SEN currently in mainstream. Should we move her?

[alittlebitsocial]

Hey all,

My daughter is 12 and currently in year 8 in a mainstream larger average secondary school. She has an EHCP and apart from being allocated an LSA to help her during lessons, no other interventions have been arranged with regard to her learning. I have asked the SENCO three times since May 2019, if they plan to implement any interventions and have been fobbed off due to a change in SENCO, to be then told that we will be supplied with an IEP within a couple of months to being totally ignored.

This has been happening since year 7 and no one wants to address the situation, she has been given an app named Lexia which she completes at home and is pretty useless. Her EHCP, states that she should have literacy and numeracy interventions in small activity groups external from class.

I'm not usually one to complain, I have a younger son in a special school with much greater needs and these needs are met as per his EHCP.

Am I asking too much? I just want a general plan as to how they intend to help her, so far I think we are expected to pay for external tutors. She is likely to fail her GCSE's without proper support.

We recently made aware of an independent school with amazing dyslexia and special needs attachment. We toured the school yesterday and it was amazing, we certainly feel like you have to pay to get the education she needs. Now the fees are not ridiculously expensive, she could apply for a performing arts scholarship and could be topped up by a bursary, my mother in law has offered a little support but I'm wondering what the likelihood of our LEA approving additional financial support. I have read so much about making sure that it doesn't exhause public funds. I'm not expecting them to fit the bill for the full £11k a year but perhaps assist with her extra tuition and intervention support.

The reasons we think the school would be a better fit:

1. Classes of 12 not 30 pupils
2. Small school of less than 500 pupils (it's a 2 - 16 years old)
3. Dyslexia and learning support attachment giving them options to drop non-core subjects to help with the study of core subjects
4. Her self-esteem has taken a battering over the last year and teachers haven't helped

I could give you a list. Has anyone ever been in a similar situation, unfortunately, I don't live in an area with many schools with dyslexia units. I know I will have a fight on my hands but she loves the school, it would be the perfect fit for her and just talking to the SENCO at the school was refreshing. I want my daughter to feel confident going to school not being told by teachers that she's failing because she can't hit 80% in a maths test!

Sorry I know I've gone on a lot, but I wanted to explain in a little detail where are currently at.

Please feel free to drop me a comment, positive or negative. I'm up for hearing it all!

As the SENCO is so useless, forget about the school and contact the LA directly and ask for an urgent annual review, (you don't have to wait until May) citing her anxiety and meltdowns, school not meeting her needs etc.

My post upthread gives you the links to IPSEA advice and model letter for this.

Thank you Ellie, I have drafted a letter to the LA, siting my concerns and her anxiety.

You can always contact IPSEA on their advice line for free legal advice.

Having said that there seems to be a technical problem at the moment, but this is the usual link.

www.ipsea.org.uk/advice-line

Thank you Ellie. Yeah, I've been trying to get an appointment for a week. No luck yet and now technical issues. I'll keep trying

Hi all,

So after much hassle by email to my DD's SENCO, she replied after I raised further concerns about so-called voluntary maths 'detention' and suggested that perhaps rather than it is labelling it like that, having to miss her lunch she should be able to attend her homework club where she could be supported by an LSA and not her teacher. The SENCO agreed this was a better idea! It took me suggesting it mind!

Her email ignored my request for a break down of targets, stating that they are meeting her need, shes happy and that the targets will be addressed at her review in may 2020. This was 16th December, so I wrote to the LA, requesting an early review, they agreed based on the school not having set targets and issues with teachers. It's due to be held by the end of this month!

SENCO then called me two days before christmas break and explained that she wanted to address the maths issue in the new year and find a safe place for my DD outside of her classroom and away from teacher. I mentioned targets and she again said they will look at them at dd's review! Not good enough.

I am fed up of being fobbed off so contacted LA as mentioned and they suggested I raise a complaint with the school as well as agreeing to the early review based on the fact it's basically rubbish.

Today, I heard from the independent schools SENCO. Who had a telephone meeting with Hampshire to discuss funding. Part of the battle is won as school we want have agreed it is the best place for DD. She's previously worked with LA's to access funding so I have all my fingers, toes crossed. They just have to make sure if they accept DD that the funding doesn't fall flat and they can't meet need. So it's a waiting game. SENCO at new school has agreed to attend early review for support.

I asked the LA for an early review without involving current schools SENCO, to say she wasn't pissed off on her return from Christmas is an understatement. She was extremely rude and suddenly jumped on the arranging of early review without involving LA. Stating that I only had to ask. I did explain that it was badly written and things need addressing. Oops. I never was one for confrontation.

My next question is, I haven't told the current school that we are looking elsewhere, I was awaiting confirmation that chosen school was an option before telling them. LA are now aware due to conversation with new schools SENCO. Will they tell the current school?

I don't feel confident enough walking into review meeting and stating 'we want to move her school'. I have to get used to confrontation as this is my dd's education we are talking about but it fills me with dread.

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.

Many Thanks

Gemma

When you get an amended EHCP make sure the provision specific and quantified, otherwise the school you want to move DD to my not be any better, and without a specific and quantified section F you can't force the LA to ensure the support is provided.

If SENCO of the school you want to move to is going to attend the early review then surely the current school are going to find out anyway?