Specialist placement not worked out

[TripleRocks]

Independent specialist provision are unfortunately going to be serving 6 weeks notice due to not being able to meet need. This will be our third secondary school. She started this one in Sept.

Child is in year 10 with ASD, severe anxiety, OCD traits. Is behind due to so much missed school in secondary, but no intellectual disability.

What has been working during this placement and what we would like to use as a possible model going forwards, is online learning - no live lessons, no strict times.

We also have her annual review due around this time and a lot needs changing. This will be our first annual review so I’m unsure what to expect. School have suggested a lot can be changed.

I believe we should use this 6 week notice period to get all our evidence from current placement to get our ducks in a row to ask for what we want going forwards. Although I’m unsure if what I’m asking for is an online school placement or essentially EOTAS to fund this?

I’m also feeling that as year 11 starts in September we are running out of time in terms of her being in a place to think about GCSEs in year 11, does anyone know if it’s possible to just move it all back and sit them in Year 12/13? If so, are we better off with EOTAS or online school?

Has anyone been in this position as I’m feeling a little lost.

It's certainly possible to move a year back in online schools and do the whole GCSE stream again. Most online schools use Pearson Edexel IGCSEs - that might be different from the course she has followed, too. Whether the LA names the school or offers EOTAS depends on the LA. Ofstead approved schools like MVA and KIH can be named in section I or be part of EOTAS. You can also be double enrolled and your physical school pays the online school. Nisei online learning gets more often named directly in EHCPs by LAs, but is less academic. Why did your SS serve notice? I guess because of school absence? If that is the main reason, due to social anxiety, online school could work well. But if there is anxiety surrounding learning and exams, online school is very demanding, as the pupils are more selfreliant. If she currently has a 1:1 or small groups with individual help, prompting etc, it might be hard to go online. The main online schools have no sets, apart from maths, so some find it goes very fast, especially if there are gaps. Would you have the time to sit next to her or revise with her daily or spot and fill gaps? A lot of online pupils have their parents as a TA. Nisei seems to offer some additional real life support/tutoring, but I have no personal experience of them. I assume EOTAs could include any other support she needs, e.g. irl tutoring.

Also, did you try AI? I'm homeschooling my son and realised I'm a bit rusty with GCSE Further Maths and A level Further Maths topics. I asked Gemini 3 to take me through the syllabus so that I would be able to explain everything to my son and I think for the first time in my life I fully understood calculus and scored 100% in mocks. It's revolutionary and I found learning with Gemini addictive. Better and more encouraging than any living teacher or tutor I ever had. And it's totally free.

Yes school are serving notice due to her inability to attend onsite. However what has been working since well before Xmas is a “blended learning” package (which was essentially 100% online at home). She has proved she is quite self sufficient with a bit of prompting, reminders and breaks but needs to go at her own pace. She wouldn’t tolerate anyone entering our home so tutors or TA is out of the question. I’m not in a position to homeschool as I work full time, but as I also wfh with some flexibility I can keep an eye and prompt her (to a degree) using my breaks etc.

I don’t think she needs or is capable of a full GCSE curriculum. I think a couple of subjects or even one to begin with is what she needs. She wouldn’t cope with a full time, fast paced programme of 10/11 subjects, no way. some days are better than others etc.

Request an early review. On their website, IPSEA has a model letter you can use. The LA should hold one once notice is given anyway, but they aren’t always on the ball. Don’t wait for the AR or for the 6 weeks to be up before requesting a review. If the LA amends, it takes up to 12 weeks from the date of the review meeting (or more if the LA breaches the timescales and you have to force their hand).

The AR process should be as follows:

1. Updated advice and information must be circulated at least 2 weeks prior to the AR meeting. Although if they are ready, some parents decide to forgo needing 2 weeks, especially for early reviews.
2. Then you have the AR meeting.
3. Within 2 weeks of the AR meeting, a report must be circulated.
4. Within 4 weeks of the AR meeting, the LA must inform you if they propose to amend or not. If they are, they must send the amendment notice/draft/notice of amendment/proposed amendments (whatever the LA/you want to call it) at the same time and you must be given at least 15 days to comment on the amendments and state your preferred placement.
5. Then if the LA is going to amend, they must finalise within 8 weeks of sending the proposed amendments, so max of 12 weeks from the AR meeting.

You will also need to ask the LA how they intend to ensure DS receives a suitable full-time education and anything detailed, specified and quantified in F whilst the EHCP is being amended and finalised.

EHCPs can continue until 25 if necessary, or 26 in some circumstances. GCSEs don’t have to be sat at the end of Y11. They can be sat later. Or not at all if they are not appropriate. There are plenty of other options at all levels and for all interests. Don’t worry about that.

If DD is to not attend the school, it is right that the school should not be named in I.

For EOTAS/EOTIS, you will need evidence it is inappropriate for provision to be made in a school. DD needs more than just online schooling, even if that is part of the package. There is far more to a proper package than many realise and LAs like to portray. Ultimately, you may have to appeal for a proper package.

Online provision doesn’t have to be via an online school. There are lots of other companies that offer online provision (some live, some pre-recorded, some cover both) who focus on individual subjects/a few subjects. For example, South West Science, Humanatees, TeachallaboutIT, Survive Succeed Achieve. The benefit of this is being able to choose different focuses for different subjects. The other online provision to consider is online tutoring. The tutoring doesn’t have to be live. It can be a recorded lesson just more easily tailored to DD and her needs than lessons aimed at a group.

There are online schools who don’t use Edexcel IGCSE. For example, Wolsey Hall uses CAIE. Some other companies offer GCSEs in some subjects, too.

In case it would influence your decisions, in person provision (tutoring or otherwise) doesn’t have to take place at home. The LA cannot force you to accept provision at home.