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SEN

Here you'll find advice from parents and teachers on special needs education.

Continue with appeal against refusal to assess?

4 replies

SpaceInvader321 · 20/11/2023 22:58

DD went into secondary last year without any support and had a horrible y7 in a big state school that had no functioning Sen provision. We put in a parental request for a needs assessment, which was refused, and we filed an appeal a couple of months ago. Final evidence is due in a few weeks.

The school has improved a lot since last year. There's a very competent senco in post, DD feels supported and the classroom experience is much better. DD is on a two year waiting list for an asd assessment.

Things are much more stable now so we're wondering if carrying on with the appeal still makes sense. Last year we were desperate to move schools if we could. We still don't love the school but DD is settled. I'm worried that it's a delicate balance though. If the new senco leaves and things go back to being as bad as they were last year (overall leadership at the school is poor), DD could end up back in crisis mode, ebsa, etc and we'd need to start all over again.

Given that things are stable now, I'm not sure what extra support we would be asking for if DD did get an ehcp. Disruptive behaviour from other kids in the classroom is still a main issue for her, along with lots of sensory processing difficulties.

The main goal has been just to get her properly assessed, as I've assumed that those involved in conducting a full needs assessment would then be able to propose how to support our child. Is this still the right approach?

OP posts:
BlueBrick · 21/11/2023 09:13

You might as well continue, IMO. What evidence do you have? Have you considered whether you need independent reports e.g. an OT assessment?

SpaceInvader321 · 22/11/2023 09:29

We had a private OT assessment a few months ago and are waiting for a private EP report. (We were on the school's waiting list for an EP, then taken off, then told the appeal could take a long time, so decided to get a private assessment so that we'd be moving forward in some way.) DD is also in counselling so we hope to get a letter from that service as evidence too. So I think we have a good chance of securing an EHCNA, given that most appeals lead to one. I guess it's the steps after that I'm not sure about, and whether it will make sense or feel necessary to go for an EHCP.

OP posts:
BlueBrick · 22/11/2023 12:15

Focus on the refusal to assess for now. Don’t borrow potential problems from tomorrow.

SpaceInvader321 · 22/11/2023 14:15

Thanks. Good to remember that. One step at a time!

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