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SN children

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Original poster

Angry with MS school

20 replies

chivers1977 · 18/11/2010 16:13

I have just picked my son up from school. He normally attends afterschool club so I don't get to see the teacher.

The SENCO advised me before halfterm that she thinks that he has dyspraxia and that she was referring him to the CDC. He is on the waiting list with an appointment expected in January.

He is 5 and year 1 in an mixed year 1/2 class based on his academic abilility in reception. The class teacher pulled me after school to "talk" to me about his behaviour in school. He is spinning, rolling, going under the table, not getting changed after PE, not doing his work in the time that he has it in etc etc. Now having read everything I can on dyspraxia and SPD, this behaviour is normal for him and not being naughty. Every time I started to say this, she didn't want to accept that it was and that if he could get changed in PE today, why did it take him half an hour yesterday?!

I want to go into the school all guns blazing demanding meetings etc but the lack of the CDC appointment is making me nervous. I feel that he needs 1:1. She thinks that he has sufficient attention as she makes him sit in front of her. ARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!

OP posts:

SausageMonster · 18/11/2010 18:57

bump?

Triggles · 18/11/2010 19:11

Well, clearly if he is managing all these behaviours, regardless of sitting right in front of her, then he needs something more. This woman is the SENco and she doesn't recognise these behaviours?

Original poster

chivers1977 · 18/11/2010 19:18

The class teacher isn't the SENCO but she seems absolutely clueless on how to manage the behaviours! I am prepared to go in tomorrow with the list of symptoms to point out that he isn't just playing up and demanding that they sort something out before the dx.

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SausageMonster · 18/11/2010 21:34

I don't think going inat this stage will do much good if the teacher is pretty useless.

School is supposed to identify, assess and support behviours rather than specific dxs. Some behaviour you decsribe is dyspraxic, but dyspraxia can co-exist with many other conditions - that's why you need a CDC appointment.

Don't wait for the SENCO to refre him to CDC - ask your GP to refer him (even if SENCO already has). We found the GP referral carried more weight (in our area anyway). Once his difficulties start affecting his school life he needs to be seen quickly.

He won't get 1:1 without a Statement. Even then you may have a struggle to get that level of support.

You could ask the SENCO what particular difficulties he has and what strategies she suggests to overcome them and then ask her to draw up an IEP - with your input. Should you then need to go down the eventual Statement route you've done some initial foundation work towards that.

Best wishes

Original poster

chivers1977 · 19/11/2010 06:27

thank you for your comments. You are right of course. I will go in today to see the SENCO to ask re the IEP etc as you suggest.

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Original poster

chivers1977 · 19/11/2010 08:01

thank you for your comments. You are right of course.

I took him to breakfast club today on his request and saw the deputy head. The SENCO isn't in today but she is going to book in a meeting with the class teacher and the SENCO on Monday.

I pointed out that it is not fair if he loses his golden time every single week just due to his special needs and that I didn't think that the teacher understood that dyspraxia was not just about co-ordination. I think that she appreciated that something needed to be done and I stopped myself just from getting upset. Can see it happening on Monday though.....

Thank you for your help

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pinkstarlight · 19/11/2010 09:28

sounds like this teacher does not have a clue about dyspraxia,my son has dyspraxia some days he can do things another day he cant he also finds it very difficult to keep still. i would be very put out if the senco suspected your son has dyspraxia and the teacher didnt do any research. i know how you feel i once had a teacher try and tell me my son was lazy because his writting started off neat and just got bigger and more untidy as he went on,but in reality this was because he was in agony with cramps in his hand and arm he now uses a laptop majority of the time.

pinkstarlight · 19/11/2010 09:32

just wanted to add my son is statemented you need to get the school EP involved,you need to push for this to get him the help needed.

Original poster

chivers1977 · 19/11/2010 09:35

Thanks Pinkstarlight. She doesn't even make sure that he uses the pencil with the pencil grip. He is 5! She needs to make sure he is given it each day to use. He is capable of writing neatly and legibly but needs to be reminded all the time and also as you say can't do too much before he says his hand starts hurting. I felt so bad for him yesterday when she pulled me aside after school and wouldn't listen to anything I was saying. One of his friends even came over and stroked his head as he could see that Jacob was getting in trouble! Will see if he gets any of his golden time back today - I doubt it given her attitude yesterday...... :(

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Original poster

chivers1977 · 19/11/2010 09:41

The SENCO said to me that a statement wouldn't make any difference as the school would do all that they would on SA+ as they would on a statement. Seems that this is complete rubbish then if a statement is the only way to get the extra help in reality from what you guys are saying.

I live behind the school and watched a PE lesson. There was just the stand in class teacher (think that it is the normal teachers non-contact time)with no TAs and 30 year 1s and year 2s. DS was getting in trouble for not standing on the line, not throwing his beanbag from left hand to right hand etc etc. If he can't concentrate in class, how will he concentrate in PE where it is exciting and everyone is running around.

