Anyone else waiting for mainstream state year 7 place on 1 March?

[SuperSue77]

I’m in the process of applying for an EHCNAR for my son who is year 6 and due to transition to secondary in September. He has diagnoses of ASD and ADHD and has been on school SEN register since year 3. With no EHCP as yet our only option is to take our chances with the state mainstream application process with places being communicated on 1 March. Not thinking we’d be in this position at this stage I didn’t visit any of the local schools and listed them in order of distance. Now desperately trying to go and look round them and meet the SENCOs.

Just wondered if anyone else was in this situation and wondering how you’re feeling/coping?

@SuperSue77 I’m in the same situation. DS is awaiting EHCNA, has ASD, ADHD and dyspraxia.

What is it you’re worried about? Do you think DS will be able to flourish in MS? For my DS, I want to give him a chance at MS as he does not fit in the boxes for our local SEN schools. I’ve visited a SEN school out of the area as a fall back.

@FailingDaily thanks for the reply! My worry is that he doesn’t especially like school currently and he also gets very anxious in busy places. I’m worried that mainstream will be too big for him - all our options round here are 8-form entry, so 240 children in each year group.
It’s the size really, and the large number of different teachers. In primary he has one class teacher who gets him and his needs, but when he’s had a stand-in teacher they haven’t and it’s often gone badly wrong.
We looked into our local small independent schools but they all turned him down :-( I’ve also heard from older autistic adults and children who said school was a traumatic experience for them - I appreciate everyone is different and I’m the sort of parent who will advocate for him and make sure he gets reasonable adjustments, but I’m just worried about how he will cope. My sister’s oldest has similar diagnosis and is no longer in school and has serious mental health issues, though they were diagnosed a lot later and her schools (different part of the country to me) seriously failed them.
I actually think mainstream would be better for
him intellectually, it’s just the size of the school that worries me.
Good luck with your EHCNAR - I’ve been reading about th E experiences of parents in my local area and they are not filling me with much hope.

We have a worry over this too, SEN register since yr 2, ASD, very bright so no worries there but social/emotional struggles. Dreading leaving our lovely supportive primary school and yes the size of the secondaries is a huge worry. EHCP application in process but even if granted will be too late for school allocation obviously. We did look round the schools, the one we really felt very unhappy about is typically the one we are most likely to be given so really not looking forward to next week.

OP, once you have spoken to the schools and decided which school you think would be best if you don’t get that school on the 1st March ask to go on the waiting list (and the waiting list of any other school you would prefer). You can appeal too.

Make sure the LA are sticking to the EHCP timescales.

but even if granted will be too late for school allocation obviously.

It’s not too late. If an EHCP is issued the placement named on there overrides any offer made via the normal admissions round.

@JustKeepBuilding "It’s not too late. If an EHCP is issued the placement named on there overrides any offer made via the normal admissions round."
That's interesting, how does that work if the school is oversubscribed and the places are full? In that scenario does it just bump you to the top of the waiting list?

Admissions with an EHCP are not via the normal route. You don’t have to sit on the waiting list.

Unless your preferred school is wholly independent the LA must name your preference unless they can prove:
-The setting is unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or special educational needs (“SEN”) of the child or young person; or
-The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for others; or
-The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the efficient use of resources.

Being full is not defined in law, and on its own being ‘full’ is not enough of a reason to refuse to name your preference. The LA has to prove the school is so full admitting DC is incompatible. The bar is high, higher than many LAs admit. It is more than an “adverse effect”, “impact on” or “prejudicial to”. Unless the school is wholly independent the LA can, and must, name the school even if the school objects unless the LA can prove one of the reasons above.

Ok that's interesting to know, so the school could have aready taken the entire PAN for every year and still have to take a child if they have an EHCP and name hat school. I can't quite get my head round that!

@SuperSue77 it all feels scary doesn't it, once we have our allocation I'm hoping to try and speak to the SENCO fairly swiftly, fortunately we have a fabulous SENCO at our school who is really 'on it' so I'm hoping she will have plenty of advice etc and will communicate well with new school to create a good transition process.

@ElvenDreamer our children sound in similar situations, though I’m not actually sure when mine was put on the register! IAPs started in year 3 so I assume then but he was assessed by an EP at preschool and had a more involved transition to reception than others so he should have been on their radar from the start.

I’ve just heard that one of my son’s friends who has an EHCP and similar diagnoses is going to the mainstream I put as top preference and I spoke to the SENCO there yesterday who said they’ve had higher than average number of kids placed for year 7 with EHCPs this year. I’m taking that as a good thing. I should consider myself lucky that I have 2 options within 2 miles that both seem suitable, but we’re not guaranteed either because they’re so over subscribed. If we were lucky enough to get an EHCP in time then I assume the choice would be ours - but I’m not holding my breath. Good luck for next Weds!

so the school could have aready taken the entire PAN for every year and still have to take a child if they have an EHCP and name hat school.

Yes. Unless the LA can prove one of the reasons in my pp they must name the school in the EHCP if it is parental preference (with the exception of wholly independent schools). And if a school is named in an EHCP it must admit.

Not relevant to your situation, but it extends to an exemption from the infant class size limit too for those with EHCPs placed after national offer day.

Hi OP. I'm in a somewhat similar situation to you but a year behind. I hope it works out well for you.

@JustKeepBuilding if we have an offer through the mainstream system, the EHCP can't override that, can it? I can have a place for DD at my own school via priority admission for children of staff. It's in a neighbouring LA.

We're taking our own LA to Sendist as they refused to assess. It seems to me that even if they concede, the assessment/plan is unlikely to be done before the end of October when normal admissions close. What happens then? Can we just name the preferred school that we already have an offer for?

@Phineyj unless an EHCP is finalised by the closing date you should make an application via the normal admissions procedure.

If an EHCP is issued any school named in there will override any potential offer made via the normal admissions round. However, you can name the same school as your preferred placement.

Thanks, @JustKeepBuilding. Good to know!

Same situation here...waiting on MS offer tomorrow, whilst in the midst of EHCP assessment 🤷‍♀️... everything was so delayed by covid so we are a year behind where we hoped to be 😕

Good luck @Didiplanthis and @FailingDaily and @ElvenDreamer hope you get the next result for your child today 🤞xx

Thanks @SuperSue77 we got our 1st choice confirmed this morning, very happy. Now hoping EHCP granted on time to allow a smooth transition and he best possible experience! Fingers firmly crossed for everyone else.

Yay! Good luck everyone.

Thanks @Phineyj

That’s brilliant news @ElvenDreamer so pleased for you. We don’t find out until around 5pm 😬 but I have since ruled out our second choice after hearing horrendous stories from parents of boys there with ADHD and so desperately want our first choice too. Have now learnt that all his friends are going there (the ones I wasn’t sure about live close enough to be guaranteed a place and their mums confirmed that they put it as their first choice) so really need this school!

Got fourth place school - disappointing but not unexpected. Now to appeal…

Oh no @SuperSue77 , you've got this, never underestimate the Mum of a kid with needs! Go smash it 💪

Thank you @ElvenDreamer that is how I feel. I will move mountains to get the right support for my son - big glass (or two!) of wine tonight, and tomorrow I start on the appeal. xx