Childs National Curriculum Levels - Cause for Concern (sorry bit long!)

[time4chocolate]

Quick background - DS1 (just turned 9) had been in previous Primary school for 4 years but right from the off he was behind and has failed to catch up (received a diagnosis of ASD at age 6) at this point we requested an assessment with a view to statement but were turned down and were told that he would be able to make sufficient progress without (we were a bit naive at this point). However little progress was made and due to lack of support from previous school we moved him in November 09 to a new primary.

Have just had through his mid year report from new school and his current levels are as follows:

Writing 1a
Reading 2c
Maths 2c

These are below what we were expecting and I am now thinking previous school reports were being somewhat optimistic as to where he was on the national curriculum (maybe to avoid issuing statement but I might be being cynical!).
Any advce on how to proceed from here will be really appreciated. Does it look inevitable that he will need a statement?

Yes, it does look like he will need a statement. This is not a bad thing though - it should then get the extra support in the classroom he needs.

What have the school said?

Sorry, just re-read you post and can now see (I think!) that you want him to get a statement so he receives extra support.

I presume the report will be followed up by a parents appointment after half-term?

Did the new school level him on entry so you could compare his progress between entering and now?

I can't say whether he will need a statement - I think the school is probably best placed to advise you so I encourage you to talk to them. Ask them: why he's at those levels, what you can do to help at home, whether there's anywhere he's performing above the expected level, what they're going to do at school to help him, what they feel his progress has been like and whether there's a big stumbling block he can overcome to catch up or whether everything is likely to be difficult. That last one isn't phrased very well but I couldn't think of a better way to say whether he was lacking the foundations in some skills and once he's managed to learn and consolidate those he'll progress by leaps and bounds or whether everything will always take slightly longer to grasp and he's more likely to progress steadily. I'm sure someone else will be able to phrase it better!

A statement isn't necessarily a bad thing. I can appreciate that you might be scared about him having one but it can be used in a positive way to help your DS get the support he needs. Also try to remember that assessment is still a very subjective thing, no matter how many boxes there are to tick to try and make it as objective as possible, and your DS's true level may not be showing up at the new school yet because they don't know him and his capabilities well enough.

The school will be resisting this as, although your son undoubtdly deserves a statement, it will not be a high enough band for them to be able to claim funding for extra hours- it will have to come out of their budget.

Don't be fobbed off- if they won't initiate the process you can apply for it yourself. The school SENCO will have the relevant information you need.

Hi SeaTrek - yes we have been wanting a statement for sometime but have kept being fobbed off by previous school. I will be looking to set up a meeting with the SENCO as soon as schools are back and am hoping that we will get their support.

BrigitBigKnickers why would the school be resisting a statement?

Up until quite recently all children with a statement got funding in addition to the school's own SEN funding.

This has now changed and children on a lower band (who may be entitled to say 10 hours 1-1 a week) now have to be funded from the school's general SEN budget.

I know of a child who in year 4 was achieving similar results to the ops DS but as she was making progress and her results were not deemed low enough to apply for the statement by the school (advice from the Ed pych not a decision made by the SENCO.)

The parent was invited to apply for the statement herself. After a lengthy process and an appeal the staement was awarded but on a low band so the school were obliged to fund the hours.

That isn't the situation everywhere BrigitBigKnickers. It makes a significant difference to our school budget if a child is given a statement so it is seen as an advantage.

My dd's school get additional funding for her 15 hours statemented support and are very pleased to have it too.
Whether it is funded from school or by the LEA a statement is the only way to ensure the support the child needs.
If it is the school that funds then that child would get priority meaning less support available to those with less significant needs but really that isn't your problem.

It is probably worth taking advice from outside agencies such as IPSEA or SOSSEN. It sounds as if the new school is being helpful in not over estimating his level which hopefully will aid the statementing process. Get as mush help and advise as you can. Also make sure you have a copy of the code of practice

Mrz As I say funding here depends on the band on the statement.

The school I work at lost out on the statement of the child I mentioned. We have 30% of our pupils on the SEN register so some of the funding meant for SEN generally, went towards the child with the low band statement.

Mad system.

Your LEA will have a written criteria for initiating statutory assessment. It would be worth aking to see this document. Statutory assessment is not the same as a statement but is the step in which this decision should be made. It really does not matter if your son gets the support through a statement or delegated SEN funds at the stage before a statement known as 'School action plus' support, as long as he gets .

But only a statement gives you legal redress if the support detailed in it is not met. SA and SA plus aren't worth the paper they are written on much of the time because you have to rely on the goodwill of teachers and the allocation of funding to get the support. With a stsatement it has to be met and unfortunately in the case of central funding the funding will be taken away from the children who may have needs but who don't have a statement.

First thing to do is to ask the previous school and LEA for all documentation on your son. If they refuse make a formal request under data protection.

BrigitBigKnickers I agree the system is mad and needs urgent review a huge part of my SEN budget goes to top up support for children with statements that are only awarded a fraction of the support they actually require.
I don't know what the system is where the OP lives but it is always to the schools advantage to have a statement in place so can't understand why it appears some schools are reluctant.