School requesting reduced timetable for Reception child after difficult start

[RustyCutter]

Hello,

My 4 years old started Reception at a primary school 4 weeks ago. The first two weeks were a couple of hours per day to slowly ease all Reception children in. Full days at school started halfway through the 3rd week, and we had a phone call from the school's Headteacher requesting collection, as my child threw an object and hurt another child, was not engaging in class and kept leaving the class.

The next day, we had an email from the teacher requesting a reduced timetable - for us to collect our child at 12pm each day. In the email, there was no explanation as to why, what strategies the school will put in place and how long the reduced timetable will be for etc. So we pushed back and said no; it would not benefit our child.

Then the school's SENCO organised a meeting, which took place last Thursday. We attended and the meeting was 1.5 hour along. It involved the SENCO, the class teacher (briefly) and the Headteacher. The summary of the meeting was: our child is unable to self-regulate, struggles with transitioning from one session to another, doesn't sit for carpet time and engage in learning, prefers to do free play, finds the environment overwhelming, and the list goes on. The school said our child requires close supervision (as well as another child), but they don't have an available staff member to do this.

The SENCO said she needs to collect evidence to apply for an EHCP for our child and hopes to send it off by February next year. She added that there's a backlog with the council in approving EHCPs, and she has been waiting on 22 students' EHCPs since July of LAST YEAR!

And that was the end of the meeting. We went home, and I had to rearrange all of my youngest son's (who is only a baby) appointments, so I am available to collect my 4 years old from school when my husband is on shift.

Since then, we've had nothing in writing, not even meeting minutes, and we've not signed anything. We don't even know how long the reduced timetable is for. The Headteacher said they need to measure the impact of the reduced timetable and that was that.

We've only been asked to complete an Autism and Social Communication Advisory Team - Individual Sensory Checklist and Plan. We went through the checklist, and our child scores VERY low for Autism (maybe 2 or 3 points if that!). We also completed a parent's view form on our child's interests and struggles. Both forms were returned to the school this morning.

I collected my child today and asked how Forest School went. It didn't happen because Forest School and PE are in the afternoons. I contacted the SENCO to clarify - her response was that my child is not accessing any of the taught whole-class sessions.

We've had a lot of changes in a short space of time - we've moved to a new area, new home, baby sibling with many medical appts and starting a new school.

We are homeschooling our child in the afternoon so they do not fall behind. The school have said they will send us work and would like us to work on phonics. We've had nothing yet. I am due to return to work in a month's time from maternity leave and have no idea how I am going to homeschool my child in the afternoon, let alone collect them at 12pm!

Can anyone please advise what we need to do - I've heard of SENDIASS but also read that they can be biased and give out the wrong advice?

As my child is not of Compulsory School Age (CSA), we don't have a leg to stand on? I know that we need to have the above in writing, but how do I request this without being difficult with the school?

Any advice and guidance would be really appreciated - feeling so lost and sad for my child.

Many thanks :)

My understanding is unfortunately because the child is 4, you are going to struggle. Keep a paper trail and keep on at the senco for weekly meetings, progress updates and what they are planning for your child. Did nursery flag any behaviour? It's a tough process, I'm sorry you are going through this

Hi. This seems to have come as a real shock to you. Did you have any concerns at all before he started school?

I suggest you contact an org called SOS!SEN for advice. Also apply for the EHC Plan yourself - the SOS!SEN website will have info on how to do this.

Get hold of the book The Out of Synch Child and do the activities at home.

Good luck

How was he I nursery? Did he do circle time and the phonics with the other children there?

We didn't have a problem at nursery, but when my child started pre-school that followed a similar structure to a school environment (the pre-school was on the school site) - we had issues. So all of these issues are not new, and we shared all of this with the primary school before the summer holidays; hence why we feel lost, as the school knew all of this.

A reduced timetable might be a good thing? Back in my day, summer borns started school in January. Perhaps your child isn’t ready yet?
Phonics and maths are often taught in the mornings (when children are fresher) and afternoons are purely play. This will hopefully mean your child won’t fall behind academically. Perhaps they would benefit from a rest at home in the afternoons with some light socialising eg soft play, child minder, grandparents?

