How common is it for children to repeat reception?

[givemedirections]

As it says on the title really. Child in question has severe autism and apparently they can’t meet his needs in Year 1 - but he can’t stay in reception forever? So what eventually happens?

To the contrary, it's actually supporting him to find specialist provision quicker, if that's what is being applied for.

IF they officially moved him year groups (not always possible anyway if they've reached PAN for their new Reception intake), he would be seen as a Reception child with needs (which sadly will mean he isn't such a priority as many SEN children's needs can be met in Reception, due to the nature of the curriculum, but not in Key Stage 1, where there's generally less space and far more structure). If he's seen as a Year 1 child who is needing to access the EYFS still as his own classroom isn't appropriate to support his needs, he'll be considered a much higher priority for specialist provision.

By keeping him on roll in Year 1, but still offering him the EYFS curriculum and classroom he needs, his school are supporting him as best as they can. Changing year years could prolong the process as you're back to square one, with him being seen as a child just starting school. He's not, he's a Year 1 child. It just so happens that he still needs to access the Reception curriculum. That doesn't make him a Reception child.

It's really not as unusual as a couple of posters are making out to you. Just because they don't have experience of it, doesn't mean it doesn't happen. In fact, it's probably more common now than ever due to the shocking lack of specialist provision places currently.

I work with schools.

Advice would be that the child (SEND) remains with their year group, however the child’s individual plan ( internal school planning for a child) can include learning in another class, area of the school, year group.

The individual plan is about the class teacher and SENCo planning learning to meet the individual child’s needs.
So a child might benefit from learning outdoor (physical development, learning through interest, emotionally less stressful) and the provision for this is in the reception class.
A child might need more fine motor development to support writing, access to painting, playdough etc might be in the reception class.

Have you seen any individual plans? These should be shared regularly with parents, when their voice ( and that of the child is heard).

I would find out more, before saying the school are lying. If you genuinely think they are, there is a formal complaints policy on every school website.

This is because he still needs to work on the EYFS curriculum which is easier to do in a room set up for that purpose. You talk about him not being 'on the roll for Yr1' but there aren't separate rolls for each year group. Some schools always have mixed classes due to the total numbers on roll - they aren't operating some kind of scam.

This has been explained multiple times but you refuse to accept it and he's, apparently, not even your own child. Maybe you should back off as the school seem to be trying to do their best for him.

I think people are saying I’m not understanding but actually we’re not understanding one another 😂 he is repeating reception, it isn’t just that he’s using the reception classroom or whatever. They have said ‘we can’t meet his needs in Y1.’

We don’t have a problem with this at all. But we are concerned at the fact this is being hidden from the LEA. That’s all, really.

He is repeating the Reception CURRICULUM because he needs to, he isn't repeating the Reception year.

I have provided my view of what is most likely (I work for an LA), I carry out inclusion visits and look at the quality of provision for pupils (SEND). There is only an issue if the school are not planning to meet need, that the child is not learning and not making progress. In that case, the individual plan needs adapting so that the child does make progress.

As I said above, if you genuinely have evidence that a child in not being planned for and is not making progress, then parents need to use the school complaints policy.

Governors will be involved in investigating his parents complaint and making a decision around it.

THIS

I'm not sure how much clearer posters could make it.

Honestly OP reading your posts is frustrating. Posters have taken their time to explain the situation to you, and yet you refuse to listen.

They do repeat them here in Surrey.

I'm not sure its exactly a lie. We were told that the LEA class children who repeat a year as being in the year they should be in, i.e Y1. This can cause issues when moving to secondary because they'd go with that cohort, not the one they were in. So ot would be either missing their last primary year or at some point skipping a year to join the right age group.
We tried mainstream and in the end Our son (complex needs) went to special school

But why don't you be pro active and look at special schools? There may be alternatives such as a mixed placement so part mainstream part special school, or a decent special school will recognise if a child is "ready and able" to move back to mainstream.

His parents need to tell the local authority. There should be a parent support service in their council. Ours is called sendias. They are there to advocate for parents. And tell the SEN team what's happening.

Request am emergency ehcp review for September to discuss what's happening and what to do going forward. Is there a support plan? Does he have any 1:1. ?

If a Sen school is needed it can take a few terms so would probably be better where he is until it gets sorted but make sure professionals know what the school are doing.

Is the school over subscribed? Is there written evidence?

