwise , the other children can't learn.

I think on one side, you can do some extra at home to help him to catch up. If there is not other issue, he should be able to catch up quickly, as the stuff they learn at school are not very hard at the moment.

On the other side, you should find out what his behaviour is when he is in the class room and try to help him to stay quiet while the lesson is on.

This is difficult. What did the Ofsted report say about behaviour at the school and SEND children? Did it say they should improve in these categories? Do you, or Ofsted, think it has the capacity to improve? What did they think of the leadership and SLT? I think you also have to accept that disruptive and poor behaviour is a child with a special need. It seems the school have addressed the wrong one! If you taught in a special school you probably had a very advantageous pupil:staff ratio. Special needs does cover behaviour and inattention, (we used to label it EBD) so look at how this can be improved with the SENDCO.

Cearly he does need to behave but he cannot miss lessons every morning either. If this happens, he is clearly not being educated. I would ask what strategies the school has to enable him to stay in class for longer. Is there a TA in class who can be assigned to his table? Is he being given work he can do, or is it too difficult or easy? How does he get distracted and why will he not get on with his work? It feels like he has driven the teacher to exclude him from the classroom but this is not a permanent answer. Of course the needs of the other children are important, but this situation cannot continue. Has the school accessed external guidance iregarding how to teach him in class?

Thank you for all the replies. You are right Autumnsky, I'm sure he would be disruptive, but it feels like that he thinks it's the norm now. Seeing other children in the "nurture group" behaving I think he actually getting worst.

I would love to sit in with him as a TA for a bit, but I'm not sure if it would be allowed. (I do have a current CRB). The previous teacher had no idea about his ability, putting him into red reading level in November, but he actually reads green and orange level books.

I will have a chat with the new teacher, what is the plan. He hasn't had any homework this year so far, although I know his class mates have regularly. I can ask the teacher to give me his homework.

Is he in Year 1 or Year 2? If Year 1 you have a bit of time to work with the school.

If he is in Year 2 I would go in and ask what their plan is to ensure he achieves his best in SATs in May. Is the nurture group taught by a teacher? If not, I wouldn't want my child in that group every morning. If it is, could you ask to see the curriculum and have them explain how attendance in the group has been planned to accelerate his progress.

So do you not have any reading homework? No number bonds or tables? Why not? Have you asked why he does not get this? Even in the nurture group he should get work to do at home. How does the school kow what he can read if they do not send books home and keep a reading log?

I have arranged a meeting with the new teacher, so let's hope we can set up a plan.

He is in year 1. I just found out that his class mates get homeworks. I asked his teacher about that yesterday and she was surprised that he didn't have homework.

He has to read every day, but very often the books he brings home unsuitable. I often get more suitable books from library and also bought some second hand books online. He reads every afternoon or evening and I write it in his reading log. I usually set up writing tasks for him to practice the words he reads.

He is not so interested in formal mathematics, but try to do more practical based or game based tasks with him.

He has been making progress since I started to teach him myself.

Thanks for the suggestions, I try to put together a list of questions and queries before the meeting.

I guess there is a possiblity that you DS was put into that small class based on his behaviour in Reception, then the teacher didn't review it. A child will change a lot in a few months time. So definitely keep teaching him yourself, and he will be able to engage with the lessons better if he can do it well. And discuss with the teacher to find out how to help him to move back to the main classroom.

I am really shocked that the Senco referred your son to your GP against your wishes. Surely this is illegal!