The rest of the class got changed and the teacher took them down to the parents as it was the end of the day. DS was left in the classroom to get changed with another child. Apparently his actual class teacher was sitting outside the room doing her non-contact stuff. 30 minutes later he still wasn't dressed........ That is not his fault and I don't think that he should be left upstairs to get changed while the rest of the children go home. The Afterschool club thought that he wasn't there as it was so late and had to go back to collect him

Haven't got an IEP yet (or if there is one I haven't seen it) so will be pushing for that on Monday. Good job I am off sick with a bad back at this rate. Otherwise nothign would be happening.

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fightingthezombies · 19/11/2010 09:52

Senco is talking utter rubbish. If everyone thought like that then statements would be obsolete! If he is on SA+ now he should certainly have IEP's and had input fron outside professionals. You need to find what level of support he is on and why no IEP has been given to you. Statements are legal documents that school has to comply with, IEP's are not legal and can just be ignored (known as Individual Empty Promises on this board).

Original poster

chivers1977 · 19/11/2010 10:05

They only advised me in mid October that they thought that there was an issue so not sure how long an IEP is expected to take or whether he won't be SA+ until he has been seen by the outside professionals ie January

She said that they don't get any extra money for statemented children and they would give them the same level of help without the statement.

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SausageMonster · 19/11/2010 17:55

She said that they don't get any extra money for statemented children and they would give them the same level of help without the statement.

She's talking utter rubbish.

Firstly, funding should not be your concern,.

Secondly, only an assessment which may lead to a Statement will reveal all his difficulties and it's only at that point the full package of support (and its costs) will be known. If a Statement said he required X. Y and Z then fudning for X, Y and Z would either have to be found by school or by the LA. They could not ignore it as it's a legal duty to fund Statemented support

whereas

School Action support can be withdrawn at any time

Original poster

chivers1977 · 19/11/2010 18:07

Thank you Sausage Monster.

I will be making sure that I mention the statement on Monday then. If that doesn't make them do something then nothing will! Does he have to have a certain amount of time on SA+ before a statement will be looked at - ie to prove that the school have tried their hardest to help him?

Sorry for all the questions! You can tell I am new to the world of SN!

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ColaFizz · 19/11/2010 19:46

If your son has an IEP, it should have been sent to you to read through and to then sign, my son gets one every term and i am invited to school to talk through it with the resource provision staff and then get my own copy for at home. If he has an IEP and you haven't seen it/signed it then i would be talking to school about this

Original poster

chivers1977 · 20/11/2010 05:43

They haven't said that he has one so suspect that they are trying to keep quiet until after the CDC appointment and there isn't one.

From what I understand now, the IEP is based on the behaviours and not on the diagnosis or what the professionals say......

Should they be giving him one now and then when the professionals have seen him, give him another one then ColaFizz?

I am determined that my son will be treated right and need to make sure that I know what to be arguing for at this stage.

Thank you x

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Original poster

chivers1977 · 20/11/2010 11:08

Sorry one last thing.

Can you confirm whether it is acceptable for him to miss his playtime at lunch to finish off work.

To me it is not as it is difficult enough for him to sit in the class room for the rest of the day as it is.

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Original poster

chivers1977 · 20/11/2010 17:29

bump....

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AttilaTheMeerkat · 20/11/2010 17:42

Hi Chivers,

re your comment:-
"Does he have to have a certain amount of time on SA+ before a statement will be looked at - ie to prove that the school have tried their hardest to help him?"

No. A person could go straight to having a Statement without being on either school action or school action plus first.
IPSEA's website is helpful www.ipsea.org.uk and has lots of information.

You may also want to contact the Dyscovery Centre in Cardiff as they are helpful with dyspraxia.

It is not acceptable either for your DS to be missing playtime at lunch to finish off work.

TBH I'd be now looking at other schools.

Original poster

chivers1977 · 20/11/2010 18:11

Thanks Attila.

The school is the very closest ie 3 doors away and is rated Good so my expectation is that they should be able to provide the provision that my son needs. From experience with my friend's son who has ASD at another school, the extra provision required compared for my son is minimal.

I am ready to fight for whatever he needs to be able to access the education that he deserves ie he is bright and a very good reader etc etc and they need to be able to provide assistance for him to learn in his local school. I knew that it wasn't OK for him to miss his playtimes in my heart but to hear someone else say it is great, thanks.

If I don't achieve that being nicey nicey then I will be rolling my sleeves up with the help of you kind ladies (hopefully, you won't be too annoyed with me and my questions by then!)

Will see what the Dyscovery Centre can suggest. We are in the SE so not sure whether they will be able to assist?

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