Is this level of SEN communication from a primary school normal?

[Hellosunshine2022]

Hi,
I’m wanting to know whether this is normal and I’m expecting too much from Primary School or is this how it is?
I have a 5 YO son who is due to start reception in September. We delayed him under the summer born policy as we felt he wasn’t ready to start school. He has a diagnosis of autism and will mostly likely be diagnosed with ADHD in a few years. He suffers from separation anxiety quite badly. I’m a SAHM, he didn’t get in to pre school but we tried a private nursery when he was 2.5 but he never settled and had a lot of anxiety.
He is due to go to a mainstream school. One form entry and due to low birth year, currently only 20 children in his class. I’ve now realised that being a small school, the SEN lead only works part time. I tried to contact her to discuss my son’s needs and ask if he could have a longer settling in period. The timetable only states one half day before full days begin. She responded saying she wouldn’t be able to discuss that with me until the beginning of September. That was it. They don’t know anything about my son and haven’t asked for paperwork or his needs etc. Is this normal? I know they have other children but I expected at least a phone call with the SEN lead? Any help or guidance would be really appreciated. Thank you

When did you contact her for longer settling in?
if now in the holidays then yeah she’s not going to engage, if before that’s pretty shitty.

my son started with no diagnosis, we had afew meetings, afew visits with him and a handover meeting from nursery.

we had a week of half days. 1 day does seem abit scary and considering he’s not been in a settling before.
that said, sometimes being thrown in is best you know.

I would expect a meeting with class teacher and Senco afew weeks after starting.

I contacted her second week of June. She basically said thanks for the email but she wouldn’t be able to speak to me until beginning of September. He starts on the 7th so doesn’t leave much time.

Some schools are better than others at communication, but you left it quite late to contact the school and the SENCO may have had a full diary until the end of term by that point.

It won’t help you now, but for anyone else reading, I would speak to the school before applying and then again soon after the place is confirmed.

There is still time before DS starts on the 7th for you to speak to the school.

I’m not sure from your post whether DS continued to attend the private nursery or whether you withdrew? If he continues to attend, the school may have been passed information by the nursery.

Has an EHCNA been requested?

As PP has said it can be very busy at the end of term.
Lots of schools do home visits to aid settling in and to exchange valuable information.

Transition arrangements are usually enhanced for children with SEN. These are often led by the previous setting and typically there would be meetings and visits. The teacher may have gone to observe in the setting. Parents are usually actively included.

You could complete a one page profile to share information. Some child friendly examples here.

https://sheffkids.co.uk/resources/

I’d use the summer to prepare by sharing lots of starting school books so that he knows what to expect.
It would help if you could leave DC with someone for short periods initially at home then building up to longer periods to prepare.