Permanent Exclusion..... Next Options

[alwaysgettingitwrong]

First time posting so please go easy......

My oldest is going into Yr10 as was permanently excluded from the local rural secondary school just before the break. He has a lot of Social, Emotional and Mental Health issues, which school refused to recognise for over a year, until we requested an EHCP assessment which was agreed to and will be complete by mid September.

I'm torn in whether we appeal as his behaviour was unacceptable but he was so far into their sanctions policy (Zero tolerance) that he spent 90% in a isolation booth with no breaks or social time for last 1.5 terms which compounded his issues and made his behaviour worse.

Second child is thriving at this local school (going into Y8) and it's outstanding and genuinely well thought of in the community.

He's academically capable but in my opinion, probably a bit unstable and easily overwhelmed for a "fresh start" in a new secondary school, likely to be miles away from home.

Trying to understand other options, he can't go back, there are no full-time Pupil Referral Units within a 30 mile radius, just some ad-hoc private companies that offer the council some education for excluded pupils on ad-hoc days, and by looks of it the learning is somewhat basic.

Has anyone heard of anything else available to us? I'm in a position where we could pay privately but don't think full-time boarding school is an option for us as a family. College appears to be off the cards due to his permanent exclusion.

Any advice much appreciated.

@kmammamalto no it doesn't at all, he wants a technical apprenticeship at 16 - my concern is Maths and English is all that's offered - he's needs 4/5 or 4's or above to be considered. He's no aspiration for A-Level/Uni route a moment.

It fills me with despair on reading the last few posts, which are basically hopeless for this young man.

I know the system, and I know that my school is not the only one that offers hope. We are mainstream, and expect good GCSEs from all of our students. Some are on a reduced timetable, but most do the same as students in other schools, and exceed expectations.

@craftygin - you have offered a lot, I never thought he'd be excluded by EHCP was completed!

If he wants a technical apprentiship then he only needs a number of GCSEs (usually 4 including English and maths) and there is no reason he couldn't get 4s and 5s in a special school or pru. I've had students achieve these easily particularly with help and support at home and a good attitude towards school work! Not sure what is so full of despair about that!
All settings I've worked in offer bespoke timetables, support where needed and a refreshing new approach and fresh start which is why I love my job!

sorry, i missed you saying that before. I don't know the area very well, but is this school anywhere near you? (CV7 9JG)

pressed send too early:

they do a fair range of GCSEs so may be worth a look x

CraftyGin the school you work in is unusual, I don't think you should paint the picture that there is somewhere like that in every authority. I've done 20 years in specialist SEMH/ HFA and worked in 5 LAs across the south of the country and I have never come across a regular, mainstream Independent school full of kids on EHCPs for SEMH. Where do you draw the line before calling that an Independent Special(ist) School?

Anyway, there are good settings out there with high expectations. The way forward for the OP is to liaise closely (and persistently!) with her caseworker. Not just to start bowling up hopefully to local private schools.

@kmammamalto thanks - I have more hope then I did last week, the no PRU situation in Warwickshire does mean there isn't one place he could go to every day from what I understand.

He generally can get motivated even with all the issues in school, he always does his homework etc.

@sleepismysuperpower1 is an 45 mins away (and different LA as it's Coventry) but certainly worth a look thank you

They have to offer him a school, he's entitled to that - whether you accept what they are offering is a different matter of course. Your options are going to be pretty limited without diagnosis, few private schools would take him and Sen schools tend not to have an academic focus. Approach your council and demand help basically

@alwaysgettingitwrong

We are in Derbyshire and he goes to Alderwasley school

if that school doesn't work out also, could you look into home tutoring? so you can get a tutor for a certain time period each day. eg: maths tutor comes for 3 hours on a monday, sets homework. english tutor on tuesday, science wednesday, language thursday, and then revision of the week on friday? if the tutors each came for 3 hours, then he would still be getting enough lesson time to sit the GCSEs. he could also use the friday to get some extra qualifications, eg by volunteering at a local charity shop or completing an informatics course, both of which look good on a CV x

Are there any fe colleges locally offering a 14-16 programme?

