Very negative meeting with headteacher

[florence1234567]

Hi, my 5 year old son was recently diagnosed with ASD (support level 2). I posted on this forum about him before. He has 5 official suspensions in reception and 2 inofficial suspensions in, so 7 altogether for lashing out.

I had a meeting with the headteacher and the early help support worker this morning. The headteacher was hostile as always, clarifying that he can absolutely suspend and exclude a child if it is violent against staff, even if it is linked to autism. He clarified that my son is still at serious risk of permanent exclusion.

He said that unions that support staff members have called him that my son is attacking staff members in school.

They will however work together with the autism and communication team of the LA now to put in more support for my son.

He then said that my son wouldn't meet the threshold for an EHCP plan anyway, as his support needs are much lower than other children in the school, for instance children with physical disabilities.

He said that the threshold for an EHCP plan is that high and that my son wouldn't meet it. The reason was that my son is able to access mainstream education, he's toilet trained, he has no physical or intellectual limitations.

And that the school are able to meet his needs.

And that the LA doesn't provide enough funding for a 1:1 teaching assistant anyway.

Is this true? I have an upcoming mediation meeting in regards to the EHCP with the LA at the end of September and I feel really bad.

I was in tears after the meeting. His hostility was mixed with casual religious references, such as "we believe every child is created in the image of God"

We're in Birmingham if that makes any difference

Thanks for any advice xxx

If the school are able to meet his needs then they have no reason to exclude him, because meeting his needs will mean that he copes in school.

Did you make an application for an EHCP, or did the school?

I would send an email reiterating what was said at the meeting, so that you have a record of it. I’d add the information about working with the autism and communication team, to make sure they follow through on that, but you need to have clarity about what that means in practice.

Will someone come in to work with your son?
Will they train any school staff?
How will they evaluate progress?

I made an application for the EHCP

I think it would be good to follow up with an email but I need to clear my head first.

I am very emotional today.

I’m sorry that you are going through this. No wonder you are emotional!
I’m adding the link to the Government advice on suspension and exclusions which includes SEN info.

You can complain to the Governors if you feel that reasonable adjustments are not being made in school. The SEN Governor can be informed.
I’d contact the SEN parent support service if you haven’t already done so for support at the meeting with the LA and maybe school too.

If your son is having meltdowns in school and staff are getting hurt it sounds like they maybe aren’t managing his needs well. There’s a “ circle of danger” that shouldn’t be entered.
They should, where possible,be anticipating or trying to prevent meltdowns and then giving him time and space to calm down and using little or no language.
Has he had an OT sensory assessment? Not all OTs are specialists in SPD.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-exclusions-guide-for-parents/a-guide-for-parents-on-school-behaviour-and-exclusion

https://www.localofferbirmingham.co.uk/send-support-and-information-2/sendiass/

Definitely follow up the meeting with an email.

Ignore the HT. Unfortunately, some schools incorrectly tell parents their DC don’t need or won’t get an EHCP. You can get an EHCP. The needs of other pupils within the school and if they have EHCPs or not is irrelevant. The school isn’t meeting DS’s needs. If they were, they wouldn’t have suspended DS 5 times in reception, they wouldn’t have unlawfully informally excluded either, and they wouldn’t be saying DS is at risk of permanent exclusion. Appeal if the LA doesn’t change their decision via mediation. Is it refusal to assess or refusal to issue?

Don’t focus on the funding. Focus on securing an EHCP and having the provision required in it. 1:1 can be provided. If it is detailed, specified and quantified in F of the EHCP, the LA is responsible for ensuring it is provided and that includes ensuring there is sufficient funding. LAs don’t fully fund provision unless forced.

Don’t allow the school to informally exclude again. It is unlawful. It is important the school follows the correct procedure.

You can get an ehcp

My child is high functioning asd and adhd and has just received one with a specialist setting stated as a requirement

All professionals (SALT OT EP, Pead, Phyciatrist) said he is very complex but noted his needs within 5 mins of seeing him.

He was also suspended and I have kept his mainstream school in the grey area by pointing out all failures of not giving him reasonable adjustments etc documenting everything and tracking triggers

Head teacher sounds awful. Ignore this awful person and advice. You need to get legal info. Sossen have call / drop ins as do other charities. I would encourage you to call to lay it all out and get sound advice specific to you.

