How regularly do you meet with the senco?

[Ffffruit]

If your child is on the SEN register, no ehcp, how often do you meet with the senco? How often is their IEP reviewed and updated? (Or how often should it be updated - is it once a term?)

You don't need to meet with the Sendco, the IEP should be reviewed normally termly and meet with the class teacher possibly- the sendco doesn't often have time to review and meet with 10% of the school parents, particularly as they often have other roles.

What is normal varies depending on the needs of the child and school.

Meetings are usually held anywhere between every half term and every year. Although for some DC they are only held when necessary. And they aren’t always with the SENCO. IEPs are usually updated either half termly, termly, yearly or just when needed.

This is secondary school, no class teacher as such, so not sure who I should be asking to meet with if not the senco?

Check the SEND policy, it should give you a clue - it could be the form tutor/ pastoral lead.

Personally I would contact the SENCO.

Thanks, I read the SEN policy (I don't think half of the things they say they do exists in practice from what I have experienced) and it says the review would be done by "the teacher" (seems to suggest this would be a subject teacher, which is a bit unhelpful when the issues are across ALL subjects), SENCO, parent and student working together. I'll contact the SENCO as the form tutor doesn't strike me as being particularly up to speed with any of it. The SEN policy refers back to the SEND code of practice, in fact it just regurgitates it. They both mention reviews taking place 'in line with the agreed date' but neither defines what the agreed date is. I vaguely remember someone saying it would be termly and it has been nearly 6 months now.

I don't think the advice that the SENCO doesn't have time to meet parents is super helpful - it may be common for that to be the case, but I don't think it is acceptable for schools to hide behind the excuse that the SENCO is busy.

but neither defines what the agreed date is.

That is because there is no 1 defined date, the interval at which IEPs are reviewed will depend on the situation, pupil and school.

You'd think as it was an “agreed” date someone would have actually agreed it with us though 😬.

SENDCO's are incredibly busy - take a primary school with 200 pupils, 20 pupils with an IEP and a review termly, taking 90 mins each prep and meeting - where they are allocated 2/3 hours of a week, 36 hours in a 12 week term - 30 hours of that time would be spent on IEP reviews, unlike a class teacher with 3 each, so only 4 1/2 hours a term. This often replicates in secondary. I don't agree with it, SEN is woefully underfunded, but is the reality.

Have you emailed the SENCO?

If you remember someone saying termly there was a timescale was mentioned, not a specific date but timescale.

It’s slightly complicated for reasons I won’t go into but yes I have repeatedly tried to make contact. I just wanted to know whether termly is usual or not really.

If the SENCO is ignoring you escalate it to the member of the SLT with responsibility for SEN or the HT. Make sure you keep everything in writing so you have a paper trail.

Depending on DC’s needs have you considered requesting an EHCNA?

I think I’m headed down that track…