Possibly daft question - but doesn't a statement request have to ask for something specific?

[Chelseahandfull]

Many apologies for my first post here to be such a basic question, and I will go away and do my homework, but have been caught short by developments at school.

Quick background: DS2 is 5, with a past history of profound speech disorder overcome whilst at nursery school. Transition to reception v bumpy (transitions, eye contact, attention, ability to initiate work independently, adjusting from 1:1 to 1:group etc). School requested neuro-devel assessment. NHS one is due in May, had a private one done meantime, which diagnosed Aspergers with possible ADHD, but as was based on just a 2 hr interview with me with DS I haven't yet bonded with this - perhaps just in transition/denial . School (small independent) have been making rather sinister references to whether he will be able to make the transition to class 1, which is rather dominating my thoughts recently.

Anyway, back last term in some of the first talks at school, they commented that they would like to seek a statement for him, but I didn't particularly focus on this, spending more time on getting him writing, arranging OT and yoga etc etc. Also my annecdotal udnerstanding was that he was unlikely to achieve a statement as word on the street is that in our borough you need to have spectacularly profound needs to do so. Plus we are in an independent, so how woudl that work? So didn't do much research yet, but made agreement noises - I will do pretty much anything to keep them on side.

Suddenly on Friday his teacher asked for a email approval to release info as their statement request was ready.

Surely I need to see it? And doesn't a statement have to requesting something in particular (this is an aspect of SN that I find a real barrier to entry - on speaking first to the borough ed psys she asked me what I wanted from them - I don't know! I don't know what you can offer, I don't what he needs, I don't know where things are going etc etc!)? The only thing I can think of that would help him to keep up is 1:1 help and I can't see that he will conceivably get that from our borough at all, and not in an independent, and in any case the school has already said that there isn't room for another adult to work in class 1 anyway.

so are the hoping to get a statement that can't be delivered in their school so crystallising him having to leave without them having had to be the "horrid school who threw him out" (am probably being neurotic here).

And finally, I am nervous about anyone in the system knowing I had a private neuro assessment done as have heard stories that this can get one kicked out of the NHS process, and I have more comfort in what the NHS will say, so don't want that to happen - does anyone know whether this is a real issue?

Sorry to be so limp and uninformed (and am feeling odd limp generally today - whole topic seems to be getting to me more than usual!)

'Also my annecdotal udnerstanding was that he was unlikely to achieve a statement as word on the street is that in our borough you need to have spectacularly profound needs to do so.' This is one of the many rumours LEAs love, don't give up on that basis!

Yes, you should see the application, in fact unless it's diferent in your LEA, you should have been asked for your views. Do you have any contact with your local parent partnership, they can be very useful but do bear in mind that although they are supposed to be independent of the LEA some are not.

from an ed psych you will be wanting assessments to work out where there are areas of need, this should be done as part of a statutory assessment but if they want to start now then that would be good.

at this stage you are asking for a statutory assessment, so while you may have a very clear idea of what you want for your ds, this is the bit (if they agree to assess) where the LEA find out about your ds from assessments from ed psych, salt, doctors, school or who ever is involved with him. You will also be asked for your views and you ask for what you think he needs, not what you think you can get iyswim. From the reports they would then write the statement so it depends on what the reports say as to what goes in the statement.

as to how this works with private schools, I haven't a clue. You may want to look at a few sites, ace ipsea and sossen would be a good start

It seems to me that the school are requesting for a statutory assessment to be carried out which may lead to your DS getting a statement. They need to inform you that they are doing so, and they are now sending the request, with their initial evidence, to the LA. The LA will want some brief evidence from you also, which they may send to you separately from the school. You get the opportunity to tell them who they should be asking for reports from. Eg Salt, paed, OT etc.

Firstly they will decide whether the initial request warrants going to the expense of statutory assessment. This is the stage you are approaching. The school have made the request or are making the request for SA and have already asked your permission to do so verbally. They have prepared some evidence to back up the request and want written permission from you to send it. You will get a chance to make your views known, also.

If the LA decide that SA is warranted, all parties will be required to assess your DS and send in detailed reports to the LA. You will be asked to submit your own detailed contribution at this point, your concerns and what help you think your DS needs; eg 1:1 etc. You should get copies of all reports submitted.

Once all this evidence has been gathered the LA will decide whether a Statement is warranted and if yes, they will write one to include your DSs needs, what should be done to meet those needs, and what provision in terms of 1:1 or group work or SALT etc he must get. You then agree (or often disagree and request changes) and the statement is issued. The LA must by law provide what's written. This would only be in an independent school if no state schools could meet his needs, (which is unlikely.)

I think you may be right and the school doesn't think they can meet his needs. Or if 1:1 is required they will want you to fund it. (And if they have already said 'there's no room for another adult in Y1' they aren't being particularly subtle.)

If your DS does have AS and profound language delay that sounds like he's going to need more support than his school are perhaps willing and able to offer.

I think in the state system schools only have to inform parents they are requesting SA, not ask their permission.

Do you think his school is going to be the best place for him? Are there any state or sympathetic independent schools that would be more appropriate? The important thing is that your DSs needs are assessed and met!

