Missed most of yr1 and all yrs 2,3 &4

[Ravingstarfish]

My son -sen/ehcp etc was excluded for the majority of year one. Managed a term doing an hour a day. Was permanently excluded at the beginning of year 2.
I’ve applied to 15 schools (12 mainstream, 3 special) all have said he can’t go.
He’s due to start year 5 in September. I’ve moved over a hundred miles to a different county to try and get him into school.
Local authority here are now providing ten hours of private tutor a week who says he’s at pre-school to reception level.
I don’t want him to start school in year 5 prays he will actually go to school at some point and be so far behind, he fights me on everything and getting him to do school work at home is difficult.
Is there anything I can do to help him?

What is his SEN? Do you agree that he is at reception level? Is his SEN bad enough that realistically that is as far as he can go or do you think he can get to GCSEs or some sort of vocational qualification?

He has ehcp because of his autism and pda. I think he could do well with the right support. The school he went to dealt with him by giving him an iPad and leaving him in the corridors which is why he’s not progressed. I’ve tried to help him but I’m mummy and not teacher and he gets really distressed about it.
I asked previous county for a tutor with no luck so at least it’s a step in the right direction now I suppose

It is shocking that he has not been provided with a suitable education for all of this time. Why was he denied entry into a special school if mainstream can't cope? Can you afford a lawyer who specialises in education?

I’ve emailed a few lawyers and they’ve said I don’t have a case or they’re too busy.
Special schools have said they’re full or can’t meet needs.
Since moving counties I feel like we’ve made progress, had tutor sorted in a couple of weeks and consulting with 5 special schools. I just feel so awful that he’s so behind but also angry as the local authority and his primary school let him down

Ipsea definitely.

What does your caseworker at the LEA say?

I spoke to ipsea when the school wasn’t letting him attend full time but wouldn’t put it on paper. They were useless to be honest.
New case worker keeps consulting with schools and has sorted out the tutor for him.

Why was he denied entry into a special school if mainstream can't cope?

Because not every authority has any special school placements that cater for cognitively able children with behaviour which is very challenging to staff.

Thank you shineyshoes the special school reasoning is they’re full, that’s it.
Ehcp says ‘mainstream with support’ but they’ve all come back and said he needs a special school, no other therapies. Home tutor isn’t mentioned at all.
I’ll look for an independent school and take the steps you’ve suggested

Thank you so much, I’ll get onto the case worker on Tuesday

Spoken to case worker who says an hours travel each way is fine and he’s looking at independent special schools.
I’m now thinking ds is no way going to cope with 2 hours travel a day and mornings will be just breakfast and out the door and evenings dinner, bath and bed!
He says he can’t do anything if schools are full they’re full! I asked about mainstream and he said he can’t name one on ehcp as they’re all saying they can’t meet needs.

I’m sorry I’m not much help to you in terms of helping with your son but I empathise- I have a daughter with SEN who may have to be home educated due to lack of funding to give her the support she needs.

You haven’t mentioned how much support you’ve got, if any. There’s a national SEND Crisis day tomorrow, if you’re in any of the areas where there’s a march or a picnic you’ll probably make some contacts with parents in your area who are facing the same barriers. Wishing you lots of luck

Thanks sandunes, unfortunately we’re a bit out of the way and I’m at hospital tomorrow anyway. Maybe I could bring it up with the paediatrician? Chances are I’ll just sit and cry to him about everything anyway!

Definitely speak to paediatrics.

Have you had Ed Psych involvement? That was the best thing for us.

If you’re on Facebook, join the SEND Crisis page - even if you can’t be there the parental support is right behind you

Ed psych report says he needs special school. Other than assessment for ehcp we haven’t seen her. If nearest special school had space it would be fine but from what case worker was saying it’s going to be an independent and lots of travelling. What happens at parents evening? If he’s sick? If he’s excluded? I won’t be able to get there!

We’ve had the same dilemma. Nearest special school is 45 mins away on a good run, over an hour in traffic and DD would have to cope alone with a taxi. Or an out of county specialist school where she’d have to board. How could anyone ever consider that to be appropriate for a vulnerable, anxious little girl!

We’ve chosen an SSC in a mainstream school and now fighting to get 1-to-1 in the mainstream classes. Would that work for your DS?

I’ll have a google and see if I can find any near us, thank you

None at all within an hour of us

Have you looked under your county’s local offer? If you want to PM me I’d be happy to help with the search

Thank you, have sent pm

Actually if the LEA state a pupil has to go to a school they have to go whether a school says they are full or not.

I would get sendiass involved and I would ask for an emergency EHCP review to state that mainstream cannot meet need and the EHCP provision section needs to acknowledge this.

I’ve said that to my case worker but he just says if the school is full there’s nothing he can do!
I will contact sendiass again