Round two meeting with governors

[coff33pot]

Got a call to say HT arranging a meeting with the governors and can I attend tomorrow morning.

What happens in these meetings? is it like the meet I just had with school because if she says he wont cope in MS a third time in one week I dont think I can play so calm.

Its supposed to be about my letter to them about illegal exclusion (he wouldnt write) but does it mean she can sit there and pick us to bits all over again. I thought if the letter went to the Chair then it would be the govenors that would contact me for a meeting and not the HT.

Got docs in morning first I am going to look a right state after blubbering at him for anti ds :(

coff33pot I'm not too sure about how it works, just wanted to say all the best for the meeting.

I went on a short course years ago about parents helping in schools and we did a whole section about governors. The impression I got was that governors can be very much in the pocket of the HT. I'm sure that's not the case in all areas, but it is something to be aware of.

I would imagine he will have 'briefed' them all already, so an initial question something along the lines of 'what is your understanding of the situation' to the governors first might help.

If it was me, I would ask for the meeting to be minuted, or at the very least a written response to each of the points you raised in your letter.

Hope it goes well

Thank you I didnt know you can ask for the meet to be minuted. I wouldnt be surprised if they were in the HT pockets so I am prepared to treat them as such for the moment.

I am mentally remembering that opening question thank you :)

I got to go now and help my sister in a formal meet at her work now LOL at least I can worry about her and forget this for an hour!

YOU EXPECT AN APOLOGY!

You go in there tomorrow with a bullet point list in your hand of all the ways the school has broken the law as regards sen and your son. One side of a4 and you give each of them a photocopy so they have it in black and white so can't claim a lack of awareness.

e.g failure to adhere to statement, even after REPEATED requests. Illegal exclusion.

You summarise by saying the lea have been/will be informed and that in the interests of child protection Ofstead will be asked to ensure the school does in future comlpy with the basic standards expected by EVERY school in Engand and wales. Finish by gently reminding them that changes were made last year to the inspection regime they'd currently fail an inspection. You look forward to recieving a written apology and copy of their action plan to urgently address the schools failings in Monday's post.

The school has utterly failed your child and as he's leaving anyway at the end of term you have NO reason whatsoever now, to sugar coat stuff or do the usual "try and keep em sweet" stuff (I' not saying be rude - a calm polite rendition of all the breaches of the Sen Cop is damning enough). Your demeanour and body language should be that of some who has come to the meeting expecting to recieve a grovelling apology and is prepared to be gracious subject to the caveat that no child will ever be so poorly treated again in their care.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

what they said ^^ up there

good luck {{hugs}}

hope it goes well - good advice above.

I have been handed an agenda

Conduct in the control of the Chair

1/ The chair invites the HT to explain the reason(s) for the exclusion

2/ The commitee may ask the HT to expand or clarify andy factual info

3/ The parents, through the chair may request more info or seek clarity

4/ The chair invites parents to present their representations and views or if not attending considers any written statements submitted

5/ The committee may ask the parens to expand or clarify any factual info

6/ The HT may seek clarification of any factual issues

7/ HT is invited to sum up

8/ Parents invited to sum up

9/ HT & parents leave the meeting

At stages 7 & 8 no new material should be introduced

I so hope somebody is on our side just for once :(

Thanks for advice bochead I am trying to list bullet points to hand around rather than miss anything.

Looks like they want to keep it just to the exclusion incident and not allow any extension to other matters. I suppose if you have complained to them solely about the exclusion and not any of the other incompetence, they don't officially know about it. Be careful, make sure you explain that the exclusion was the final straw and that there is a lot of background leading up to your complaint.

Yes I think so and the HT will want it that way owing to the meeting at the beginning of the week.

I got to try and word my bullet points to somehow say DS has been excluded on several occasions, plus our agreement to his going PT was only till statement issued but continued after statement despite me hinting he should start going FT and them not having a plan forward or a TA ready

I had to insist on him going back so I feel they were excluding him then. Still not acting on statement despite 2 LA meets now and still refusing to make quiet area for him to go to and learn and insistence that he has to cope in full class all day with no sensory diet excercise and forfiet of play if he wont come in.

How long have you known about this meeting?

If it were a member of staff, those exact points would mean constructive dismissal.

Have they only given you one day's notice for this meeting? And expect you to provide this level of information with so little prep time?

Who's going with you?

