Merton + SEN pupil allowance + independent

[ShellyShock]

My y7 daughter is recently diagnosed with autism and ADHD. She is in an independent secondary school and now requires Teaching Assistant support due to her behaviour. State schools are provided with additional money for children with SEN: £6,000 per child per year. Has anyone been involved with Merton local authority such that Merton provide an independent school with that funding. Merton's alternative will be to find a place in a state specialist school as her needs are too great, at a cost of c.£30k+ per year.

The £6000 mentioned is a purely notional amount, schools don't receive an additional £6000 if a child with additional needs joins them, it is a figure based on a whole host of factors, deprivation index, FSM, etc. so a private school can't request a similar sum if a child has additional needs. The only funding available is when a child has an EHCP, which you will need to apply for.

Thank you! So to tribunal we go. Thank you for clarifying. 🙏

The notional SEN budget doesn’t apply to independent schools. And state schools don’t get an additional £6k just because a child is added to the SEN register.

Does DD already have an EHCP? If so, the independent school can be named in there and the fees and SEN Support fully funded. Does F detail, specify and quantify 1:1?

Where the LA would otherwise name another school some LAs will sometimes come to an agreement whereby parents pay the independent MS fees and the LA pays the SEN support, but not all will. Sometimes they will say parents are making suitable alternative arrangements thereby relieving them of their duty.

So, they leave parents to give notice at the independent school and ask the LA to provide arrangements, at a far higher cost; rather than accepting that the fees are paid and the ask is to help towards the teaching assistant costs?

Many parents don’t give notice though. And those that do want the LA to take over responsibility the LA are often of the view a state mainstream can meet needs (whether that’s true or not is another matter, I’m taking about what the LA would name in I), which is obviously cheaper.

In order for a wholly independent school to be named in section I you need to prove the LA’s proposed school(s) can’t meet needs &/or it isn’t unreasonable public expenditure. If parents think they can prove that they can appeal.

She would not go to a state school for more than weeks before becoming a school refuser citing no friends and worse, they are all staring at me etc. LA will be quids in come what may😭

Do you think the independent is the best place for her? Is the independent school ok with her behaviour and are they willing to support her?

You need to try and get her EHCP changed - to name the independent and any 1 to 1 she needs by number of hrs - if you think it's best fit.

Until then as parents in the independent you have to pay the £6k plus any 1 to 1 hrs .....

But the £6k represents 13 hrs of help .....

If you want her there for the long term - it might be worth paying up and going to tribunal which will prob take a long time ....

You need to start the process - it can take nearly 2 years to get an independent specialist school named, whilst paying, if not longer, due to tribunal delays. State specialist places are equally difficult to get.

Can you find an independent specialist that will allow you to pay the fees whilst going through the process.

What support is current school providing to support the process