Secondary school place ASD/EHCP already falling apart

[onthegrindbaby]

Last week my DS started secondary school. He has ASD, but was only diagnosed shortly before covid and never had major adjustments made in primary. They refused to apply for an EHCP ('didn't meet the threshold') and in the end I did that myself, because I knew he would struggle majorly with transitioning to secondary. He now has a place in a small classroom in a small mainstream school. As far as accommodating schools go I think it fits the bill, but basically none of the transition activities recommended by the EP have happened and things have fallen apart much quicker than I expected.

So here we are, he is refusing to go to school today and I don't know what to do. I try to use PACE (playfulness, acceptance, curiosity, empathy) as recommended by the EPs here. It's also my preferred method and what got him into school in primary. But I'm finding it difficult to know what I can ask/expect in accommodations to lower his anxiety while all this is new.

He's having a quiet day. No screens allowed because no school. But what do I do come Monday, or whichever next day he refuses to go in again.

Does anybody have any ideas?

Yes, well everyone kept telling me he was very bright and would be fine in a mainstream school, but as soon as the hormones hit him (and the lockdowns) he was a different child and his anxiety went off the scale. He definitely wanted the high school experience with all his friends, so I know I'm not entirely to blame, but his brain had other ideas and just effectively shut down. Bloody COVID-19!!!!

That's the thing, their place in mainstream is so fragile but if your DS is anything like mine, school finds it very hard to see his anxiety - until he completely digs his heels in. I was very happy with the EP who assessed his needs, because she named so many of the small telltale signs, and then his class teacher confirmed that he saw these things daily. But on the surface he seemed like just a quiet, performing average kid in the back of the room. In Y6 it only took one genuine conversation between him and his teacher to put him on the right track for the rest of the year. I'm very sad I didn't manage to get the same for him in secondary. They seem so busy with whatever, but like with so many of these underfunded overstretched services - it would save so much time, money and effort in the long term if you set things up well from the beginning.

Mackencheese complain to the director of children's services threatening Judicial Review. If the threat doesn't work contact SOSSEN for help with a pre-action letter.

Just thought I'd update, for anybody interested and to write my thoughts down. How is your DS getting on, @MackenCheese?

We're a month further and he's close to his 15 days of absence. School say he's engaged when he makes it in and I can see at home he's getting at least some good things out of it. His halfterm report card was great (much better than in primary, and apart from the attendance figure, obviously) but he is still adamant that school is boring and he much rather be at home.

School has said they will 'press the hospital school button' as soon as he hits day 15. @Overworkedrobot , could you please tell me what this mean in practice? Will he be deregistered from his current school or will he remain enrolled (ie can he come back if he feels like going)? Is it a virtual school or can they make him go into another setting? We have a meeting after halfterm to discuss next steps but I'm nervous that hospital school means quietly unrolling him, and I can't ask them until next week now.

Communication with school has improved, though, and we're talking about a 'reset' after halfterm with more adjustments and a later morning start time. Still, I don't see his reluctance to go in will change easily if at all, even with these provisions.

In the past week I found out there is actually an inclusion head who knows autism provisions very well. Why she wasn't involved in communications until recently I don't know, but at least there now is someone to talk to who understands - and hopefully they are sincere in saying that they want to work on a solution that is best for him. And not just go for deregistration to save their attendance figures.

I'm documenting everything for tribunal. If anything, this process has shown that he needs much more adjustments than thought and that he has the potential to do very well when he is academically/creatively challenged. Exactly the reasons why I applied for an EHCP. A bit of a bitter victory, but still.

School wants to ask for an early EHCP review; my advocate thinks adjustments can be made during tribunal (we're also appealing sections B and F, I think it is). Both want more assessments done and the LA to pay for it. Not sure if tribunal or early review are that different, as long as the plan changes it's fine with me.

What he really needs is an academic school with an autism-friendly environment where he can follow his interests but also be taught by teachers who love their subject. In our LA the choice seems to be either engaging academics or autism-friendly, no place that seems to do both - and he's just not going to do well in one without the other.

I just want to hug him and make it all okay. There are so many children like him. Why is getting it right so hard?

The LA, it is them who are responsible not the school, do not need to wait until DS has been absent for 15 days. Medical needs tuition should commence as soon as it becomes clear DS will miss 15 days. DS must not be deregistered from the current school. Do not allow DS to be off rolled, some schools try.

The tuition can take various forms depending on DS's needs. It could be home tutoring, hospital school, online or small group tuition. It should be the equivalent of full time, although as it is small group or 1:1 that does not mean full time school hours as the content is covered quicker.

Separately as DS has an EHCP the LA must provide any provision that is specified and quantified in section F.

If tribunal is in a month you do not need an early review as well. Have you got independent reports for tribunal?

Have you looked at independent SS?

Thanks @Overworkedrobot I see I'm not paranoid in thinking school might be trying to use the hospital school to off roll. I've had a quick Google on the law around this, but can't work out what his rights are wrt an out of school provision. Ideally, I'd like for him to have the option to go in on days he feels like it and have tuition at home/virtual for the other days. He has an extra curricular activity he likes on one day and seems to be more okay with the timetable of some days than others. He manages to come in most days, albeit late, and until the tribunal at least, I'd like to have a combination of online or at home tuition and of going in. Maybe a 2/3 or 3/2 day split. I think he would be happy with that.

I didn't manage to get independent reports for the tribunal. No time/money/energy right now. I know it's not ideal, but realistically the best I can do is, I think, to see what additional assessments the tribunal agrees to and then add my own independent ones as needed. It's taking me all strength to just do the basics of this process (hence the advocate) and I just don't know how to manage more than that at the moment.