Not sure where you are in the ehcp process. We needed the school to provide evidence to LA for the EHCP so couldnt move him but it was hard not to do. Now i have trauma from school! Very Catch 22.

X

Thank you. I will call SOS SEN tomorrow.

Unfortunately I'm stuck at the school at the moment. I need them to provide evidence in an upcoming medication appointment with the LA (my original EHCA request was denied because the LA emailed a SENCO who hadn't worked at the school for at least 6 years - so no evidence was provided).

It was really bizarre how the headteacher said in the meeting on Thursday how my son was still at serious risk of permanent exclusion while at the same time insisting that the school were able to meet his needs and that my son wouldn't qualify for an EHCP.

Absolutely continue with the application for an EHCP Needs Assessment. The outcome of mediation may well be that the school need to provide information so that the case can be taken back to panel ASAP. Is someone from school attending the mediation? Heads don’t always understand the process sadly - certainly DON’T be put off by him telling you they don’t get enough funding etc etc. That’s like him telling you he isn’t paid enough to run the school……irrelevant. The level of funding is determined by the level of need identified in the professional reports gathered as part of the EHCNA process.

Just ignore the HT. If mediation isn’t successful, submit an appeal. Make sure someone with decision-making authority attends mediation. They should, but sadly LAs often send someone who can’t/won’t, so check.

You have 2 paths to travel in parallel

1. school, reasonable adjustments and anticipatory adjustments to meet needs - making sure he gets these

2. needs assesment and ehcp process with LA

Sossen will hopefully lay out how to travel them both and a plan and what you need to do

Good luck its hard I've done both the above and its horrible not to take him out of a school that doesn't give a shit just to get evidence to get him the support he deserves. So sad

Good luck x

My daughter has an EHCP for precisely this, and has a 1 to 1 to help her with her emotional regulation. It means she's actually getting the breaks she needs. They did make us to the two terms of SEN support first (I didn't know any better at the time so went along with it). It's not perfect and most the issues we have now are related to things the school can't fix like the class size, but we're in a way better place than we were 3 year ago. She's also very bright and there's not specialist school near us that will meet her needs so this is the best option for now.
At the time I took advice on the suspensions, and was told that while they should be avoided they can be lawful if it's to protect staff or other children, and not to challenge them as they form evidence of unmet need.

@Justploddingonandon have you looked at independent schools within travelling distance (usually considered to be 45 mins at primary and 1hr15 at secondary, although some travel further)? If it isn’t suitable for provision to be made in a school, EOTAS/EOTIS is a possibility.

@flawlessflipper there's nothing suitable at primary level. She's year 5 now and there are some options that might work at secondary so mostly we're holding on until then. We may end up down the EOTAS route but currently she's adamant she wants to stay in school.

Well the HT sent an email to the early help worker going on an angry rant

• nothing was achieved in the meeting
• the early help worker is giving a parent unrealistic ideas of high level funding
• they can meet my son's needs and no school will give him a 1:1
• I insulted the school, the staff and it's provision during the meeting and was emboldened to do so by the early help worker
• the early help worker was unprofessional
• in the future, he wants an agenda for a meeting and an independent minute taker

The SENDco will attend mediation.

I'm worried that she will be influenced by the HT to downplay my son's needs

In future, take your own minutes. You can also record the meeting.

1:1 can be given. However, it is unlikely to be given without an EHCP detailing, specifying and quantifying 1:1.

You don’t have to have the SENCO attend.

Gosh that's horrible. I'm sorry that happened.

I hope you can find a different school even if it takes a while. I actually don't think any education is worth such a young child having to endure such hostility.

Believe me, I hate sending my son back to this place. But I have no other choice right now - if I take him out and home school him, it wouldn't be great during the EHCP application. The LA would say out of sight, out of mind.

@florence1234567 the SENCO and HT cant play down his needs and say they can meet them if they have suspended him so many times.

This demonstrates they cant meet need and environment unsuitable

Of course, I understand. The system sucks.

I doubt the Early Help worker is too bothered about the head's rant, given that the head is simply showing herself up as an idiot, and is actually helping your case. If they seriously believe they cannot manage your child so as to ensure their staff are safe, then they are admitting they cannot meet his needs.

I suspect the LA will go along with the head, if only to delay the moment when they have to start spending money, but if they refuse to assess you have a very good case for appeal.

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Pocket typing im afraid