Seeing school today re DS1 AS

[SallyBear]

I am off to school at 12 for a meeting with DS's Deputy Senco and Deputy Head re. SA for AS. He is in yr 7, but struggles with the recording of information aspect of his learning. They sent someone out from SENDIS who recommended some typing programs, but after watching him take 6 hours to type a short story of about 20 words, it's very apparent that is not working! I feel that he has got some motor issues with brain to hand co-ordination. Brain working too fast for his hand, plus he is a leftie so that just adds to the pain. He can't sit properly, is twisted on his seat with a leg tucked under him. He chews when stressed, fidgets, does the shoulder twitchy shrubby thing, when it all gets too much. He also can't organise himself at all! Homework isn't being done. I've asked school to get it written in his planner, they do sporadically, but otherwise it's on bits of paper which get lost! They say that he benefits from the TA that's in class with his twin sister, but that is not for all his classes. We feel he is falling behind and needs more input. Why should DD TA provide him with support when she should be working with DD? Schools in my LA are now getting funding for 20hours of extra support a week, but how will that help him in a school of 1200 pupils?
So strategies, please ladies to force their hand?

SallyBear,

Think about what you want out of such a meeting. What would be the ideal outcomes?. Do you have any recent IEPs?. The point you make with regards to your DDs TA is also a valid one that also needs raising with them.

I would tell this group that you are going to apply for a statement yourself as it is clear that your son's needs are not being met and cannot be met currently by school. Importantly you can appeal the decision in the event the LEA say no, the school cannot do this. Also some schools can sit on such apps for ages thus delaying a long drawn out process as it is even more. It can take six months plus to get a statement doc drawn up too.

Sounds too like your LEA is going as well down the delegated funding route which is not always good news either for children with SEN. Funding however, is not your main concern here.

Have you personally applied to the LEA with regards to a statement, you can make the application yourself. IPSEA's website is helpful with regards to this process www.ipsea.org.uk and there are model letters you can use.

School will only do more if there is a statement in place, am not unfortunately all that surprised to see that not all homework tasks are being recorded in his planner. This also happened to another of my DS's peers pre this child being statemented.

Take notes during meeting as well. If at all possible do not go on your own.

hi Sally, second Attila re having someone with you to take minutes if at all possible.

One possible support to explore/suggest would be voice recognition software. In my dd's ms school they use "Dragon naturally speaking" software. Ask if anyone in SEN department is familiar woith this or could be trained to use it. Particularly useful if your dc is articulate in discussion but can't translate it onto paper or where there are fine motor coordination issues hindering writing as well as organisation and working memory issues. It does take some getting used to however so a qualified trainer is important. Good luck.

Taking DH. Haven't seen an IEP since Nov when they told me that they were going to use programs to help his typing and told me to get Dragon Dictation for the iPad! They also said that the LA don't get Dx for Dyslexia anymore! LA would also not recognise a private EP assessment. It's very frustrating.

How did the meeting go?.

Would still apply for the statement myself and be prepared for the long haul.

I think the LA should recognise private assessment although some are unwilling to play ball in this area.

I would also seek independent advice from one of the charities out there like IPSEA, ACE or SOSSEN.

Hard to say.
It turns out that he is in the top set for everything bar science and maths, but they feel that is because it was probably based on test results, so they're looking into that. They are going to do assessments re. recording abilities possibly Dyspraxic elements. Then we will meet again to discuss this. They feel that the social side has been hard for him, and that we are right to have concerns re. his school work. They have big plans for him, as they see him as one their children earmarked for International Baccalaureate.
Lovely to hear good things about your dc. Just need to get the help in place to give him that boost to his learning, and I do think that they believe they will.
As for the SA, I will wait and see how the A for Autism Programme goes down and if that and the ICT programmes that they are going to use will make a difference to him overall, before approaching about the LA about a SA of his SEN.

As for the SA, I will wait and see how the A for Autism Programme goes down and if that and the ICT programmes that they are going to use will make a difference to him overall, before approaching about the LA about a SA of his SEN.

Who will do these programmes and when?. A caveat here is that such things can be short term and or too easily curtailed or withdrawn.

I would not delay unduly as any statement app can take a minimum of six months to set up anyway. I would give yourself a set time limit re this school and the above programmes and stick to it.

My son is in secondary and is happy there because his needs are being met. Such places can be hell on earth for those whose needs are not being met (I saw evidence of this with some of DS's peers in Y7). Are they going to properly record all the homework tasks in his planner?.

They've assured me that all the teaching staff know to check the homework is put in his planner. No pieces of paper!

I need to give the school a chance, and if it's not improved by half term then we will start the SA process.