Ofsted inspection, they have asked me to keep ds off,

[wheretonow]

So what now? I am fuming. I know he would find it stressful, strangers asking questions and things being different so for his sake I am going to keep him home but I remember a similar thread a few years ago and I was adament that I would not keep MY child off and expressed how disgusted I was. Here it is happening to me. DS is 7 with HFA.

I am a regular btw but don't want to be recognised as I have recommended MN to a few people I know now, who know my situation with ds, I wouldn't want them to know ALL my other business as well.

So what do I do now? I am trying to get a change of placement for him anyway so surely this could help in some way.

How has he coped when people like the EP or Inclusion have been in to observe him? The Ofsted inspection shouldn't be any more disruptive than that.

It should be made clear to the Inspector/s that your ds has HFA and it would therefore be upsetting for him to be questioned, but other than that, they should be observing how a class runs, including how the teacher is taking into consideration the needs of every child, especially those with SENs. That would include her repsonsibility to make sure that any visitors don't disrupt the class or interact with children that could not cope with it.

You can get hold of a copy of the parental questionnaire here but you will need a copy of the 'letter to parents' in order to get the Inspector's contact details. Alternatively, you can call them directly on one of these numbers and someone should be able to give you that information. If the school don't/won't give you a copy of the parental advisory letter, then OFSTED would definitely want to know about it.

If you do decide not to send your ds in on inspection day - and I totally understand why you would want to - I would feel the same in your shes, I would definitely contact OFSTED and complete a parental questionnaire. It sounds like the school is clearly not meeting your ds's needs and not only do OFSTED need to be made aware of this, but as you said, it may well help your case for getting him placed elsewhere.

I would send him in as normal. Tell them he is entitled to an education and not to be pushed under the carpet when they feel like it.

Say IF he is stressed out then phone you and when you come up you will decide if their reason is good enough to cart him home then and that they bear in mind that you shall speak to the OFSTED person to check it is him/her that stressed him out.

Tell them to take his special needs into account and make arrangements in school to safe guard him.

Hope you manage to get a new placement soon, this school sounds terrible. I would be fuming in your shoes. I have said this couple times today, i am so glad my ds goes to sn school and not mainstream because things like this never happen. Dont beat yourself up about this, if you feel would be too distressful to your ds keep him off but most definetely complete parental questionnaire and OFSTED should know for sure about this. How dare they!

Surely they should be addressing the support he needs to make the inspection bearable for ds.
If they aren't able or prepared to do that then the school fully deserve to explain their failings to OFSTED.
I would put the ball back firmly in their court and say that you will keep him off on the proviso that school inform OFSTED why and arrange for you to meet with the inspector. Or they provide you with the strategies they will be using to prepare and enable ds to cope with the inspection and you will send him to school as normal.
Surely a social story, access to a chill out space and sensitive handling would be all it took.
I visited a special school on Monday where all the pupils had autism ranging from profound to moderate but they had been prepared and coped with three visitors wandering around their school for three hours so it's not impossible unless you are unwilling that is.

The only differences your dc should notice are the lessons being better prepared, an effort being made to help him cope and the teachers trying to avoid shouting at the kids. It might be his best school day in a long time!

Similar happened at ds's previous school. All of the 'difficult' children were kept out of the way. Ds was one day sent to 'help out' in the library and on the other day we were asked to collect him as he was'not well'. I asked the person who called me if he was so unwell he couldn't stay in school and she was hesitant at answering (clearly had been asked by HT to remove him). After dh had colleted him ds said that they had told him he looked unwell and would be going home! He had never mentioned being ill! This school received an Outstanding rating. I would personally write to school to clarify what they have asked you to do then send copy to the inspectors. You can also ask to speak to an inspector whilst they are on the premises if you wish.

I agree with the posters who say it is up to the school to help your ds if he will find it difficult
Obviously if they are not going to do that you,with his best interests at heart will have to keep him off
but I would ask the school for a parent questionaire and if they say they don't have one,mention you will write a little note for the inspectors- that may get them thinking

and I hope he finds a new placement soon,because the head sounds crap obviously is not good at inclusion

i wouldnt keep him home id still take him as its playing into their hands omg just to make the school look better on the day , they dont disrupt the classes its low key id be writting to ofstead and filling out the form and if see them myself actually ask for a chat im so disgusted on your behalf the ofsted wouldnt want yr ds to be off or any other sen children its immoral they even brought the subjet up i would also be complaining to everyone you can its outrageous, my son is very upset by change and meeting new people and it stresses him but hes always managed to be in school while they do their thing IYSWIM id contatct the school governors to complain the LA and even the education minister but i understand your worry if hes still placed there ATM, id go ahead with looking to change schools like you said and im sure asking him not to be there is illegal too its disability discrimination

Please, please let the Ofsted inspectors know this has happened. Even if it doesn't help your DS, it might help a future SN child at the school. I'm beyond shocked (am a Chair of Govs and we wouldn't begin to contemplate doing this; we're very proud of how we manage Inclusion well). I thought these requests were urban myths.

