SEN Rules HELP, Games and Thanks

[CinnamonPretzel]

Firstly I'd like to say thankyou to everyone that has helped with advice and just listening over the last year. I flitter in and out of this forum very quickly but you need to know all your help is appreciated and I wouldn't cope without you all, so

I appear to be in a game with the school that I was hoping wouldn't happen. I tried the softly factual approach but I have a sly member of staff!
I need to step up a few levels and work my way down if I have any chance of beating them.

I need to learn all there is to know about SENCO/School, what they have to do or not re IEPs, school work, assessments, motor/social groups & therapies, Statements.

Is all this information within the SEN CoP or do I need to go further and read other books/papers?
Who do I go to when these things aren't being done as they should and what is the esculation chain? I'm in belief I won't get the support I'm after from the HT!

Many thanks :)

Hmm, first thing i would say is make a paper trail. Make notes of appointments, what was said and keep copies of everything.

We ended up having to move Dd3 and due to the fact that we had no evidence of the lack of support we have been unable to make a formal complaint.

As for what SENCO's have to do. I am and early yrs SENCO and i have a set protocol to follow. Starting with identifying needs.

Our problem with the old school was always that the HT/SENCO never believed Dd3 had any issues. So therefore did nothing.

Hope that helps a little bit

Do read the SEN COP.

They don't have to do IEPs. They're only 'best practice'. They do however have to be able to show what they're doing for your child.

They certainly don't have to do any interventions like motor/social groups.

If you google your LEA and SEN you might find a good document about what your LEA recommends as best practice.

Parent Partnership should also be able to help you with the detail of what they do and don't have to do. If you haven't already talked to them, I would.

Escalation after the HT is the board of governors. Then the LEA.

Here's the document from Hillingdon about what Hillingdon expects schools to do.....

There should be a similar doc for your LEA I think.

Thanks Ineed & Indigo,
I'll start making notes of conversations, dates and times etc.
I'll check out my LEA - I found some details re: process for IEPs and Statements but will read through it properly and see if thats everything.
How do they prove they are doing what they should in terms of using hours supplied etc - isn't it just their word against ours or is there something that they have to produce to prove it?
Thanks

I am sorry to say that if the school decide not to be honest about what they are doing then it is very difficult to prove otherwise.

In my setting we have to provided paperwork for all interventions with children and get parents signatures for everything. However i know from experience that this is not the case in some schools.

I am afraid that there has to be trust involved and if you dont trust them to do what they are supposed to be doing, you might have to look elsewhere.

As well as SENCOP there is SEN toolkit you download which has more about IEPs etc. (Previous) government guidance <a class="break-all" href="http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110809091832/www.teachingandlearningresources.org.uk/whole-school/special-educational-needs-sen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here

Yes, definitely read the SEN COP and SEN Toolkit.

They explain the role of the SENCo and how support should be monitored vi IEP and increased as appropriate.

Unfortunately, once you've read these you'll be better clued up on SN support than most SENCOs

Thanks Guys.

I'm making plans :) I don't want to move DS from the school - he has friends and is actually doing well with his grades (at the moment) its just the support that he should be getting that I want to monitor and also the lies. I get told one thing and then something else a week later and then again another story a few days after that - its never consistent.

I know we are lucky he has a statement but its not for his lack of grade but for his inability to concentrate, interact, sensory issues, social skills etc - as much as the LEA prefer not to give for that sort of thing!

I want to turn it and get them working as they should and if that means turning into an out of school senco thats on their case, so be it. They have really pee'd me off