@LIZS yes but they're not open to excluded pupils!

There is an Independent SEMH school in Rugby that offers GCSEs?

witherslackgroup.co.uk/avon-park-school/

Have you looked at Interhigh? It's an online school. Classes register and run (online) but you can also catch up if you can't make a class. Pupils can participate in class by sending messages, using a microphone to talk to class, or make private comments to the teacher, if they are shy.

It costs, I think, about £3000 per year.

I think that you need to have a further consideration of what the current school offers.
Whilst the school have made a decision to PE, you need to consider the option of going to the governors disciplinary meeting and then to an Independent Review Panel (IRP). From your posts I am reading that whilst your son has blotted his copybook more than once, that you and the school are well aware of his SEND and that an EHC Plan is in the offing. As an experienced panel member of IRPs I would have to say that I would need a lot of convincing that the school have done everything possible to make suitable reasonable adjustments for your son's SEND when they are in the process of getting an EHC Plan. You should also be aware that for an IRP you can request an SEND expert to attend and comment on how the school handle SEND and whether in your son's case they have followed the Code of Conduct. In a school with a zero tolerance regime over discipline, the SEN expert may have things to say over whether the school are making appropriate adjustments.

Unfortunately no panel can insist of a pupil being returned to the school, if they have got it badly wrong but they can quash the original verdict and insist on the governors reconsidering the case in the light of what the IRP say.
You need to think carefully whether or not your son could cope in the current school and actually whether he could cope in any mainstream school. If not I still think there is mileage in going to IRP simply because whilst you might not want him to return to the school, you may be able to get the school to reinstate which would remove the PE from his permanent record

I was also going to say look at Interhigh - and are you sure about the 14-16 courses at local colleges not being open to him - do they actually get a choice to say no if they are a state funded entity and can meet his needs? It doesn't seem right to me when so many teens are disaffected with school and the more adult environment of a college is exactly what they need - and they should be making reasonable adjustments too. Some PRUs are excellent, others are dumping grounds - college would be a better option I think. Are there UTCs or studio schools near you (I know they are not all wonderful either but each has to be considered on its merits and if it woudl work for your ds).

If he needs 5 GCSEs Interhigh could work. If he's motivated to study on his own it could be ideal. Wolsey Hall could also be worth looking at.

Is there a secondary school with a unit attached? My DN is joining one in West Sussex in September

I teach in an SEMH secondary school and, in terms of GCSE we offer: English Language, English Literature, Maths, Double Science and then 3 of History, Art, PE, Media, Drama, Food Tech and IT.
These schools do exist and more should be encouraged to push themselves/their students.

I’ve hear every good things about Interhigh for the right students. And he can definitely go to a school out of borough but you will have to push.

Also, if he is close to getting an EHCP void you negotiate for a managed move rather then PEX?

I don't know all the rules / regs around this but around us we have a Maths and Science college - they allow excluded pupils at their discretion I believe. This looks similar by you - maybe call and ask if its of any interest:

coventry.wmgacademy.org.uk/about/

@admission I think we will appeal, we have until 5th September to decide, someone else mentioned having an exclusion on his record even if he goes onto a special school as part of his EHCP could go against him in future. We have kept a communication log and informed school 38 times in writing since March that his SEMH needs weren't being met and isolation was counter productive. They also advised us in writing that they believed he didn't meet the threshold for an EHCP (turns out he did when we applied separately) and refused to put him on SEND Register. It's tough when other son is really happy there.

@penguinsacademy - I would love him to go WMG (I work at JLR so know of the links they have with industry etc) and actually applied (before he was excluded) but they're oversubscribed and (secondary issue) there's no suitable public transport from where we live.

@Lougle sounds really good actually - the interactive bit makes it seem more engaging

@Blueemeraldagain school were keen to get exclusion in, when we had meeting they would not consider any alternatives. They have managed moved a few children recently in his year already.