I am so for you and for your ds. This is simply unacceptable on every level.

I would send him in. I would write an email to the LA Inspection team now, they may be called school improvement advisors now, and tell them what has happened, I would also email the Head of SEN and Inclusion in the authority. I would also go into school on the day of the Inspection and demand to see the senior Inspector from the Inspection Team. I know you will feel like this may make things difficult in yterms of relationships with this school and the head, but quite honestly if this is his/her approach to educating your child then you have more major problems anyway, probably being ignored by the school. I would consider ringin OFSTED right now, and asking them to idenitfy which inspector is leading the Inspection and tell them what has been said. I have contacted OFSTED helpline quite recently and found them to be extremely helpful. I am currently fighting the LA for attitudes which are discriminitory towards children with physical disabilities, and now I have Head of Inclusion, Inpector for SEN, PDSS, Chief Education Officer and Deputy Director of Children, Young People and Family Services involved, all from mw writing two carefully worded emails. You can kick them into action when they do something as outrageous as this. Good Luck

It's illegal to exclude a child without paperwork and/or following LA policy. It's school's responsibiity to ensure that measures are put in place so that your ds is able to cope, or has space to be if he's struggling. Speak to your LA - the inclusion officer, SEN officer or educational psychologist might be useful starting points. Your independent parent support partner (within but independent of the LA) should help you. DO write to Ofsted. Please. Best of luck.

As it's Ofsted the staff will all be on their best behaviour. The teachers will produce all singing, all dancing lessons, the dinner lady who shouts will be at her most patient, and they'll probably have new pencils.A great time will be had by all (children that is). Why should your child miss out?
I am appalled that schools think it is acceptable to ask parents to keep their children off. The school will have visitors all the time and to the children these visitors will be much like all the others.
Make sure the Ofsted inspector knows you have been asked to keep your child off, but be prepared for the Head to lie and say it was for the child's benefit.
It is their job to make sure it is not stressful for him.

If you think your child would cope with the inspection with a little preparation ( social story, talking about or photos of visitors to the school or whatever) perhaps you could thank them for their concern but prepare ds and send him in as normal.

Make sure you get the school to put their request in writing (email will do).

Ok thanks for all your replies. I didn't send him in and I am glad I didn't he was so happy and excited to have the morning with me alone as his sister was in nursery. This has not happened for a long time so it was a real big deal to him.

Ds's dad came to school with us and tried to get to see the HT but she was with the inspector at the time. He is going to email her and get her to put her request and reasons in writing. I asked for a parent form today but as it was a progress inspection they didnt have any. So what now? Contact Ofsted, let my Caseworker at the LA know? His statement is up for review next month so should I detail this in there as support for a change of placement?

Thanks for all your great advice. Is this actually illegal? How can I use to ds's advantage, basically turn them treating my son like crap to end up helping him, is it possible? Thanks again.

oh, too late now... but do you realise that as far as he would be concerned it wouldn't be massively disruptive anyway?

there may be an extra adult in the classroom who would at a point appropriate in the lesson chat to some pupils about what they're doing - that's about it tbh

everything else should be the same as usual as far as pupils are concerned (yes I know the school puts on a show, but they're not actually supposed to, lol)

I'd tell your LA caseworker and I don't know how OFSTED work (Scottish) but if it was me I'd be getting in touch with HMIE (equivalent) - so I'll assume it works similarly and say get in touch with them as well

it's illegal for them to ask you to keep him off, they should do a formal exclusion if they don't want him in school. See ipsea here for informal exclusion. Glad you both had a good day

i would be far from happy,sounds more like it was more for the schools benefit rather than your sons.school can be a nightmare for sens children,giving him a day off over nothing could open a new can of worms and giving him the wrong idea that he doesnt have to be at school.

last year i went to look round a special school on there open day,i was really impressed but decided to take a second viewing im so glad i did it was like a totally different school they had clearly removed disruptive children from the open day.i decided no way would i send my child to a school that was so deceitful

You need to ring OFSTED now, and you can still ask to speak to the Inspector. I would also email the caseworker. I would write a letter to OFSTED too and copy it to the Head, Governors and Education Officer for the local authority, but that is just me.

Agree with bigcar - there is no such thing as an informal exclusion so they have to treat it as a formal one

Illegal. Dob them in - big style!