I'm sorry you're in this situation. I'm not in the UK so can't comment on how things work there but I had a similar situation. I would not take any action like keeping him home until you have something in writing from the school on why he is being put on reduced hours and for how long. If you are agreeing to it, I would suggest agreeing for a fixed time , eg 2 weeks and then reassessing the situation. Ask them what their plan is for increasing the amount of time he's there. Make sure you know your rights as regards how much time your child can stay on reduced hours. I'm assuming it can't be indefinitely or long term. In Ireland, it's a maximum of 6 weeks. I didn't know this and wasn't made aware of it until after my son was reduced hours for much longer.
It's not your child's fault if they don't have sufficient staff and he is entitled to an education.

However, if you don't have to send him to school yet because he's too young, for his own sake I think you should wait till he's ready. It's really not natural for children to be made to sit down and be quiet for long periods of the day and he may just need more time to run around and play. It's a fault of the school system that children are expected to go against their natural desires to move and play and he will benefit greatly from waiting till he's ready, if it is even the right environment for him. I would question if the school have his best interests at heart. You definitely need to start with getting absolutely everything in writing. Send an email asking for clarification on the situation and summarising what you understand to be happening from the meeting. Ask them to confirm if this is the case.

Speak to sossen, Ipsea or coram child law advice. They all offer free advice. As far as I know if you've enrolled your child in reception they are treated as compulsory school age and are entitled to full time education.

school cannot force part time. You can apply for the EHCP yourself (Ipsea have a template letter) and that will be much quicker than waiting for school to do it in February.

Is there anything triggering your child's behaviour? For example, it is at certain points of the day or is he getting stressed about something that he finds difficult, like writing? He may be trying to divert attention from something that he struggles with. Is he ok in other settings, like Forest school? Can he concentrate on things he enjoys or stay focused enough to complete tasks at home? Just some questions that might help you get to the bottom of the problem which the school should be looking at!

What’s he like at home? With family? Play dates? With other children? Out for the day? When you play/read to him? When you sit together for dinner? What does he like doing?

Does hearing that he is throwing things, hurting others, not engaging with the learning a leaving the room surprise you?

What is he saying when you talk to him about his actions at achool?

Was he on his preschool’s SEN register? If so, what strategies did they put in place to help him? Surely there must have been a handover; were you invited to a meeting in the summer term to put a plan in place for him? All these things should have happened; at least, they would have done where I live.

It’s so hard trying to teach a class of 4 year olds with only 2, 3if you’re extremely lucky, adults. Hopefully there will be a clear plan going forwards.

im also surprised that they didn’t request an ehcp in preschool.

you say he only scored 2/3 points in the autism checklist; what do you believe is causing his behaviours? Ask the school what his triggers are?

The preschool must have evidence for the ehcp application, too.

There are so many things they can put in place for children who are struggling. It doesn’t sound like a very inclusive school.

Preschool should have applied for an EHCP ready for starting school if his needs are that great.

What’s his speech/understanding like?

Is your child a summer born?

Please don't worry about "homeschooling" in the afternoon. Most teaching in reception (phonics, maths) is done first thing. Read to him, encourage counting, etc, but please do not stress about not letting him fall behind.

You have to appreciate that the teacher has 30 children to teach (not just look after). One child behaving like this stops everyone learning.

If his language is good, how is he explaining this behaviour?

Any “homeschooling” should be centred around listening, turn taking, not getting what you want when you want it. Until he can listen and do what he’s told I wouldn’t worry about anything else.

I think a reduced timetable is technically an illegal exclusion even before CSA so you could push back. Unfortunately they do need “evidence” for an EHCP but if there is history at preschool I’m not sure why they cannot use any of that. When does he turn 5?

Hi OP.

My advice would be arranged another meeting for a weeks time, ask them for an update and for a plan on how they're going to transition your child up to full time.

They cannot enforce a reduced timetable.

Is your child distressed at school? Is the reduction for your child's benefit or because they cannot provide support?

