School SENCO......

[sahs1969]

Hi,
Wander whether anyone could give me their thoughts or what I should do.
Basically we are going to tribunal in Jan for dd and the school senco is leaving at the end of this term.
Anyway lately the Senco has been really rude and abrupt with me-she basically told me the other day over the phone that it's a pity we didn't get her assessed at GOSH before we applied for her statement???? I said "Ummm no-if we'd done that we'd never have had her assessed by the Maths Spld unit or Ed Psyc-to which she replied "Of course she wouldve"-ummmm no this little girl is in Yr 5 now and has been failed year after year-had IEP's with targets that change every term but yet she's never met the targets.
Today she came out to talk to me in the school reception and she blurted out "The LEA officer will be at the meeting next week which will be good before you go to Tribunal" in front of about 3 other parents waiting to be seen....I was fuming with this women....
Sorry this is long-just wandered what to do-if anything??
Thanks

I would guess that she is very uptight as a result of pressure from the LA or from fear that she will be required to attend. The SENCO where I work had to go to a tribunal and said it was incredibly intimidating. Try not to let it bother you. When I went to tribunal with my ds school, I reiterated (to myself!) and to anyone else that it was nothing personal I was simply ensuring my ds's needs were met.I'm afraid it is par for the course that you may not be popular and will be seen as a PITA.

If the SENCO has been a part of failing your daughter, it's not surprising that she's getting her knickers in a twist about tribunal.
Especially if you are an articulate, PITA parent.
Lack of professional behaviour and confidentiality is also a concern.

You've exposed their incompetenec to the LA - and the SENCO doesn't like it. She can no longer hids the fact that she's useless - no wonder she's upset.

If you do go to the meeting take a friend and take a notepad. If they say anything remotely contentious - pause for effect and then write it down verbatim - and read it back to them. Intimidation is not their monoploy .

Very unprofessional of the SENCO to say that in front of other parents too. The only good thing is that she probably won't be helping the LA at Tribunal.

Best wishes