What do you do when a school doesn’t reply?

[TeddybearBaby]

Hello,

I am looking for some advice please…. My DS started a new sixth form about two weeks later than usual as he went back to his school originally and none of his friends were there / he felt like he’d made a mistake staying on. He had friends at the other school and I thought his happiness was the most important thing. He has extra time in tests as he has dyslexia and ADHD. When he started I sent over his reports and they contain the recommendations just fyi.

Before the mocks started my son was pulled out of class and told ‘we’re going to try you without extra time’ no reason why was given and I have been emailing to find out. I didn’t get a response to two emails I sent and so yesterday phoned the headteacher to try and find out any information at all. No return call.

I took my son out of a selective / nurturing school who knew him and his needs well and have phoned a couple of times to see how he’s doing. I feel like I’ve made a massive mistake and I’m not sure what to do next.

He didn’t finish any of his exams if that’s relevant.

Thanks for reading.

Hi OP

If anything like DDs secondary, they never do.

We flagged up HUGE concerns with maths this time last year (she's now Y11) after always, always being behind and struggling . We were promised various interventions in January none of which have materialised. Despite me calling (leave messages which are never returned) and emailing (no reply) probably monthly to chase.

She did a Y10 mock this May and got a 2 this is with a tutor she sees weekly.

I'm not expecting her mock result which is coming on Thursday to be any better. I've told them her mental health is very fragile and still radio silence.

I genuinely think they just Don't Give a Shit because her behaviour is excellent and she just gets her head down.

Sorry to vent on your thread. My stomach is in knots worrying about next summer (other subjects are better but I think we could be just scraping passes) and I feel like I've failed her.

I really hope you hear soon. Is is feasible for you just to turn up one day? Granted you may not get seen straight away but they will have to give you a rough day/time:name of an expected call maybe?

Tricky. Email Senco and Head and ask for a meeting. List all the evidence and what you want to speak about.

If no response within a certain timeframe, say a week, I'd go into school and wait at reception until I was given a date for an appointment.

As a teacher, contact the form tutor and the SENCO. Emailing the head will get you nowhere.

In regards to @tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz I can't speak for your daughter's school but kids with massive issues get pushed further up the Ed Psych list. It's not fair but happens. I'm trying to get an ASD assessment for one of my year 10s but because they are unproblematic it's gonna take forever. The younger child that assaulted a member of staff got moved up the list far quicker. Go private if you are able to.

I feel for you (have 2 dc with asd and health issues) it feels like a continuous battle.
I copy everyone into emails, ring switchboard and ask to speak to the most senior member of staff that's available. I'm often repetitive so state in my email 'on xx November I stated xxx I haven't heard back so ....'
Advice staff in emails I will take it to the next level (once I have ended up taking an issue to the governors).
I found y12-13 really difficult because students were told they needed to communicate with staff rather than parents but due to asd he didn't so I had to step in but then they'd go via ds (whom would say what ever pleased the person in front of him at that moment).
The system is broken its not the parents or teachers letting them down in most cases it's the system. Although I wish teachers wouldn't promise things they know full well won't be delivered (due to lack of funding, staffing etc). I'd rather be told the truth (I do understand why parents are often not told though).

Thanks World (are you a Stranger Things Fan at all?!). Absolutely appreciate she's one of 00's with much bigger needs. It's just frustrating especially when I see her working her backside off but with maths, I think all those years of struggling means she was never going to be able to catch up.

She doesn't have any SEN although my worry has had me googling all sorts.

It's frustrating for us too. I know that if we're going to get a diagnosis in time for it to make a difference with exams etc, it needs to be done in year7 really.

Not a stranger things fan, but do know someone who does the special effects for the programme.

Do you have a fair relationship with his old school? They might be prepared to forward you (as well as the new school, should have done it already, but it might not have been requested) the forms and exam board agreement for AAs.

Oh wow! What a cool person to know!

You don't even need a diagnosis. Once year 7 tests are done, compared to year 6 SAT's you should have enough evidence to (politely demand/insist) that Senco documents the need for extra time.

Ask Senco for a meeting. Arrange a meeting. Turn up. Unannounced take someone with you, eg husband or mum. Once there's a witness they won't like it, and you can politely ask how quickly they can get it all done.

Be Uber polite. But firm. Always.

Thanks all for your replies. Sorry to hear about your struggle @tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz. I hope you get some support soon.

To the person who asked about forms and AA my sons old school made sure they sent all that by post and email and actually stated ‘can you confirm you have received this as it’s needed for mock exams’. They’ve gone out of their way to support us.

I think I will call again tomorrow and I’m not sure after that….. my son really doesn’t want me to go in but I will if I have to.

Thanks again!

Can you return to the previous school?

I would contact the SENCo or the exams officer rather than the head. They will be able to advise whether the information from his prior school has been received, and whether it's sufficient for the new school to award extra time.

It's unlikely the head would get involved with this.

Extra time is not due to a diagnosis, but due to evidence of a deficit in processing speed, so if the reports sent over don't detail this, then they may not give enough information for him to have extra time.

Thanks again for all the messages. The head called me back on Thursday, apologising profusely and promising to find some answers. I haven’t heard back yet, emailed again this morning.

Just fyi I know the school received all his info because I was on the group email when this was confirmed. Also, his old school did a small (couldn’t think of a better word) dyslexia test on DS and then he had an in depth one that went on for hours and there wasn’t a section he wasn’t under in so there’s plenty of evidence of a processing issue.

To the person asking about if he could go back to his old school I’m not sure but he wouldn’t want to 😢. He does acknowledge that the school haven’t been as good in the education aspect but his friends are all there so that’s still where he’d rather be.

Oh sorry forgot to add…. The head said he’d had loads of complaints like this and the senco said just because you have a need of extra time in GCSEs, doesn’t mean you need them in a levels. He said it didn’t make sense to him either.