Hi, we are having a bit of nightmare at the moment with year 7 transitions.
Our daughter has an EHCP and the only school that could meet her needs for year 7 (from this September) was an independent specialist school who the LA consulted with and got the green light. They had consulted with mainstream schools who all said no, and then an autism hub which is totally unsuitable for a variety of reasons, not least that it's an inadequate school with a culture of bullying and my daughter can't talk. It's a brutal school.
My daughter spent a very happy trial week at the independent specialist school. The LA said after this trial week, that they would go to panel and it would be considered.
I naively thought that there would be no issue. How wrong was I 😪 Their attitude changed with me, and the LA started treating me with total disdain anytime I dared chase them up.
I cannot believe they sent my daughter for a really happy trial week and then announced that the case would need to go to tribunal.
I honestly cannot believe it. We are now left without a placement for September (tribunal date is mid October). We both work full time in the NHS. We are screwed.
How can they possibly do this to a child and family?
All children at the school have an EHCP, but there is an option to privstely fund. The only option is for us is really for us to ask the school if we can pay for the first half term/term so she can start, and then wait for the tribunal.
I genuinely know the LA will concede and the tribunal if it got that far would wipe the floor with them but this doesn't help us until mid October. Current school SENCO and headteacher are infuriated with the LA. They had another child for this same school in the same position last year. The LA conceded on 2nd September.
If we paid, it would cause us some serious hardship but we could just about manage it.
I am just wondering if the tribunal could make the LA pay us back or if we would just have to accept paying the first term?
Thanks