I may be reading the situation wrongly, so I suggest you have a meeting with your DSs school very soon to discuss what they think your DS will gain from this process and how they see themselves acting on what provision is required.

Thank you so much EllenJane and Ninjagoose. I feel a bit clearer on this already. You are right Ellen about school not being particularly subtle really - perhaps I am just not want to hear anything other than very clear statements about his future with the school, and should spend a little less time worrying if they will keep him, and more on whether somewhere else would suit him better.

The SOSSEN site was v helpful on getting a road map, so think I can be more sensible at the meeting tomorrow.

Hi Chelseahandfull - I know it is not what you were asking but I'd like to point out that statement + independent are not incompatible in the slightest.
There are lots of inclusive independents around where I live (SW London) who have many children with statements. The lady that babysits for us is a special needs assistant for one little girl at an independent school nearby.

I think your last post is great - you are absolutely right in rejigging your mindset to think about what is right for him. Its really difficult as we all tick along enjoying the status quo thinking we have got the near future roughly mapped out then something comes along to shake it all up and of course you will be feeling unsettled, even paranoid.
Its also horrid when people won't be straight with you and the lack of transparency over your schools motives will really put you on edge

Re the private diagnosis concerns, I would probably sit on that or just down play it until you have had the NHS one only because the NHS team might get all defensive (it would be a concern if the two diagnoses did not match up wouldn't it!)
Having said that lots of people get both done (fair enough given the waiting lists - currently 6 months wait for DD to be checked over at C&W) and I have just had to commission a private SALT and OT assessment and report for Statementing purposes. Its really common.
I had the same question a few months back and did a search on 'private assessments' or something similar in the titles - it kicked out a lot if useful posts

PS should explain that DD is on waiting list for multi discip assessment but DS has ASD diagnosis and is currently going through Stat Ass't process

Good question - I totally assumed they were funded but I'll ask and get back to you. I know there is a real issue with lack of space at the moment in a lot of boroughs and they are having to fund things that would not be their first choice - out of borough arrangements and private Special Schools both of which would cost them a lot more than any in-borough provision were there space.
However, I can't see how funding a SNA in a private school is any more expensive than funding in a maintained school. Though I may be wrong

Toppy, you are right, now I come to think of it, as from looking at inspection reports there are some statemented children at some SW independent schools (notably Roche, Finton), although what the practical impact of that is, I don't know.

I do wonder whether independent was an error - I had considered trying to get a place at a particular local state school, but we only go to church about once every 8 weeks or so (if that) and are on the wrong side of a road to hit core catchment, so didn't rate my chances, but had wondered whether state schools are perhaps better at this whole topic. I think I was also so chuffed when his current school said that they would take him, having originally been hesitant about whether they could deal with his speech issues (they were over come just in time), that I just cracked on with that - his big brother goes there and that had always been the plan.

Now I feel a bit caught - if he struggles to get enough 1:1 in a 2:20 class moving to a 2:30 isn't going to do anything for him, so unless I can get some individual time for him, I am scared to move him to that primary, plus am highly unlikely to get in there. We suffer locally with a highly opted out population - on some stats over 60% of children are privately educated, so there are only 2 strong non-catholic primaries nearby.

You are also right on status quo - I think a reason I have found moving forward on planning this hard is that I keep reverting to wanting everything to be on the track I originally planned for, and feeling that if I take another route, I have been the one to make it so, IFYSIM. My eldest is off to a highly selective prep school, and that is always how I saw things for DS2, who I suspect is just as bright, in slightly different ways. I just don't want to work on a different script, but that is how life works - wishing won't make it so. Hey ho

Hi - back from my morning session down in Cobham having discussed independents with the other mothers. Consensus is that LA's used to be quite funny about paying for TA's in independents 'on principal' but are having to get over it now as they cannot meet the needs any other way and independents do provide that often crucial smaller class size that many SN children require. You'd need to make sure the Statement was worded to support this
Roche and Finton were the two schools I had in mind Chelsea - the only thing I would say is those earmarked places get totally booked up. For example the Roche has no SN places until 2013
Also as Smiley says a Statement can be your passport into the church school that would otherwise take you weekly attendance for five years to get into. I can imagine that must really grate for those committed parents - we were committed but church + autism do not mix and we had to give up after one too many horrific Sunday scenes. I shudder remembering all the looks and tuts. Just awful). Most LEAs have admissions policies on their websites - usually children in care and those with statements are taken first , then siblings, then regular church attenders. I may be wrong but I see no reason why you would not get a place at the Catholic maintained primary if it is the right school for your son. Worth thinking about.
I also think you are right to consider that sometimes the state sector is better for coping with SN than the private sector - less pressure from other parents potentially grumbling about spread of resources in the State sector plus Outreach services are very good at going into those State schools and making sure the support is adequate and appropriate.

In short though the Statement is key - and making sure it has the right provision in it. Try and retain some control over the process rather than 'allowing it to happen' to you

Many thanks all. Your quick tutorial was v helpful in not being totally lost in the meeting today. They seem to have put a sensible pack together, but agreed to wait a month before submitting so that we have the NHS neuro-devel assessment done first.

They seemed a bit more positive today, but I think I need to stop taking my sense of comfort so much from how forbidding or otherwise the head seems about him, as it varies