Trying to get my daughter a school place - not getting very far

[Makinganewthinghappen]

My 11 year old has been home ed since year 2. Primary school was a total disaster and we ended up taking her out of school as she injuring herself.

We have been bounced around various doctors since then and now she had a “working diagnosis” of ASD and adhd.

We cant get an actual official diagnosis without school input but her paediatrician has told us she is confident with those diagnosis.

Anyway as she has got older i feel like i need help - i want her to go to a school. We saw the peadiatrician in july who wrote to the LA for us saying that our daughter would need extra help and that she behaves like in her words “hyperkinetic 8 year old”

We applied a few months ago but were told we would have to apply for mainstream school first and basically have her fail at that. We applied for all the schools we can get to - i dont drive. We heard back today that no schools have places. They offered to try further away schools that we wouldn’t be able to get school buses to.

So they want her to get multiple buses then attend a mainstream year 7 class?

I am totally confused what i am supposed to do. I know she wont cope with the journey but i cant take her everyday it would be hours of travel and i have other children. I dont think its far enough away to qualify for any kind if extra transport but its way too far to walk and of course no direct buses.

I feel like our only option is to keep her home forever but that cant be right can it?

If you live more than 3 miles away from the nearest suitable/available school, the council should supply transport. (However this could be a buss pass so may not be suitable for your DD.) If your DD has additional needs, the 3 mile rule doesn't apply. My DS lives less than 3miles away and qualifies for transport (although we had to appeal).

I am more concerned about your DD being expected (by the council) to attend a MS secondary without any support. This is unlikely to be a positive experience for her.

Have you spoken to Ipsea or SOS!SEN? They will be able to tell you the legal position and what your next steps should be.

You can apply for a needs assessment for an EHCP yourself - that's what I did. It sounds like you have some reports/evidence already. The process can take a long time though.

Have you spoken to the sencos of any of the schools you've been offered? It can't do any harm to sound them out at this stage.

My DS is in an autism resourced unit attached to a mainstream secondary. It might be worth looking at any near you.

Hopefully more knowledgeable people than me will be along soon to help.

The paediatrician is talking nonsense, it is possible to diagnose ASD and ADHD.

Stop EHE, by EHE the LA will say you are making suitable arrangements and therefore they are relived of their duties. You can apply for an EHCP, you don't have to be in school to apply. IPSEA have a model letter you can use. Whilst going through the process the LA must provide DD with an education if she is not able to attend school. Or if DD can attend school but needs more support than the school can fund they can apply for high needs top up funding. Unfortunately without an EHCP it won't be possible to get a special school placement.

However, as well as the transport rules posted by toomanyminifigs, if there are no schools with places within a reasonable distance the LA can invoke the fair access protocol on the grounds of DD's SEN and being out of education for more than 4 weeks.

We have said we want to stop home educating and we sent off applications a couple of months ago.

We heard back again this afternoon apparently the further away schools also say they cant take her. I know they have spaces as we were told they had spaces at multiple schools that have now said no - it must be because of the special needs aspect?

The local authority have said they are taking it to a fair access panel. I asked more about it and they said they will assign a school place based on my daughters circumstances.

I dont know what this means - are they still talking about a mainstream place? Could this school be even further away!

Tbh im a bit (unreasonable i know) hurt that literally every school in our (quite large) area has seemingly looked at my daughter and said “uh…no “

You have sent off applications for schools, but if DD cannot attend due to her additional needs the LA must provide education.

Have you applied for an EHCP? Have you appealed for any school that has refused a place?

FAP is about mainstream places. It looks at what school is best placed to cope with admitting DD when all schools within a reasonable distance are full. For secondary school age travel time up to 1hr15 is generally considered reasonable.

Unless your child displays challenging behaviour (does she?) schools can not lawfully refuse an in year admission on the basis of SEN. And even if she does they can not refuse admission unless they have a higher than average proportion of pupils with challenging behaviour and admitting DD would prejudice the provision of efficient education of others or use of resources.

She does have challenging behaviour the peadiatrician wrote this letter to the local authority about her going to school and i think thats meant that its been difficult. image removed - outing

Apply for an EHCP needs assessment today. Ispea have a template letter you can use (this is what I did):

www.ipsea.org.uk/making-a-request-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment

The bar for a needs assessment is pretty low, it's something like: does or may have additional needs.

The local authority then has six weeks to respond. The legal timeframe for a council to issue a EHCP is 20 weeks. (I have to say though that I've never heard of anyone getting one in the 20 weeks - you have to push and push.)

I also don't understand the pediatrician saying they can’t formally diagnose as DD isn’t at school. What about children who get a diagnosis before they start school? Regardless though, school support/an EHCP can be issued without a diagnosis.

I’m sorry to say that it doesn’t surprise me to hear that schools are reluctant to take your DD. They will be worried about their budgets, knowing that a child with a fairly level of need may be starting but with no additional funding. When I was looking around for a primary school for my DS, before he had an EHCP, the head of one school tried to put me off by telling me that they wouldn’t be able to support him and that I should look elsewhere.

You may want to report your post and ask MNHQ to remove the photographs as DD's name is visible.

Even if DD does have challenging behaviour (the only part of that letter showing the relevant type of challenging behaviour is the bit about spending thousands replacing property) that doesn't mean all local schools can refuse to admit DD. Only those who have a higher than average proportion of pupils with challenging behaviour in the local area and can demonstrate prejudice. Statistically that can't be all the schools in the local area, they can't all have a higher than average proportion of local pupils with challenging behaviour. Also, any application made before September under the old admission code means schools could only refuse admission because of challenging behaviour if DD has previously been permanently excluded twice.

Have you applied for an EHCP? The threshold is a) has or may have SEN, and b) may need SEN provision to be made via an EHCP.

It's nonsense the pead can't diagnose, but then they could apply for an EHCNA is they thought it necessary.

Have you appealed the admission refusals?