16+ education for dyslexic son - help please!

[Mumofteens4892]

My dyslexic son was studying for GCSEs in a mainstream school but was off-rolled last year, in Year 10. The Headteacher told him "if you can't write in every lesson, there is no point in being at school". So he was sent home from that day on. I found an alternative provision, which the LA funded through the EHCP, but my son has refused to go since Christmas 2022. Its a "special school", but my son is socially very mainstream, so he just didn't fit in at all. Many of his peers were non-verbal or had very severe mental health issues. We've had very little contact from school in recent months. They said they would send a mentor to our house last week to talk to my son about 16+ options, but no-one turned up and no-one called.

So now he's at the point where all his friends from school are fnishing GCSEs and looking forward to college. My son has nothing. There's no careers advice available from our council until he's Y12, which is too late for college applications. He can only enrol for "Entry Level" courses in college without GCSEs - these courses seem to be geared for people with learning disabilities. They are about basic life skills...etc, which just isn't what he needs at all.

He really wanted to do music at college, as he's a very talented drummer. He has played drums for 10 years and gets paid for gigs. He needs GCSE passes for the main music performance course, so entry to this is impossible, and he was told by the college that he's "too good" for the entry level music course. We are really very stuck, and there's NO HELP! We're completely on our own.

My fear is that he will just spend another year at home doing nothing. His mental health is good, he's not autistic, he's extremely bright and motivated. I've called our "Early Help" team and the SEN coordinator, with no joy. IF they return my calls (which is rare), they just shrug and tell me to go around the local colleges again.

Has anyone been here already? Any tips?

There should have been a phase transfer review, and the EHCP amended by 31st March. Has this not happened?

The EHCP can last until 25, or 26 in some circumstances, if necessary, so it is not too late to late to arrange further study, but you need to take charge.

DS could attend college at Entry level or level 1 with a view to working through the levels. Or DS could have EOTAS to secure level 2 qualifications and then enter college. Have you looked at specialist SpLD schools?

If DS was on the roll of school he could have continued to attend unless formally excluded. If DS has been off-rolled he won’t be on the roll of the school, so that will explain the lack of contact. Has the LA been providing provision since Christmas?

Thanks for your reply, that’s so helpful.

It is the Alternative Provision who we have not heard from. He is on their roll, since he left mainstream.

They were going to send a mentor to see him last week, but no one showed up.

I guess I need to ask for a review?

Apologies, when you said you hadn’t heard from the school I thought you meant the MS. I didn’t realise you meant the AP.

If a phase transfer review wasn’t held and the EHCP amended by the 31st March you need to email the Director of Children’s services urgently informing them they are in breach of their statutory requirements and if they fail to hold a review and issue the amended EHCP ASAP you will be forced to pursue judicial review proceedings. If that doesn’t work contact SOSSEN for help with a pre-action letter.

In terms of courses, look for Level 2 music related courses at college - he should be able to do those, English and maths and then go onto the level 3 the September after. Not all colleges will have a music level 2 so he might have to do something a little different for a year but it’s a means to an end. He could look at some self study around music tech to keep himself motivated, even production?

A student is unlikely to be accepted on to a level 2 course without any GCSEs.

Not necessarily - college will be able to assess them and see if that’s the right level. If he’s bright and motivated but his SEN has blocked him from achieving qualifications previously he would be a good candidate to ‘resit’ L2 in one year at college and get his 5 passes then crack on with L3.

We will have to agree or disagree. It is highly unlikely a college is going to accept a student with complex SEN who has been out of education for months and who does not have any qualifications on to a level 2 qualification. Especially if the EHCP is not amended in time for the start of the academic year, which is a big possibility. In fact, if you read the OP that is exactly the case, OP says he can only enrol onto entry level courses.