Worried mum

[toffetoes]

Hi I have a 5 yr old son who is very lively and VERY active who loves sports (he plays footy and tennis)but 2 days ago I attended parents evening. While there his teacher said that he is struggling a little with his numeracy and after assessing him she thinks they should place him on the SEN register. After this she showed me and his father an IEP that had been typed up ready with his targets, also on it, it says area/s for concern: Concentration (which he does struggle with but only like any other young boy) and Gross motor skills. He has only been proposed 20 mins support daily with numeracy and literacy in class. However he is a very good reader who comes home with comments in his reading record like "super reading" so I don't really understand what this is about. I just wondered weather anyone could explain what gross motor skills are (I know what fine motor skills are)
Also is it right for the teacher to "SPRING" this on us? and have an IEP already drawn up without consulting me?
It has made me quite upset as I always thought him as a clever little lad.

I understand that it is upsetting but please don't think that the teachers concerns mean he isn't a "clever little lad". My ds needs loads of support in the classroom and he's very bright. Also its fine that the teacher has drawn up the IEP as it shows you that she has thought through what your son's needs are and how she will support them in the classroom.

Sounds as if they are on the ball tbh. They think he is underperforming his ptoential and have an action plan to tackle it. "SEN register" is an emotive phrase are you sure she actually put it like that or is he on School Action which enables them, to give him one to one support ? Early intervention can really help tbh.

Gross motor skills are things like throwing , catching , kicking , hopping, jumping, balance, hand/eye coordination, sitting and standing while fine motor skills are pencil control, pincher grip, hand and finger control etc

Hi thanks for the quick reply. What we cannot understand is why we were only told at parents evening when they must have had concerns for a while? The teacher hasn't raised her concerns with us at any point before as she has plenty of occasions to speak to me as she sees me every morning and evening when I drop him off and pick him up. If she had raised these issues we could've acted and helped before it got to this ponit. Also is there a chance he will come off the register if he hits the targets given? With help at home and school?

Perhaps they've only recently done assessments and made the decision as to which children would benefit most now. It definitely isn't the life sentence you seem to fear. He has targets , you all work towards him achieveing them and review.

Lots of kids would benefit from such extra help but not all get it. There may well be others who are having similar help. You don't have to do anything special as such just try to help him focus on those areas and if the school suggests activities and exercises try to reinforce it at home.

Hi Lizs.
Yes she did put it like that, but he doesn't have 1 2 1 support as they go out in a groups or sit in class in this group and only has the IEP at this point. Regarding the gross motor skills he can do all those things as he is very sporty. He does have a slight problem with sitting still however as on his assessment it said he moved around 10 times before settling down. And he just runs everywhere.

Toffeetoes, please try not to worry too much about this - I know that's easier said and done, but being placed on the SEN register is not permanent but will be reviewed regularly (termly) and he can be taken off it again if the concerns have been addressed. Very few children need or qualify for one to one support, and teachers will often try and avoid this as it's not necessarily the best way for children to learn - far better for them to be with at least a couple of their peers then with just one adults.

If you are still worried then ask to see your class teacher again, and maybe include the SENCo too so that you can discuss why they feel he needs extra help and what they are doing to address it in more detail. Also ask them to clarify the bit about gross motor skills if you don't feel this is an issue.

I am going to. I feel as if they think I don't bother with him tho' on his IEP it says Help (child) learn any words that are sent home, Help (child) play any games that are sent home and help (child) with spellings that are sent home. All I do is help him we play spelling games, number games, memory games all sorts. Yea he plays on his playstation and Nintendo DS and Wii but I always make sure he reads and practice any spellings and does his homework on time.

I don't think they mean to make you feel as if you're not doing your share - the IEP bits for parents to do can be really hard for the school to put in writing - they can't make you do anything, but can ask for you to do the things they send home. So if you are doing those already, just mentally tick the box! I could have been angry/upset being told to teach my ds (9) to dress himself - what do they think I've been doing since he was tiny? But they really wanted me to talk him through the process of wearing PE kit, cos they couldn't get him to change!
SEN register just means that they have recognised that he could do with support in some areas - I'd be really pleased that your child is at a school where they are identifying these early on.

Yes I am glad that he is getting support it was just a bit daunting hearing that he needed support. He only really needs to brush up on his writing and other bits and bobs it's the concentration thing mainly. They asked me if he had problems with hearing but he recently had an ear test at school and that came back fine however I might just get a second opinion just to be on the safe side. He does have selective hearing tho' only hears what he wants to hear!

Lots of schools use IEP writing software and pick targets from there so they can sound a bit impersonal. Don't worry - lots of boys struggle with concentration and sitting still. However schools have a duty to monitor this as for some children it can affect their learning. But if his reading is good then he's on the right track.

First of all, even the Wii time you're giving him is brillaint for gross motor skills- ds3's have come on a treat since we bought ours.

Please don't worry, lots of kids pass through this stage and theya re the fortunate ones, the ones who are picked up. Don't be surprised that there is no 1-1, it usually takes a statement (a form of legal document) and quite severe needs to get any 1-1 time at all, whereas an IEP is really just an action plan.

It's normal to feel shocked and bombarded when you are told about something like this, eespecially if you don't suspect it at all. But being on the SEN register bears no relation whatsoever to potential, IQ or future prospects- it's just about identifying specific needs now.

thanks yes since he has been on his Wii (which he don't play on too much) he has got better with things even I feel a little fitter! I think I was making a mountain out of a mole hill with it all.