AIBU additional needs child in class

[ThisAzureRobin]

Hi,

My child attends a small independent school and is in a relatively small class of 18. This year we found out there was a student joining year 1. I understand this student is repeating year 1 for a third time, and the parents are waiting on a diagnosis before she can get into an appropriate setting. I'm not sure how I feel about a 7/8 year old being in the class, and the school have not increased the number of teachers to support the student. Apprarently the child is lovely but she takes up a lot of teacher time.

I've not said anything yet, as the student is the child of one of the other teachers and we are generally quite happy with the school, but I definately feel uncomfortable about things and potential impact on my childs learning (which feels very selfish).

AIBU/should I say something?

I think it's bad the school aren't providing an additional member of staff, it will have negative effects on the rest of the class and on the child too to not have appropriate support. A child who is redoing the same year for the third time needs more than a teacher shared across the whole class (even though it's smaller than mainstream).

Private schools are VAT exempt because they're educational settings that teach at least the minimum level of national curriculum subjects to qualify; nowhere in the EU taxes educational settings but a benefit of Brexit is now we can (won't be long until unis also have VAT added I expect). The fact some (not all) also have charitable status is irrelevant really.

The way the OP is framing her question sounds like. ' I pay for a particular standard and am not getting it'

What's wrong with that? Nothing. If we weren't all so placid at the crap state of the state system perhaps it wouldn't be as terrible as it is.

Focus on your child speaking up for their needs at school not other children and any possible impact. It's not your business or your responsibility. What about tbe children who are top of the class and horrific bullies and affect others? It's not just SEND children who have needs - it's that they're visible and usually marginalised by society and other parents who keep their kids away. The more private schools do this (and I've been there) the worse it gets in acceptance of humans coming in all shapes and sizes.

Will your school SENCO or an assistant be supporting the child during lessons, trips, lunch breaks etc? Sounds like the child does need a considerable amount of support given the number of times they are restarting from Yr1. Understandably parents feel concerned when they hear about a new child with additional needs joining, regardless of whether it's a state or private school.

DS had a child with significant additional needs in his class who was supported by our school SENCO during the school day. This meant that other children with special needs could no longer receive their weekly SENCO support until the school hired a part time SENCO assistant. The impact on learning for the rest of the class was actually minimal (year 4 class). While it's great that the school tried to be inclusive, having seen the child visibly distressed at hometime regularly and at birthday parties I just didn't feel that mainstream school was the right place for them.

Prior to someone telling you this “information”, you mention being generally happy with the school. Be very alert to malicious gossip, I’m sure the situation is more nuance than what you’ve been “told”.