Nervous about year 1

[elliejjtiny]

My 5 year old has learning difficulties (he is like a 2-3 year old in his development). He did really well in reception and was very happy at school (mainstream) even though I didn't think he would cope. He doesn't have an official 1-1 but he was in a class of 25 children and 3 full time and 1 part time member of staff so there was always someone who could support him one to one when they did academic things like reading, writing etc.

He is about to go into year 1 where there will just be 1 teacher and 1 ta. Will be be ok? Is there a lot more writing and less play in year 1? He just seems so far behind my niece who is starting in reception and is a year younger than him.

I don't mind if he doesn't make much progress, I know he is trying his best but I'm worried about him struggling and getting upset when he has been happy at school so far.

No, I was just checking he was under a paediatrician

I am appalled that you have not had a meeting with the school staff and other professionals since last October. You really need to push for these to happen. You are approaching a time when planning for your DDs needs is even more vital. They are essentially fobbing you off.

PP money should be used for PP children. You cannot expect their funding to be targeted at your DS unless he is PP too. I would certainly try and clarify about how the school will meet his needs and don’t let them cancel meetings without giving you another date. Keep on at them!

Would a community paediatrician be able to do anything for ds that his current one can't?

Hi Ellie, I recognise you from some of the premmie/AMA threads. It sounds like your son's current peadiatrician is a neonatologist. My son was under neonatology until his 5th birthday corrected age, and was then moved to the care of the community paed, where he still is. For us, this has been helpful in that the community paed saw him as a young boy with various issues that needed addressing rather than 'just' an extreme premmie with premmie related issues. He tested DS1 for ADHD, diagnosed his complex ASD and a few other things, and is well known in our local community for writing supportive and influencing letters to the LA regarding many different children's educational needs.

I'm quite shocked that your school hasn't been more proactive so far - do definitely squeak as much as you can! Seriously though, you have to unfortunately. With the best will in the world, some SENDCOs and schools as a whole seem to be far more switched on and proactive than others.

In my experience, every new year at school has been more of a challenge for DS1. He's had an EHCP since before he started YR, but even then we had to fight every year for what he needed. During Y6 we moved him to a special school where he's now thriving.

Hope your little chap has a good start back x

The school sound shocking but that doesn't really surprise me anymore (bitter experience).

If they cancel as SEN support meeting, you need to insist that they reschedule it asap.

And you need to start applying for an EHCP now, don't wait for school to do it for you.

I've found putting requests for meetings in writing via email much harder for them to ignore as well - just means there's a clear evidence trail that this request has been made on this date that's harder to deny.

So I do think there should be a review of whether they/you should start the EHCP ball rolling. You might need to start thinking about where, ideally, DS should be educated. How realistic is mainstream in the long run?

I have a feeling the Ed Psych won’t be at meetings each term. Schools buy in ed Psych time and a termly meeting would be expensive. However, they should have had a meeting last term though to discuss transition to Y1 and discuss what was required to meet his needs. I think the support he needs must be detailed in a ECHP now to ensure its targeted at him. Otherwise if will continue to be at the whim of the school. The plan should detail what support he needs and you should be having meetings with the SendCo termly. Even with a plan, children and plans are usually reviewed annually in schools unless there is a marked change. The speech therapist should be working with the SendCo.

To be clear about PP funding - schools have to account for how it is spent and provide evidence that it is helping the PP children to “close the gap”. Scattergunning TA support in classes isn’t seen as effective. Therefore they are papering over the cracks - your DSs needs - by doing this. It’s not SEN funding. He needs his own funding and targeted support.,

Thankyou. The senco cancelled all the transition meetings last term so there were a lot of parents trying to speak to her this week. DH did the school runs and spoke to 5 year old's teacher and 10 year old's teacher but didn't manage to speak to the senco. Emailing is a good idea, I'll do that today. To top it all my 5 year old's dla has been refused at renewal (he was getting high rate mobility and middle rate care before) so I need to appeal that too.

Why would the SendCo cancel all meetings regarding transition of SEND children? This doesn’t sound like a very good school and I would be speaking to the Head by now!!

I’m sorry you are having to battle on so many fronts.

We got a note about it, she said it was because of staff changes or something vague like that.