Good advice from everyone, esp ellen point about making sure you include all relevant background leading up to the exclusion.

Good luck!!

Then when you have all relevant background, try if at all possible to keep it on track and don't let them get you discussing points 'out of sequence'.

After sitting behind many a barrister in court as part of my job...here's what they do.

They have a notebook with relevant points listed on the right hand side, not too many on one page please this gives room for you to add additional things that might come up before you go in for example.

On the left hand side of the page, if something is raised during the hearing that they need clarification on they write it opposite the relevant point on the right hand side. Even if its just one word, it reminds you of the point you need to revisit. All you then need to do for clarification is look down the left hand side of the page.

This just means that you can visit relevant clarification step by step, and when it comes to summing up, you will find it much easier to do so step by step and hopefully avoid the 'arrgghh should have said' moments.

You will need someone with you.

Hope this helps, if it doesn't just ignore the ramblings

Yes one day to prepare (or one night because I cant think straight with ds bouncing about and then rushing to get tea so dd can go scouts) and no at the moment its me versus the world lol as I dont know who any of the governors are so its all new faces.

Coff. I know you want ti get on with this but it is totally unacceptable to give you one day of notice. Probably the HT has been preparing for weeks.

I personally woukd insist on a weeks notice but if you're going ahead then do submit in writing your dissatisfaction at one day of notice as it will give you some clout if you need to add to the meeting information at a later date or even change your mind about something. They can't say you had your chance because, really, you won't have had a 'reasonable' chance with just one day of notice.

It does say parent can bring someone with them but only the parent can speak to the committee

Oh and it "reminds" the committee that this is not a "court hearing"

difficult thing is if I insist on a weeks notice I got to go to a grievence panel against my poor my sister next week, then OT coming to home, then EP assessing AGAIN and I am up at the bloody school again. I have two days mon and tues. The following week is chocca with the same sort of stuff. There is no room to breathe right now and HT knows it.

My sis has told me that one of the governors is totally SEN supportive and is active in the sn world and sympathetic so I do hope he is there tomorrow!

Well okay if it IS actually convenient, but still get doc evidence of your one day notice.

Its not convienient lol tbh but when are they ever :) I will document it somewhere.

I had a complaint meeting with the Chair of Governors, HT and DHT about lack of provision in the statement - it was laughable. The HT read through each recommendation while the deputy then said what they were doing for each one - all lies. That was about an exclusion too amongst other things and ds was also close to leaving there. I was actually a Governor there at the time! I wish you luck coff33 but please don't hold out on this meeting achieving much

:( no I dont. I am sat here highlighting all the points in the statement that hasnt been done. It doesnt leave much and my brains gone to mush.

Its a firing squad job isnt it. I feel like a coward right now

Are you taking anyone with you, even for moral support? And someone to take notes?

Love nothinginthefridge tips on note-taking - will certainly be using that technique myself!

It might help to get thoughts in order to jot down what happened in chronological order.

Will be thinking of you - what time's the meeting?

Failure to iplement a statement = a CHILD's right to legal aid + a judicial review. Judicial review = BAD publicity for a smug- arsed HT.

Just saying I know it's not worth the stress of a JR for a kid that's leaving anyway but it's worth letting slip that theorectically you'd be within your rights.

On a more serious note. The one pager of bullet points you hand round for your turn means that you've followed the correct process prior to your complaint letters to Ofstead and the LGO as you can include it as evidence with your complaint letters and the Governors will be unable to plead ignorance.

I complained to Ofsted the day I resigned as governor. An inspection was due anyway but they came into school 2 weeks after my complaint and particularly looked at the care provided for SEN children - the school were still rated 'good' . I would casually mention LGO and Ofsted if you get a chance in the meeting - that will put the wind up them!

Oh and check that all the correct procedures were followed i.e a full investigation by the HT before deciding to exclude,witness statements etc.. Our ds was excluded within 8 minutes of the incident and HT was adamant that she had interviewed various staff members and taken the necessary statement - my arse she did! She didn't even speak to ds to get his view of the events - bitch.
I would advise you not to be bitter about it but as you can see I still am!

Does anyone have a link or links to hand for this act.

"Social Inclusion: Pupil Support" - DfEE Circular 10/99
and Sections 65 to 68 of the School Standards & Framework Act 1998

This is going in accordance with but I have NO idea what these are