Statement & Hours

[Anna85]

We now have my DS proposed statement which states 25 hours under the staffing!

Do the school have to fund all these hours?

He currently gets help in small group work anyway and the statement says the 25 hours is to be delivered individually and in small group.

25 would be high for a school to fund. here the school funds up to 20 (and thats higher than nationally, 15 ir more common) but if you go over 20 the LA here fund it all eg so LA would fund 25. But in some LAs the school might have to fund 20 and the LA top up 5.
It doesn't matter who funds it it comes out of the same pot either the LA give the school SEN money or pay it centrally, its still additional to what the school have to spend on non SEN pupils
You are not taking it away from children without SEN if thats what is worrying you

No what is worrying me is the statement states "DS to have ACCESS to 25 hours support from a LSA...." the access part could mean that as long as there is a TA nearby they are covered and don't have to do anything!

The only way you are going to find out is to ring the LA and ask. LA advised me that the school are getting funding for approx 25 hours. Its not in statement (the hours) and so I am trying to get it altered. In order to actually make sure your child is having the 1 to 1 himself is to have it spelt out on the statement. ie. DS is to be provided 1 to 1 help with a LSA and this 1 to 1 is to be solely for him for both individual and small group.

Access to means a class TA can stand in the corner and observe all the children from table to table and yes he would get the occasional 1 to 1 and group help just like all the children in that class. The school wouldnt have to employ another TA for that.

No what is worrying me is the statement states "DS to have ACCESS to 25 hours support from a LSA...."

I would reject the proposed statement on that basis as "access to" counts for nothing and if you were to agree that then its a bugger to get it altered. By law support should be both specified and quantified; this is not specified properly.

I sincerely hope the LEA see sense and you won't have to go to Tribunal over it.

You are right to be worried. As Attila says, access to LSA isn't properly specifying it. It's a classic LA tactic, they always seem to try it on. You need 25 hours 1:1 or group work specifically for your DC. My LA tried this and backed down straight away, you don't always need to go to tribunal. Look at the IPSEA and SOS SEN websites for their statement checking guides and for how to word your letter.

Access to means a TA in the class. Not 1:1 with your child.