I've looked at independent SS for my other DS, so have a bit of an idea what's around. It seems such a big step though, from kind of managing in primary (some years better than others) to a small setting outside of our community with children who mostly struggled in MS much more than him.

I might as well say that our LA is Manchester, any people involved in this situation will have recognised it by now. I've visited Inscape and Rossendale. Not sure which other schools would fit him, really. Most SS seem to not have autism as their primary focus and I do think that he needs that. Plus a setting that can teach him towards good A levels.

Ideally ideally, he'd be in a Montessori type school. I think he's thrive there. I've been looking at the online version of the democratic school in Hebden Bridge - but that would mean he will be home full-time and I'm not sure I'm ready for that. I've just managed to get his brother back in full-time after three years of flexischooling and the thought of having a child at home all the time is quite claustrophobic. If all avenues are closed I will be okay with homeschooling or EOTAS but I want to give it this year at least.

To be honest, I think we need to try a good RP in a good school before going to a SS. But maybe that's wishful thinking and me not accepting fully that he really isn't coping. I think that's what his current school and the advocate are starting to think.

Sorry for the essays. It's helping me sort out my thoughts but they do go on a bit.

Thanks for asking, @ onthegrindbaby My ds is still at home, so he has not gone into school AT ALL this term, so way over the 15 days. The LA have still not put any education into place because they waited for the last minute to say that he DOES have to have a GP lettter and it took me a week to get that as the GP is not seeing anyone.... aargh! Anyway the letter has gone in now.

We had the annual review as I said where the LA agreed to special school, and they are pressing me to state which one. But when I made my suggestion, which is out of county - but our nearest as the crow flies - the LA tried to insist on the LA special school which is further away. The school I proposed is full btw. I decided to ring the LAs proposed school and speak to the SENCo who potlitely informed me that their school is running at 120% capacity because the LA keep shoehorning more children in. So now their lovely class sizes are no longer small and it is compromising the education of the existing pupils. I know he can't refuse my ds, but coupled with the fact that the pupils are mostly SEMH I don't think it would suit my ds.

I agree with you that it is harder to find schools for high functioning ASD if they are able. My ds also has a radar for autistic children and we could risk him being unhappy and avoiding school. Some children in this situation are happy to finally "find their tribe" and other, like my ds might not be, so it's a risk.

So now it's half term, but I will be contacting another SS in another county that does support HFA and also a small independent mainstream school that my ds went to when he was tiny. It is small and nurturing, walking distance 5 minutes (so would be good for his independence and there would be no transport costs), a couple of the kids are still there from Year 2 when he left, and according to their 2021 inspection report 25% of the kids have special needs. Only one with an EHCP though. So I willl give them a ring and have a chat. My Ed Psychologist says there is not point naming a school that doesn't have places, so fingers crossed! Given that SS places are so hard to find, does anyone think the LA would fund such a place at the independent school, and put in the support from section F?

An essay from me too!! I am totally with you OP (different LA though). I've had nearly a year of my son being mostly at home and I agree it's oppressive...

Here is the guidance for education for those unable to attend school. The legislation that covers it is s.19 Education Act 1996. And under section 42 of the CAFA 2014 because DS has an EHCP the LA must provide the provision specified and quantified in section F. A combination of some time in school and some medical needs tuition is possible, more likely if you agree set days.

There is no guarantee the tribunal will order additional assessments, they could rule based on what evidence is already available, and it is reports that often win tribunals.

I'm going to be brutally honest, as DS is struggling to make it in to school at the moment do you really think an ARP is going to work? It will still require DS to attend some MS lessons, and you still have to get him through the gates of a MS secondary. It is unlikely to be able to provide the high level of therapies DS needs either.

As well as the SS you have looked at have you looked at Church Lawton? Also, some of Witherslack's schools - particularly Cedar House and Ponteville if within travelling distance, they don't offer A levels but do offer GCSEs and A levels are a while away, the school that bests meets his needs now may not be the same one that does at 16. Depending on where you are in Manchester Alderwasley Hall and Breckenbrough may be just about within travelling distance - although could equally be too far.

Mackencheese the LA should not delay starting medical needs tuition because evidence is not available immediately, the guidance is clear on that. That LA must also provide any other provision specified and quantified in section F. If the LA do not provide what is in section F and do not have medical needs tuition in place for after half term threaten Judicial Review.

There's no legal definition of full, and, being 'full' is not enough of a reason to refuse to name your preference. The LA have to prove they are so full it is incompatible with the efficient education of on of others or use of resources. The bar is relatively high, higher than merely an adverse effect, impact on or prejudicial to. The exception being if the school you want is wholly independent, where you need an offer of a place.

It is possible to get an independent MS named. You need to prove either the LA's offerings can not meet DS's needs, or if is not unreasonable public expenditure. For more information look here. However, before mentioning this as an option think carefully whether it can meet DS's needs, including the need for therapies.

I agree with both of you about DC being at home full time. DS1 has an EOTAS package via his EHCP, it isn't perfect because he is at home and if there was a suitable school he would be going, unfortunately it is the only option for now.

Thanks for replying @Overworkedrobot. My preference is really the small independent SS which is full. The state SS which is further away is the one the SENCo said is overfull of mostly SEMH children and I'm not convinced it would be a good fit.

Thanks for the tip about the independent MS school. I know all the needs wouldn't be met, but the need for some independence, small classes, some familiarity with the school environment and knowing some of the pupils could go a long way towards him actually wanting to go in. Tbh because of his spiky profile I'm not convinced his needs would ever be met in a school, but if he has an EHCP and they are happy to have him then most of the adjustments could hopefully be discussed/made.