How would you respond?

[jayceedee]

Hello all,
I work in a primary school as an MDSA, my 2 young children also attend the school.
My youngest has autism but still waiting for a diagnosis.
The last couple weeks for me have been very hard as I found out my youngest is going from reception class into a year 1/2 class but there is also a reception/year 1 class that his teachers and myself feel he would have been more suited to. My son has very limited speech and I have been told by the paediatrician to treat him more like a 3/4 year old than a 5 year old.

Anyway over the last week I have been preparing my youngest for his transition days as sometimes he can take change very badly. I've been pointing out his new teacher to him at lunchtime, talking to him about it at home and reassuring him he will be okay as his 1:1 will be there to help him. His teachers and 1:1 was doing the same in school with him too.

The day before transition day I received a staff email about the transition day structure and in this email it showed that the head had moved my sons 1:1 into a different class, meaning he would have no 1:1 support like originally planned. When I got to school to pick up my children my sons teachers and 1:1 was all very unhappy with the situation and all went to speak to the head, even my sons new teacher voiced their concerns and I was advised by his current teacher to also go and speak to her.

I went to the head office but they was already in a meeting with other parents, I waited for a little while and was then advised to write her an email as a parent.
So that's what I did.. I have attached my email and the heads response to this post please read it and tell me how you would have reacted or responded or simple what you think about the reply?

I would just like to know the point of view from someone who doesn't know us.
Those that I have shown think it is shocking the way I'm being spoken to.

Transition day has been and gone now and my son did well over the 2 days but I am just left feeling very depressed about the whole situation as I feel like my sons best interests is not a concern to them as he doesn't go around hurting other children or staff and the ones that do are prioritised.

Thanks for reading if you got this far

Does your son have an EHCP? If not, it will be difficult for you to insist on a 1:1 for him and the headteacher doesn't have to make arrangements,.

However, this will clearly impact your son's wellbeing in school. Because he isn't disruptive his behaviour won't be of concern to them. Unfortunately this goes on all the time and it's wrong.

Perhaps contact your local SENDIASS and look at the IPSEA website. Are you close to having your ADOS? It might also be worth pressing the school/health visitor/GP/paediatrician to arrange a SALT assessment, an OT assessment and an ed psych assessment. All this is evidence towards your EHCP.

Good luck 💐

Does he have an EHCP with the number of hours wrote into your sons plan for 1 to 1? If not you should apply that's the only way to legally get a 1 to 1 you don't need a diagnosis.

They probably have some other child which needs the 1 to 1 more than your son unfortunately.

Regarding the person - sometimes good to mix it up a bit as if the main person is poorly / decides to move on not such a massive impact for the young person (that's what I got told from my senco one month ago and ideally she mixes them up every 2 years) but yes I get your frustration.

Whilst it would have been courteous to inform you, as a parent, of the changes for transition day, I don’t think the reply is “shocking”. It is acknowledging you have two ‘roles’.

Does DS have an EHCP specifying and quantifying full-time 1:1? If not, unfortunately the 1:1 is not enforceable. Does the wording state the need for a consistent member of staff to undertake that?

In many schools MDSA staff wouldn’t receive information about teaching groups/staffing, so if it is causing you stress, in part because of you wearing 2 hats, not being involved in that side of things may help you, which is why I think it has been suggested.