Are the school correct in what they say re statement?

[mum2joshua04]

Im usually a lurker but needing some advice, My ds 7, has been diognosed with ADHD, and is on medication, At school he is extreamly behind in his learning, possible Dyslexia, he also shows signs of aspergers,

The week they went back to school, my son was very emotional kept bursting into tears saying he is rubbish, wants to die, everyone hates him etc, So i went into school and spoke to his teacher, she said she has noticed he is very behind but wants to spend some time with him to get to know how he learns best so she can give him the best help.
He is currently getting an hour a day in a group of 4 learning numeracy and literacy,

Friday i went to speak to the senco for an update as she is meant to be sorting out his statement, only to be told that she dont think there is any point as the school only have enough funding for what they are already doing (the hour a day), I told her i dont feel as though my sons needs are being met like they should be and i have even considered sending him to a special school with smaller classes and more TA to help him, She pretty much laughed at me and told me he is 'to good' and wont get a place in a special school!. I told her i want that statement doing!.

Now im not sure how my son is 'to good' surely if there was no problems he wouldnt be on action plus, he wouldnt be needing the hour a day etc, One min they are saying he is behind, the next they are saying there is no problems?

Has anyone had trouble with their school and what do i need to do next? Are the school right in saying that a statement will be a waste of time?

If he is on SA+ has an Educational Psychologist visited and assessed him of his needs? If not then that is the norm that should happen.

Personally IMO if you feel your sons needs are not being met then I would apply for a statement yourself and be done with instead of the school pussyfooting around with it which will drag things out. If he is so upset and coming out with the things you have posted then clearly he is distressed and needs support bless him.

Look at the IPSEA website for a draft letter for you to send to the LEA and off you go. If the LA decide to assess then they will send an EP to your school as a matter of course. You can even phone your local EP office and state that you feel your son is struggling and you feel his needs are not being taken care of with the right support.

Dont listen to the school listen to your own instincts and go for it. Good luck

Would agree with coff33pot, apply for the statement personally and accept no more mucking around from school. SENCO should be ashamed; kudos to your DS's class teacher for trying to help your DS more.

SA plus is sometimes not worth the paper its written on and because it is not legally binding the support offered on it can be very limited. He needs more support than he is currently receiving and you also need to think longer term i.e secondary school.

IPSEA's website is www.ipsea.org.uk; you will need to write to the Chief Education officer at your LEA and give them six weeks to reply.

YOu should apply yourself. The reason schools don't like children having statements is because there is a threshold of 10/15 or 20 hours, and if his statement says he needs TA support below the threshold then the school has to fund it, which means they can't their new vegetable garden or fund whatever plans they have to impress the middleclass parents at next intake.

If you get your ds on a really bad day, try and video him, and video what he says, but be careful not to ask any leading questions, just open questions like 'can you tell me about school? Who are your friends? who is your favourite teacher? So you can show that even though YOU are being positive, he just isn't coping.

Apply for a statement yourself!

I did this time last year, and I am sooooo grateful now that I did as things detoriated significantly as the school year progressed and at least there was some "official recognition" he had genuine problems. Last year was truly awful but my lad is now finally after 3 years of serious pushing on my part beginning to get SOME of the help he needs, he is also infintely happier.

A few words of warning - I do think schools, LEA ED pysch's etc are trained to discourage too many new statement applications. This is because a statement is legally binding and is the only way to hold schools to account and guarantee an "adequate" education for an sen child. The statement can also ring fence the funding to help your child - differing schools/leas have differing attitudes to this.

Also a statement takes 6 months from your application till you see it in your hand. Then you may find as I did, that it is too vaugley written to really help - add another 6 months to tribunal. I'm not trying to put you off but be aware that if you apply for a statement TODAY it can still take 18 months till your kid sees the benefits - for this reason alone I advise you not to delay.

I was suprised when my own son did get awarded a statement as tbh the application was made by myself as a way of FORCING the lea ed pysch to actually take a look at my child. I'd been fobbed off so many times it was getting silly and my lad was plumb miserable. Reading your post was a little like hearing history repeat itself.

I would advise you to do what I did and apply yourself.

DS school actually asked me to apply for the statement rather than them doing it. Apparently the Ed Psyc report was out of date and they had tonnes of kids waiting for them - The Senco said if I applied then she would be forced to get the ED Psyc report done.
I went to see the people from my local parent partnership I don't know where you are and I have heard that they vary considerably but mine were fantastic.
I have been backwards and forwards to them and they helped me with deciding about the contents of all the letters for the various stages and how to write it so that we got the key phrases that the panel want to see into it.

I have just been told that we will get a statement ( low level help but enough to get lots extra for transition to high school so I am delighted)