Has anyone withheld an ADHD assessment from a school?

[Forestschool1]

We had an assessment carried out just as DC left primary school and it concluded there was mild ADHD. Our school at the time didn't think it was necessary to assess but we felt there were problems with concentrating, so we had the assessment but didn't give it to primary school because we had about a term left and didn't think it necessary.

We also did not submit the assessment to our new secondary school (an independent school).

We now want to submit the assessment to school because we see symptoms and it's causing problems in class, but worried they'll ask DC to leave, which I'm sure they'd be within their rights to do.

Has anyone had experience of a similar situation either as a parent or teacher?

Talk to the school don't just drop it on them. Be aware SEND may cost more. Or they might be fine with it.

OP, you're talking about ADHD as if it were a minor learning difficulty, it's a lifelong neurological difference with implications for every aspect of a person's life. There is no such thing as 'mild' ADHD, your DC will not overcome it but you can support them to successfully navigate life while embracing their difference.

Has your child been diagnosed by a psychiatrist or a specialist psychologist? If so, you are minimising the effects and doing them a great disservice by not disclosing this information to the school. Problems concentrating may be what you see, but that's the tip of the iceberg.

No, a school cannot ask your child to leave on the basis of an ADHD diagnosis. That would be disability discrimination. In fact, if DC is having difficulties, either a academic or behavioural, a diagnosis will offer them significant protection.

They can't ask him to leave because he has a disability. They also couldn't have refused him a place because he had a disability. He's not going to be the only one at his school with a diagnosis of ADHD. The best way to help him is to share the report.

Did you post about this asking whether to tell them before she went to the school? I remember a very similar situation, also citing 'mild ADHD' - that's not how diagnosis works.

Actually I think independent schools can say they are unable to support a child's needs and manage them out that way.

We submitted paperwork saying we were not aware of any diagnosis

Absolutely school needs to know as they will need to sort adjustments in class and for exams etc.

Look up protected characteristics. It is against the law to discriminate against someone based on a disability.
No such thing as ‘mild’ ADHD and it often comes with a whole Venn diagram of comorbidities which the school have to support him with if he has a formal diagnosis.

Is your assessment with the NHS or privately obtained? I think if the latter, I’d get the school onboard and seek an NHS diagnosis. Admitting you lied on the application is possibly a bigger deal than your son having a mild learning difficulty.

It is against the law to discriminate against someone because if a disability.

I am disabled.

It happens all the time.

Are you being serious?

ADHD means extra time in exams. Mild or not ( does mikd exist?) your dc needs the school to be aware. It affects performance, mood, organisation and social skills.

OC the school should know. No question. And why would you want your dc to be in a school that doesn’t support him if they don’t let him stay?

I’m staggered by OP’s post.

They could equally manage a child out with lots of issues in class. Far more likely IME to want a child to have a designation they can use for their stats. <cynical>

We submitted paperwork saying we were not aware of any diagnosis

This is the issue, not the fact that he has ADHD. It's that you lied to the school. If I were you I would get a new ADHD assessment and diagnosis, which will obviously dated now, rather than before he joined. I would submit that. The school can support him much better if they know.

Did he have a qb test? Is he medicated? That can be a good thing or it can have side effects.

Private schools can do what they want.
Yes people should be protected by the equality act but it's a different ball game in independents schools. It's a business and they can reject children.

Why didn't you say? My DC has gone through 11 plus and every single school we applied for said tick this box for disabilities tick this if seen an EP

Why would you want to lie? There is hundreds of kids with adhd. Last thing you want is for your child to get into school and then realise it's not going to work!

I don't think it is any great suprise that private schools manage out people who don't fit their student model, why do you think people send their children to private school, so there won't be any disruptions or money spent on accomodations and so children can concentrate and learn...unlike mainstream.

In my experience, private schools are pretty good with ADHD.

I teach in a state school and I’ve had this happen to a kid in my class (literally as no surprise to anyone around him… be aware your child may have already told the teacher). It was annoying because if we had known at the beginning of the year we’d have arranged the classes differently to have the year groups more equal with regards to students who need additional support.
Also what the parents didn’t realise is that change can take months to happen. Fx. my student needed support but recruiting that support has so far taken over a month and is unlikely to be recruited by the end of the school year.
Meanwhile this student is hitting and kicking kids and teachers. Threatening to jump out windows. And generally just disrupting class.

There is mild ADHD.
I have 3 children with ADHD. 2 can manage to attend school, their lives are pretty normal. You might not notice they were ND if you spent 15 mins with them. You would if longer. 1 can't as can't sit still for any length of time. He constantly talks and moves about. You would notice he was ND within 1 minute. Much harder challenges for him

Why did you get them assessed .

you do not see what they see in the classroom .Yes despite it been protected your child could be managed out but leaving them struggling is not fair on the child or the school .

if it’s a sit down and focus school it may not be the right school for your child but they also may do better in presumably smaller class .

i am guessing you haven’t looked at medication . It really helps my Ds with focus .

Depends on the ADHD type though.

Mine has it. She spends most of her time in/on her bed. She doesn’t move around a lot or talk a lot.

But it isn’t mild. Medication has dramatically improved her ability to focus and get things done.

This isn’t necessarily the case. My youngest dc has ADHD and masks very well at school - they don’t cause any disruption so they are rarely given any additional help.

What does your child need? How can you frame that with the school? Maybe you can ask them if they feel there is am
issue rather than provide the diagnosis.

DD's highly selective private school was fabulously supportive when she got a diagnosis. You really need to tell them.

Private school terms and conditions absolutely do allow them to manage DC out in such a situation. Certainly the T&C at my DC's school do.

I find people on here rather naive about private schools on here. They're businesses.

I think maybe you'd better just come clean, because surely a new assessment would have to disclose there'd been a previous assessment?

Maybe better have a Plan B in the form of an alternative school.

Yes, you should tell the school.

They can’t make reasonable adjustments for your DC’s SEN if they’re unaware of the diagnosis. You’ve said in your OP that you’re seeing symptoms and it’s causing problems in class, so if school are made aware, then there may be things they can do to help your DC.
If they’re unaware of the diagnosis they may be attributing your DC’s problems in class to just poor behaviour, laziness etc, which could also lead to a child being managed out of a private school.

If you tell the school then, yes, it’s possible that they may decide that they are unable to support your DC’s needs and ask them to leave. We had that happen with the private school DC1 attended about a year after he got an ASD diagnosis. Whether that’s the case for your DC will probably depend on how badly they’re affected by their ADHD and how easy it is for the school to put any required support into place.

But ultimately, if they can’t, or won’t, support your DC’s SEN then it’s probably not the right school for them anyway.

I think your label of 'mild' means you think it doesn't impact on others so much. So not so hyperactive. That doesn't mean it's 'mild' to her.

What exactly do you need from the school? My dd has ADHD and isn't allowed extra time in exams, but is allowed a prompter.