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SEN

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

Sen issues at school

2 replies

Needingsupport41 · 14/05/2025 09:59

Hello, I'm new here, I wonder if anyone could advise me. My son in yr1 started showing challenging behaviours in October, he was disruptive in the classroom and shouting out at the teacher etc . We then had a meeting with senco, headteacher, his teacher and it was decided he needed to have a provision map to help him work on his social skills and behaviour etc. He had problems transitioning from one activity to another and especially after lunch time, he'd become disregulated. It was suggested by the school to put him on the sen register to which we agreed. He also had elsa support who was working with him having lunch with him and I believe a 15 min session once or twice a week. He was also referred by them to the EP who visited him at school last month . His last two weeks at school were quite bad and it resulted in him getting a formal suspension for 1.5 days because they couldn't calm him down and he apparently kicked the teacher and then at lunch was told he couldn't have his lunch in the hall with everyone else but in the den which aggravated him and when his teacher tried to approached him he apparently directed his knife toward her ( he told me it was an accident but his school refuted the claim). I followed up with senco to say we need an emergency meeting on how he can be supported going forward as I think their strategies are not working. They told me they also followed up where the Ed was with their report. I'm quite cross because I believe his needs aren't met. He hates being touched but the teachers kept patting him on his back until he got annoyed and he lashed out. I had also suggested that he should have structured lunch breaks which they ignored. I had suggested he should perhaps sit next to the teacher in the classroom instead of at the back and as well they didn't implement it ( as apparently another child needs to sit there). My question is is the suspension legal and fair seeing that they clearly cannot meet his needs and we are waiting for the report from the ED! Should I be challenging that ? What should I be doing ? What next steps ? Please help !!!!

OP posts:
perpetualplatespinning · 14/05/2025 10:54

Request an EHCNA if you/the school hasn’t already requested it. On their website, IPSEA has a model letter you can use.

It does sound like the school could do more. Follow up all verbal conversations with emails so you have a paper trail as evidence. However, as long as it was a formal suspension following the correct process and not an unlawful informal exclusion, the school could probably defend the suspension in light of the knife.

24Dogcuddler · 14/05/2025 11:16

Did anything happen in October to prompt the change in his behaviour? Has school been able to identify any triggers?

It can be a big leap for some children from Reception EYFS curriculum to Y1. He will have to follow more directed learning, be expected to concentrate for longer periods and have limited opportunities for movement and outdoor activities.
School will have a limited budget for EP involvement so it is good that he has been assessed. When the report comes it should outline suggested strategies and identify any learning needs.

I’d be asking the SENCO how the agreed strategies are being communicated to all staff ( via a learning passport or one page profile)
Are they using any visual supports to prepare for transitions e.g. first and then, timers, individual reward charts etc

Sounds like he would benefit from shorter focused learning tasks followed by a preferred activity or movement break.
Have they mentioned sensory needs or unpicking these? He may be experiencing sensory overload. Lunch times may be a trigger ( noise, lots of children moving around, food smells, proximity of others)
A specialist OT assessment may help but not all are sensory integration specialists.
Does he make any difficulties with behaviour or regulation at home or just in school?
Hope you get some answers soon.

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