I’d find another primary school, quick smart! They sound shocking unless you’re missing out a lot here!

I thought they can’t enforce this or refuse to teach dc.
it’s hardly surprising that a 4 year old doesn’t want to sit still and do structured activities imo. It’s a flawed system and this is what happens. Many will be able to cope and others won’t, especially usually younger boys.
Are they wanting to reduce for dcs benefit or theirs?

The preschool did nothing. They implemented 'strategies' which we were not happy with (for example: sitting alone on a table facing the wall, away from others). We then moved 2 hours away to a new area (to be closer to family) and our child attended a nursery setting before the summer holidays for a few months. They referred our child to the under-5s SEN team, and a handover meeting took place before the summer holidays with the school. We were at that meeting.

The triggers are transition times - stopping one thing and moving on to another thing. If my child is enjoying themselves, they want to carry on and not stop. School environments are often chaotic, and they've said my child gets overwhelmed (nursery has said the same).

As a family, when going out to crowded places, my child isn't bothered. We've been to London using public transport a few times for day trips, and my child wasn't bothered when it was crazy during rush hour, etc. However, at home, when we have visitors, my child gets hyper and will be bouncing off the walls - climbing on people, talking very loudly, etc. We suspect our child may have ADHD, but what do we know? Is it SPD? Or is it typical 4 years old behaviour?

Speech and language are advanced compared to peers. The headteacher commented that my child's vocabulary and knowledge of the world are advanced.

My child is not distressed at school at all. Every morning, my child is always happy to go in. Never once does my child resist going to school. When my child was doing full days at school (even though it was only six full days before the timetable was reduced), they didn't want the school day to end and would sulk!

I will call some helplines tomorrow for advice before contacting the school via email to find out whether the reduced timetable is for their benefit and how long they plan to enforce the reduced timetable. I will also request a follow-up meeting date and time to be booked in.

What does he say when you ask him about it then?

Home and school are very different. With 30 children to manage the teacher needs children to do as they are told. Trying to leave the classroom and refusing to sit down is not normal 4 year old behaviour as some would have you believe. Most children want to please their teacher. A bit of wriggling or talking on the carpet yes but not this level.

Use the time you’re still off work to work on this with school and your child. School sees lots of children, please listen to them.

If three settings have noted issues (nursery, new nursery referred to Sen team and now school) it’s likely this is not normal 4 year old behaviour.

I note also the school have said they will apply for an EHCP. If a school are saying this then they are pretty convinced.

phonics and maths are in the morning. In terms of keeping up you can ask the school what phonics system they use and most have websites. Not all schools are even sending books home at this point.

the overall picture you describe is one that is relatively common and is often autism - intelligent and ahead academically but seriously challenged by transitions and socially. However given the change you have described it’s possible it’s a reaction to a lot of change.

f your child is not accessing any of the taught whole class sessions then this could mean a couple of things - the most likely is that in the reception classroom which is often fairly free flow and choice based he is refusing to change activity and so rather than trigger a reaction they are letting him keep going with what he is doing and leaving an adult to supervise.

by this age most children respond quite well to peer pressure - if others are getting changed/going out to forest school they get distressed if left behind the group. He clearly doesn’t feel that which again is a pointer towards autism.

at this point I’d suggest gathering the records from the two previous settings and trying to apply for an EHCP yourself. He clearly needs the support.

I don't think struggling with stopping and a tendancy to run away is too bad really, nor occasional throwing. We've had plenty on reduced timetable, but it tends to be because they routinely hurt staff or peers badly when they're overwhelmed and we want to build up their tolerance for the environment.

What did the school actually try to support transition? We ALWAYS have a few every year with these issues (our cohort doesn't really go to nursery or childcare, so it's normal for us), and have clear strategies to support them. We'd be looking at timers, sensory aids to sit, now and next, extra warnings before transitions and 'special jobs' for the child while the class re settled following transition and a carpet space away from others to prevent disruption of peers when it went wrong anyway.

Beyond early collection and reduced timetable, what has the school actually tried?