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

Original poster

Is this an illegal/informal exclusion?

205 replies

Pressthespacebar · 13/05/2025 07:42

My son is in reception and has been put on a reduced timetable (9-12) since the second half of the spring term, following an exclusion of 4 days. The head basically said to me that unless he went on a reduced timetable the risk of him being permanently excluded is higher.

My son has a learning delay and they said developmentally he's around 2 in some areas, they also say he probably has ADHD and PDA is something that has been mentioned recently.

Ehcp has just been sent off for and appointment at the doctor's is booked so we can go down the right to choose pathway.

I assumed the reduced timetable would be temporary but the school have not contacted me to increase his hours and the last couple of weeks I've been trying to get a meeting sorted they keep coming up with excuses and saying they'll get back to me.

Im aware my son is a handful but he is entitled to a full time education. Has anyone else been through this and what happened?

OP posts:
1SillySossij · 14/05/2025 00:22

Nominative · 13/05/2025 16:54

You can't have it both ways - imply that the kid has been a dangerous menace all the time he has been in school, then say that this event was unpredictable. The simple fact is that any school SENCO with any experience knows that children who are not neurotypical and who are clearly struggling in school may become overwhelmed and dysregulated and may have meltdowns. They also learn to (and train staff to) identify triggers and aim to look out for them and try to de-escalate before events get serious. If they are really struggling, they should be seeking further support from an early stage, including seeking advice from an educational psychologist/ELSA/behavioural expert, and referring the child for an EHC needs assessment. They should also consider applying for further funding so they can give the child adequate support to keep him and others safe and to enable the child to make progress.

We have here a school that didn't even begin the EHCNA process till the child had been in school for well over two terms, and which does not appear to have done anything about seeking further advice or funding. All of this despite a lot of very clear government guidance. Instead it has chosen to break the law. Do you think they might bear the teeniest amount of responsibility?

Show quote history

No, I don't.
The school have applied for an EHCP. The head told the op if her dc did not go on to a reduced timetable there was more chance of him being permanently excluded and she Chose this rather than risking a permanent exclusion.

perpetualplatespinning · 14/05/2025 10:26

@1SillySossij then you don’t understand the SEN system, various statutory guidance and the legislation. The school should not be unlawfully, informally excluding DS regardless of what you think.

Nominative · 14/05/2025 16:33

1SillySossij · 14/05/2025 00:22

No, I don't.
The school have applied for an EHCP. The head told the op if her dc did not go on to a reduced timetable there was more chance of him being permanently excluded and she Chose this rather than risking a permanent exclusion.

Show quote history

The school has only just started the EHC needs assessment process. Clearly they should have done so in the autumn term, there seems to have been more than enough evidence available.

Forcing a parent to agree to a part time timetable amounts to an unlawful exclusion.

Original poster
Pressthespacebar · 15/05/2025 10:51

Thanks for all the posts it’s been really helpful reading everyone’s thoughts.

hes at home today as he fell out the car door in the school car park and has a big lump on his head, he seems pretty pleased to be getting a morning at home!

i mentioned in the office about sorting out a meeting but the head just started flapping around talking about finding a suitable time for all of us and then sort of shuffled away looking flustered 😂

OP posts:
Fusedspur · 15/05/2025 11:53

Pressthespacebar · 15/05/2025 10:51

Thanks for all the posts it’s been really helpful reading everyone’s thoughts.

hes at home today as he fell out the car door in the school car park and has a big lump on his head, he seems pretty pleased to be getting a morning at home!

i mentioned in the office about sorting out a meeting but the head just started flapping around talking about finding a suitable time for all of us and then sort of shuffled away looking flustered 😂

Nope. No meetings. Do EVERYTHING via email. As I said earlier, nuclear rockets are what is needed here.

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