What to do if school doesn't follow through on concerns?

[SpaceInvader321]

We've raised a number of issues with DD's secondary school, the main thing being massively disruptive behaviour among the children in her Y7 learning group such as children throwing things at other children; constant calling out; heckling anyone who dares to answer a question in some classes; children from other classes coming in and making noise or hiding under tables. There is at least one child who regularly has to be escorted from the classroom by several teachers and spends most of their time in isolation. There have also been incidents of teachers not showing up and no supply teacher being there to cover the class.

It's a huge London state comprehensive and it sounds like absolute madness.

School talks about high behavioural standards but that is not what we're hearing.

I know some will say we can't trust our DD's view of things but she is generally very reliable and honest. She is well-behaved and does well academically but she now resists going to school every morning and is very stressed out. She gets very little homework and very little feedback on the hw she does get.

We've had conversations with teachers in the SLT who said they would look into things and came back saying the teachers they spoke with didn't see any problems and it was probably DD having difficulty settling into Y7. There may be some challenge with the transition, but that's not the whole story; the school has a long history of behavioural issues.

Should we escalate to the Headteacher? Contact our LA if nothing changes? We're on waiting lists for other schools, but aren't optimistic we'll get a place this year, if ever.

It feels like she's losing out on a proper education and I'm starting to despair.

The school should have a complaints policy, which you can follow. But unfortunately this level of disruption is not uncommon in secondary schools in England, and it sounds like the school are not willing to acknowledge issues.

The class being left without a teacher is a massive safeguarding issue, though, so that should definitely be escalated.

That sounds awful, your poor DD. I think look at all available options for moving her. Are there schools with places that are in a neighbouring borough for example? Is it worth visiting undersubscribed comps you missed the first time?

Otherwise, yes definitely speak to the head and maybe ofsted?

Thanks for the earlier responses. Cross-posting to SEN.

DD is still struggling. She's now officially on the waiting list for an autism assessment, so we've been trying to see what school can do for her as a SEN issue. We've met with them several times to discuss her challenges, the main one still being difficulty in concentrating in class because of the disruptive behaviour I mentioned before (kids shouting out, throwing things, chatting constantly, chewing gum, etc).

School has said they've investigated and not found behaviour to be a problem in the classroom or out of the ordinary for the school. DD is academically very strong and complains less about the top-set class she's in, but the general school experience is proving extremely difficult for her and she's often in tears or melting down about going. She's spent half of half-term agonising about having to go back next week and saying she refuses to go.

So what can we do now? We have her on waiting lists for schools we think would have a calmer environment for her, but without an EHCP we don't have much chance of getting in (she's in the 40s on their waiting lists). Private school and private assessments are not an option either.

If her school is saying they don't see a behavioural problem and can't offer her any support other than moving to another class (where, we suspect, the behaviour will be similar), could we argue that the school isn't able to meet her needs and somehow have a better chance of moving her?

We're told it will probably be 18 months before she gets her assessment and an official autism diagnosis, which is a very long time to wait. Should we request an EHCNA now?

Thanks for any advice.

As a child with probable asd she is probably hyper aware. It is also true that school behaviour is shit often.

I mean this gently - but school have investigated and said the behaviour issues your DD described didn't happen. Not that they've ignored what you told them, but that they looked into it and found nothing. Teachers/SLT are professionals. They have no reason to lie to you and deny what happened, if it happened.

Secondary classrooms have low level disruption. Some worse than others, but it's rare to find a school with none.

An ASD diagnosis alone is unlikely to get an EHCP.

I'd suggest going on all the waiting lists. Then in July go on them all again, for Y8.

@SpaceInvader321 which part of London is the school in ?

I disagree

I think that some schools with behavioural issues are in denial about it, that they accept a level of disruption that would be considered abnormal in other schools. I'm not talking about disadvantaged schools either, I think a lot of schools with challenging populations often put a lot of effort into their pastoral policies & behaviour is less of an issue.

OP I don't have a solution for you, a lot of big cities are struggling massively with school places for secondary. Is there any scope to move? A big thing to consider I know.

Yes, I think DD is hyperaware, so there probably is an element of her finding the others' behaviour more disruptive than the average child or adult would.

But the school has a long history of behavioural issues. They seemed to have been improving over the past few years and I was hopeful it would be a good place for DD, but I think they do have a much lower standard of what "good behaviour" looks like compared with some other North London schools with reputations for being "strict". I've seen those schools and spoken with parents/kids who go there and they are shocked by the behaviour DD describes.

We're on waiting lists now and would prefer not to move out of the area, but if things get worse, we would move.