SEN Referral - Feeling confused…

4 replies

CountryGal13 · 30/03/2022 22:34

Hi. So I moved my 2 daughters to a nearer school last September and at the November parents evening my year 4 daughters teacher said she’d like to refer her for a SEN assessment. This was upsetting but not completely out of the blue as she’s always struggled academically and she’s very slow to complete her work. To date, nothing has been done regarding this referral. Anyway, tonight we had another parents evening and my youngest daughters teacher (year 2) was telling me how she was slightly below the expected standard on all subjects but as it was only slightly it was nothing to be concerned about; However, he then said that he’d like to refer her to the SENCO for assessment. I queried why and he just said that she might need some extra help. I’ve never had any concerns academically with this daughter. She doesn’t struggle with her homework and seems to pick things up quickly. Both girls are super well behaved and school and home and are really independent too. Is this normal procedure for some schools? SEN was never mentioned at their old school. To hear that they want to refer my 2nd daughter feels like a kick in the gut and like I’ve failed them. My gut tells me there could possibly be an ADD issue with my eldest but I just can’t see anything with my youngest at all. Am I overreacting and should I just go along with what the school think? Thanks

OP posts:

Kite22 · 30/03/2022 23:14

I would consider it a good thing that they have the resources to possibly give your dd a little extra support. It doesn't matter how academic or otherwise you are, who wouldn't benefit from a little bit of extra support ?

You know the SENCo is just another teacher within the school ?
Some schools have a high number of children with significant needs and unfortunately someone who is 'slightly below expected levels' unfortunately wouldn't get any extra support and would just struggle on. It's great now she is in a school with greater capacity to give support.

Original poster

CountryGal13 · 30/03/2022 23:47

Maybe I’m getting confused. I thought that a referral to the SENCO would be because they suspect that she has a diagnosable issue and this was only the first stage in a long process of assessments. Could this literally be to just give her a bit of extra support and it could potentially end there?

OP posts:

Imitatingdory · 31/03/2022 10:27

If the school are offering support you should grab it with both hands, some parents fight for support for a long time.

Not all DC with SENCO involvement have a diagnosable need.

Kite22 · 31/03/2022 19:02

@CountryGal13

No, a SENCo is a teacher. There is one the staff of every school (and every Nursery and FE College).

Their job is to Co-ordinate (hence the 'Co') the SEN provision.
Now, if there is a pupil / are pupils who need referring for more support either educationally, or medically (including assessment for a diagnosis of any condition), then the SENCo would also co-ordinate that, but a lot of the work they do is with pupils who need a little intervention within school.

Some might have some intervention and something will 'click' and they don't need it anymore
Some might need intervention to catch up (maybe they missed a lot of school or maybe they had a difficult time in their early years), and then maybe the intervention won't be needed as they get older as they catch up.
Some will always need a little extra support - in class, or with some withdrawal groups or with some differentiation of resources, or some pre-learning sessions or 101 different things.
But most children the SENCo has on her radar won't need referring on anywhere else.

Flip