once statemented. any school?

[CHARMS1]

Hiya,

I have just about started the long process of getting my little girl statemented.

She has currently been diagnosed with a speech and language disorder, but her senco and teacher feel she has more problems.

Someone said to me that once a statement is in place, they then have the choice of any school and they should be accepted. I am thinking more of when she changes to secondary school. Does anyone know if this is true.

Many thanks

Charms1

Its not quite as simple as that, having a statement often means that the school has to consider you first, above the other entrance criteria (VA schools or acadamies may set their own admission criteria which may give statemented children a different priority) however they do not always admit every statemented child that applies or else the really popular schools would have a much larger number, which could have an effect on the ability to teach them properly.
However, it does mean that you have a greater choice and don't always need to go to your nearest/catchment school, you dont complete the same forms at secondary transfer and only put down your one preferd school which is either then named on your statement, or the council have to tell you why the school refused your application, which you then have the right to appeal. You also find out which school you are going to about 2 weeks earlier than everyone else. If you are applying for a grammer school you still have to take and pass the tests like everyone else.
This may vary in different boroughs/councils.

Most secondary schools are obliged to take children who have their school named on their Statement. It's only if they cannot meet provision required that they would be refused. Some 'fussy' 'academic' schools might just try to put you off by being really negative when you visit. But in that case you'd probably not want them anyway.
Any 'reasonable' choice should be OK if they aren't too far away.

My DS has, today, received his secondary school place at the successful comp with a large SEN dept 4 miles away, rather than the sink comp just down the road with a huge, underfunded SEN department that has very few DC with ASD, my DSs DX.
Good Luck

Providing that you can make a case that the school that you have chosen meets your DCs SEN in a way that no other school can, and the school agree, then yes you will be allocated your chosen school prior to everyone else.

Its not quite as simple as saying "I want that school"

You also need to be aware that the green paper that is about to be published could throw things up in the air. It's due out any day so watch this space.

bethylou is this where they are looking at doing away with statementing / SA / SA+ and just having a central SEN budget? I personally find it very worrying

Parents have a right to name the school they want and the LA is obliged to comply with that wish unless the school can prove that they can't meet the child's needs. Generally it will be very difficult for a school to show that it can't meet the child's needs because of their requirement to make reasonable adjustments according the the Disability Discrimination Act. The only way a school could show it can't make reasonable adjustments is if the needs are very complex or if there are severe behavioural problems.

Some LAs do refuse to meet the parental choice, but all parents have a right to appeal and most LAs back down when this happens. The only cases I've known of where parents have not got the (mainstream) placement they want is when the LA has ignored their wishes and parents have chosen not to appeal.

It is rumoured that Statements etc.. are being done away with but I don't think anyone can be sure until we see the Green Paper itself. The parents I work with are trying to choose a secondary school which doesn't know its budget or how it will be expected to fund their child's needs-it's a mad situation and one where we can only wait and see. Should be available imminently.

Where would this green paper be found once its published?

Im pretty clueless about green papers and how to access them!