Behaviour and consequences

[Isabella40]

My daughter's behaviour at home this school year has improved greatly.

At school she has an EHCP and there have been a lot of changes since becoming an academy. She is in secondary school age 15 working at the level of a primary school child.

Behaviour at school has deteriorated since September she has been close to being externally excluded for one day. She's very hormonal and is friends with a group of boys who wind her up and then she gets angry and has hit one of them. He has needs and hits her back. She lost it again this week and we are awaiting the consequence. I'm expecting an exclusion for one day.

However before Christmas school said they would get a teacher to work with daughter to work on social communication and emotions. This hasn't happened. It's in the EHCP my daughter had communication difficulties. She's also been keeping away from the boys and doing work at lunchtimes to keep away. However does see them in some lessons and lining up at registration time which is when one boy made fun of her and she lost it! B

Would you challenge an exclusion if the school have not stuck to their promises and are not supporting her at school?

I have made some suggestions how to support her so hoping we can work this out.

It sounds like you need a review of the EHCP. When was the last review?

Yes, I would challenge any suspension or permanent exclusion if DD is not being properly supported at school and/or the school is not dealing with the boys. When there has been violence, a challenge isn’t always successful, it depends on the circumstances, but it may make the school sit up, listen and think.

The EHCP should include the support DD needs, does it? What support is in there?

We are reviewing in a couple of weeks as we have to discuss post 16 options. We only met with SENDCO last week to talk through a few issues and left positively. They definitely are not fully fulfilling the EHCP too busy focusing on academic. They are aware things have not been right and are trying to correct problems!!!!

If provision detailed, specified and quantified in F of the EHCP is not being provided, have you contacted the LA? They are the ones ultimately responsible for ensuring it is provided.

When you say meet to discuss post 16 options, is DD Y11 now? If so, you should have already had the phase transfer review meeting. You need to contact the LA urgently. The amended EHCP must be finalised by 31st March.

Yes it's year 11 we have two options for post 16 one of them is coming to the review to talk through one of them. We couldn't hold the review any earlier as we were awaiting an updated educational psychologist assessment which we now have and was essential in deciding therapy my daughter needs.

You need to contact the LA urgently. On their website, IPSEA has a model letter you can use. They are at risk of breaching the statutory deadline for phase transfers. This is very important because if you have to appeal, you need all the time you can get.

Thank you I'm on the case. I had a phone call and email from school today nearly a week after incident. Been told my daughter in detention all day tomorrow and suspended Monday as it was too late to suspend her tomorrow. They didn't even tell my daughter they rang me as I was driving home from collecting her from school they would have made the decision whilst she was in school.

They are not following her EHCP I've highlighted the outcomes stating she needs help reading social situations but they aren't doing it. I've also checked behaviour policy and SEND policy and they are not following it either. Picked up message too late to ring back as teacher was just about to leave!!! Upset and cross is an understatement.

She has weekly therapy which school organised the therapist has said this is my daughter standing up for herself. She has badly bullied two years ago and just accepted it but now wont stand for it however she got angry and hit back which isn't the way to behave!!!

Is the suspension a formal suspension? If not, you need to remind the school all suspensions must be formal otherwise DD will be attending school. If it is a formal suspension, you can challenge it. It is worth reading the statutory suspension and permanent exclusion guidance and IPSEA’s website.

Rather than the outcomes (section E), look at the provision detailed, specified and quantified in F. That is what must be provided. If provision in there isn’t being provided, have you contacted the LA? It is the LA who is ultimately responsible for ensuring it is provided. However, it can’t be enforced if the wording in F is woolly and vague.

I’m sorry to hear this. We’ve had similar in the past. I struggle with the whole process-driven nature of the school behaviour systems. I don’t like how they refer to sanctions when really they are referring to a punishment. “We appreciate this was a distressing incident for X and really do want to support X to build skills to avoid this in future so we will be giving a 1 day suspension”. No counselling or coaching - just out of school. I don’t understand how a suspension will build any skills or help educate the young person on what the expected behaviour is! But the process allows them to say to the other party than they’ve done something and it’s all finished. Probably everyone leaves feeling somewhat aggrieved.

Anyway I just wanted to say you’re not alone in being upset and somewhat baffled & frustrated about lack of preemptive action/provision.

It’s upsetting but hopefully you can avoid getting too stressed. We did a day at home with some work and talked through expected behaviour/what to do instead next time. I took the attitude that if the school was box ticking to say they’d done something, we could follow the somewhat pointless process. Then later organised some real help for my child which was worth thinking more deeply about and would build skills!

Does your LA EP service offer drop in appointments that you could get some ideas about what to do either at home or school to avoid this happening again?

It is clear in section F that my daughter should have a 30 minutes intervention each week around different social situations. This is not happening school too busy focusing on academic side!!! Will be telling school this today as I've been promised a phone call.

Thank you we've been very patient with the school and the other student involved. Even staff at school were frustrated with the other student a teacher a few years ago told me he shouldn't be at the school!!!

My husband feels we shouldn't fight this but I need to fight for my daughter. The EHCP is not being followed.

On the plus side I get to spend a few extra hours with her on Monday I'm not going to get her to do work. She is absolutely exhausted with her school work and her health needs. Going to focus on well-being this weekend.

The local authority are not great in terms of an EP school had a private one in which focused on academic not behaviour as at the time it wasn't an issue!!!

If provision detailed, specified and quantified in F isn’t being provided, have you contacted the LA?

I suppose you need to speak to school about what the consequences of this might be for your daughter? If you think it will count against her then maybe fight it. But if she’ll be leaving soon and this doesnt affect her record I’d agree with you that I’d support her and let the bureaucracy slide…. Sending hugs