Part 4 advice

[benito]

DS's final statement (he is 7 and has AS) has caused more than the predictable amount of grief because of the head.

She wrote as part of the usual consultation with the school and said school couldn't accept him. Part of the reason was that they couldn't provide the right physical environment for him (he needs a 'more suitable physical environment'). She consequently expressed disappointment when school was named - all news to us!

Of course, she didn't bother to talk to us about this or about her concerns. If you see my post below about the head lying too, you will see that we do not feel we can stay here long term. She clearly does not want him.

So what do I do about Pt 4 when I appeal. I can't name another school. The LA have, of course, not set out the kind of learning environment he needs either.

I would like him to stay in mainstream and I think a more supportive school would make this possible.

Is it ok in appealing to note school's comments and the LA's lack of confirmation about learning environment and say this needs clarifying further??

I should say I can't name another school yet as I don't know where I want him to go.

The Head needs to be clearer about what the problem is with the 'physical environment'.

Schools can be given money by the LA to carry out any physical adaptions that are necessary e.g. wheel chair ramps or that sort of thing.

It sounds as though the Head just doesn't want him there.

The LA will of course have ignored the Head's concerns when they named her school in Part 4.

Your appeal would have to be that the school cannot meet his needs - and the Head has already told you so.

You therefore need to find a school that can meet his needs and appeal the LAs named school to be removed and yours substituted in Part 4.

The alleged problem is that it allows access to a 'safe space' and she says school don't ave the room for safe spaces - hence he needs to be somewhere else.

Now the statement has been issued with a few extra hours, (or the LA has told her she can't get rid of him that easily) she says they think they can manage. Hours were never the problem though.

Do we need to be able to name an alternative school? I'd like to get the ball rolling on the appeal and finding the right school for an Aspie child is not something I am going to rush. It may involve moving.

Shall I just leave it as it is?

Benito have you visited a few schools in yr area and spoke to their head of inclusion i visited a few diff types of school and mainstreams with units to see which one might be suitable,and tbh she doesnt sound like she wants yr DS there as its not hard to find a place or two to make comfortable for cooling down n chilling i think def sounds like an excuse to me .and if you move and i understand why you would for a better school but that would prob upset yr DS too wouldnt it, i know our moving a few years back was quite traumatic for my DS so obviously its a last resort, im prob telling you stuffage (lol as my DS calls it) you already know as from yr posts you seem more knowledgeable than me

Thanks betty. It helps to hear from others who've been there too!