@givemedirections

If his parents are going to complain, it is quite serious.
If staff are not planning to meet the needs of this child ((ie, he is not receiving appropriate learning and is not making progress) then the school and class teacher a breaching the SEND Code of Practice and the Teaching Standards.
Quite a claim and a big breach by the school.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61b73d6c8fa8f50384489c9a/Teachers__Standards_Dec_2021.pdf

No one has said the school are not planning to meet his needs, quite the opposite. He needs to revisit the Reception curriculum as he hasn't met the ELGs. The best place to do this, given he is so young, is in a classroom set up with EYFS provision. No local authority would argue that the EYFS classroom provision needs to be duplicated in a year 1 room, it simply wouldn't make sense.

Our LA doesn’t because a child repeating the class has resulted in another child on the waiting list getting their space.

As few terms is sadly very optimistic, it can take years these days for specialist provision to become available if a child is in a mainstream which can 'meet' their needs. I put 'meet' like this as often it's not actually what's best for the child, it's more of a make do and mend situation, with children either accessing the curriculum of younger year groups (as is the case here) or in nurture groups funded out of the school's own budget as they can't really meet the child's needs any other way, within their own year group It's such a sad and desperate situation. Specialist provision is only given to those whose needs cannot be met elsewhere because there are so few places available. It's not just a case of applying and a space will be found within a few months.

I think everyone would prefer to avoid a complaint but it may be necessary. Will have to see and speak to SENCO on Monday.

Will have to see and speak to SENCO on Monday.

You're his aunt, why would you need to see or speak to anyone?

it can take years these days for specialist provision to become available

Not if the parents appeal. Appeals take time, but not years.

a) That’s really, really rude.

b) I did not say ‘I will have to speak to SENCO on Monday - purposefully. I’ve tried to be mindful of privacy so haven’t said what relation the parent is - I don’t think so anyway - so it was just shorthand for ‘Nephew’s parent will have to speak to SENCO Monday.’

Some children will go to eyfs to access the play based curriculum, but they will go in and have the register, sit at assemblies etc with their actual teacher (year 1).

Remember, it will be his parents who will need to raise the complaint as they have full details of his individual plans and review meetings.

They will need evidence that his needs are not being planned for ( which it appears they are, as he hasn't met the goals at the end of the EYFS).

This is a typical complaints policy, which must be followed (first class teacher discussion/SENCO, then headteacher, then Chair of Governors). There is also a right to appeal and the governing board will have a separate panel ( own school or another school) that will listen to the appeal).

Let us know @givemedirections how they get on.

https://www.lincolngardens.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Complaints-Procedure.pdf

That isn’t happening here though. And I’m not sure that it’s really in anyone’s best interests.

The worry is that firstly his needs aren’t being met, but moreover really that if there’s a lie - and I’m sorry but it is - then that’s a bit worrying given class numbers exist for a reason. If they are saying he’s in Y1 when he’s in reception the class will be over maximum numbers.

It just sits uncomfortably. The school can do what they feel is best but they do need to be transparent about it.

Thanks @Josie234 . Complaint would be last resort and hopefully not necessary.

If there's not the space there's not the space, they can't magic up specialist provision just because of an appeal. Besides, an appeal will only be won if it's been proven that the mainstream school isn't meeting the child's needs (that doesn't seen the case here, they're putting provisions in place for OP's nephew to continue accessing the curriculum he needs for another year at least).

It's a national disgrace how many children are currently in mainstream schools which are struggling to meet their needs, simply because there aren't enough specialist provision places available for those who need them.

I know of at least 3 children who will technically be starting Year 2 at their mainstream school in September (on roll, not accessing Year 2 curriculum) who have been waiting for specialist provision since starting Reception. That's a wait of 2 years plus so yes it definitely can take years. There simply aren't the spaces for them. 😥

With respect, they can't make year one be like Reception. We'll they could and they should , for all the children, but that's a whole other conversation!

Your child will be on the register as in a year one in a new class, but will receiving provision in the eyfs. This is good because year one sucks. The transition used to be much softer and more gradual
Now its a lot of sitting down doing formal learning. It's a lot. What would you like them to do to make your child happier than they already are?

Don't chase his class up the school if you have the opportunity to continue access to the eyfs provision. You're not being left behind, neither is your DC, you are being looked after. Children that need eyfs style learning, sen or not, don't do well when dragged away from it and dumped into the lunatic version of school that we have now.
Seek sen school provision like a heat seeking missile. It's wonderful.

@BoleynMemories13

Sadly I agree.
The last two children in my class who have been allocated a specialist provision, one has been waiting for two years and another for three years