Sent home from school - again!!!!

[chocolatespread]

School just phoned me (12:30)- could I take him home, for the safety of the other pupils? Second time this week. Again, I'm not angry - I know how it can be with him. But I do feel anxious now. We're waiting on the decision of a lovely SN school, but what if they look at his profile, and decide they can't cater for him either? He really is beautiful and delightful when he's not being this way.

How long have the SN school been deciding. Is it worth another call this afternoon to see if the decision is any closer, or if there's anything you can do to get it through quicker? (thinking they may be waiting on info from some dept etc?)
At least you'll feel like you're trying to get things working out for your DS.

I feel for you, DS spent the last two years at primary being sent home, every morning I never knew when I could go out or if I should stay home just in case.

Legally you don't have to collect your DS home unless he's ill or being officially excluded. Obviously you don't want to keep him at school if he's feeling distressed by it. But do at least make sure all of these are recorded, as it will make your case stronger for the SN school - it shows that the mainstream school can't cope with him.

In my case I found that it was better to insist that my DS could only go home when he was being officially excluded, as this showed that he really needed a SN school.

I expect that the SN school is used to different kind of behaviours and shouldn't be put off by his profile. Children can get extra support even in a SN school so if they feel unable to manage him, you could ask for that.

There were, admittedly, a few SN schools I looked at, who looked at DS's record of exclusions and said that they wouldn't be able to offer him a place. But it was better for them to know what they would have to deal with, than try to cover up his difficulties to get him a place, then find that they couldn't meet his needs, iyswim.

Thanks, both. Actually, the MS school phoned the SN school yesterday, and apparently they found DS2's profile 'baffling'. I think it's just a waiting game.

DS2 was throwing sissors around, quite apart from showering his TA with bites and kicks. I felt I had to accept that it was a hazard to the other children. He's only 5, so I don't think they'd formally exclude him, or would they? I'm not sure about that.

Anyway, hopefully next week will be better.

Have you/the MS school asked the SN school if having formal exclusions on file will help your case - it can do!

In my old LA, it was sometimes necessary to exclude 5-year-olds simply so that the powers that be at the 'EBD' school were then able to prioritise that child for outreach support/part-time 'EBD' placement or an alternative option.

Well, that's a thought. The MS school would probably do that if they thought it would help the cause.