Situation at school at breaking point - we URGENTLY need advice

[LovelyLovelyWine]

I'll try to keep this brief, and I do apologise if I repeat information I have already included in previous threads. Just need to be clear in the hope of urgently, getting some advice in putting a plan together as to how to go forward.

DS (7) has AS. We are also pursuing an additional diagnosis of PDA, which his school agree with. He has a Statement. He is in Yr 2 at an ASC unit attached to a mainstream primary school. He has been there since the start of Year 1, after a terrible reception year at a mainstream primary school (pre-diagnosis and Statement).

There have been several staff changes this academic year and the quality of the provision has suffered terribly. It is quite obvious that the school are not managing DS's behaviour at all, and we feel the therapeutic approach towards him has been totally lost and that the school are now pursuing a much more authoritarian tack with him which is just not working, and has in fact seen hi regress emotionally at school (not at home) in the past 6 mths. We are extremely worried about the situation.

We have had several meetings with the school, including a meeting with the Headteacher last week (a new Head) who informed us that he would need to 'call us to come and pick DS up' when his behaviour gets 'really unmanageable'. I was absolutely opposed to this, but agreed that if he felt he had no other option but to exclude DS, that he should record this officially as an exclusion, rather than illegally exclude him.

Fast forward a week and he was excluded on Friday for physical aggression towards staff (no other details about what lead up to this). They have excluded him not only for the Friday from midday, but also for Monday. I have no idea what the reasoning is behind extending the exclusion across the weekend, and I am fuming and very, very worried. If the purpose is to punish DS it is completely wasted on him. He hates school, and a day at home is a treat for him.

I have written to the Headteacher and the local authority exclusion officer to express my concerns, and we have a reintegration meeting tomorrow. I would request an urgent review of his Statement, but his annual review is in 4 weeks time anyway.

I need help with the following:

How should I handle tomorrow's meeting? What approach should I take and what should I say? I am so worried that the school are starting with a pattern of exclusion similar to his old school, which had a devastating effect on DS.

I also need some advice on how we should approach his Annual Review. I dont know what we want to get out of it, other than to say that the approach the school is taking isn't working. Also, is there anyone I should request to be there? The Headteacher, DS's teacher & a TA, the SALT, SENCo and his clinical psych will all be there. Anyone else I should be thinking of getting involved?

I feel so worn out by it all. Any advice would be gratefully received.

That was so long, sorry!

What help does your ds have in school?

Take someone with YOU to the meeting, dont face it on your own.

Thanks claw4.

He has a Statement, but because the school named on it is an ASC unit (or resourced provision) the Statement is not quantified or specified. The local authority basically said at the time that once you name a special school, that bit of the Statement just names the school, iyswim. I now do not know if this is true?

He has weekly sessions with a SALT and is in a small class with extremely high staff ratio - 6 children to 3 TAs and a teacher. He has one-to-one support a lot of the time, and 1 to 2 or 3 always. However, it seems the staff just aren't able to deal with him, and the staff changes have been very hard on him.

My DH is coming with me tomorrow and to the review and is brilliant, but I am so tired of dealing with a bunch of defensive teachers talking down to us.

I dont know much about statements, ds doesnt have one yet, but the bit about it not being quantified or specified doesnt sound right, that is the whole point of the statement. I suspect thats LA waffle. In sure someone who knows exactly will be along in a minute.

I would guess that based on that information being incorrect, this would be the point of your arguement, that help is not quantified or specified, therefore school cannot manage, as they do not know what help to give and he is being excluding because of it.

Is there alternate provision elsewhere including the independent sector?

Do you have a typewritten summary sheet of the strategies that DO work? Can you ask for these to be written into his statement?

A new teaching method (more authoritarian) has recently been introduced without your involvement & the exclusion is evidence that this new method isn't working. Therefore can you get formal agreement to use those methods that do?

If you can't get immediate agreement the fear of having to fund a very expensive private placement should get the LEA to put pressure on the school.

The above is one possible strategy to take, but I'm sure others will be along shortly with ideas.

You all need to agree an IEP for him, which includes clear, unequivocal behaviour management that you are all happy with.

it seems the staff just aren't able to deal with him

I think this seems to be the crux of this. Why are they unable to deal with him? They're an ASC unit ffs!

I would take the approach tomorrow that this cannot continue, provide examples of the effect this is having on ds, and that they need to be telling you what they are going to do to prevent this happening again. This is their responsibility, not yours.

Be clear that exclusion is not the answer. He is entitled to an education, and if they say that they are simply unable to provide sufficient support for him, ask for this in writing, and at the AR you need to be asking the LEA to find a school that can provide support. That might mean going back to MS but if it's the right school, and you have the right support in the statement (part 3) that might be better than the current one.

My sympathies to you, we've got a similar battle with school atm, I know what you're going through.

Good luck.

If you can afford it, get a behavioural consultant to see him ASAP. Get a couple of strategies in place at home (and school of you can) Demonstrate this is working and get it written into his statement at the review.

Thanks all for your replies.

bochead, I dont know much about the independent sector and I wouldnt know where to start. We are in North London. I know Kestrel House and some of the NAS provisions but they are completely wrong for DS. I am already hinting towards the LA having to fund alternative provision if this provision cannot cope with DS, but it is a bit of a bluff at the moment, as I have no idea what that alternative provision would be !

bialystockandbloom, thanks for your support. It does seem strange that a specialist unit with supposedly specialist staff cannot manage his behaviour and this is definitely going to be the crux of our meeting tomorrow, for me. What de-escalation techniques do they employ? How does it constantly seem that DS goes ape at school and there is apparently 'no warning'. I just cannot believe that.

Pipinjo, I have take all your advice and notedit down - thank you so much.

Interestingly the Headteacher just called and was quite sheepish. They have called someone from the High Incident Support Team in tomorrow and we are having a 'pastoral plan' meeting, which sounded a bit wooly. They have also asked the Ed psych to come back and observe DS later in the week. The HT said 'we are pulling in all sorts of support an we want to support DS, but we just dont know what else to do'.

What do you say to that? . I said 'Well, tell that to the local authority!'

Have a look at Woodcroft school. It wasn't quite the right fit for DS but I thought it was amazing.

@Starshit - Woodcroft in Barnet? Does it have specialist provision?

@HotheadPaisan - DS syashe gets angry when they tell him what to do, ad that's about it. He said he only 'whacked' the teachers after four of them tried to restrain him . I believe him absolutely, he doesnt often lie and when he does it is totally see through.

Demand Avoidance is a massive issue, yes.

Riverston is fantastic for HF kids. (3 cousins went there & the same HT has been in charge for 32 years now).

However it's only ideal for HFA/AS kid not those further down the spectrum. I'l freely admit it's my "back pocket solution" if DS's current primary goes tits up.

Thanks so much, Hothead. I have just this minute printed off the education and handling guidelines, funnily enough . Am bringing them to the meeting.

I have looked at all ASC provision (state funded) in my borough and local boroughs for primary age high functioning kids and and they are largely grim. This provision was lovely at one stage, but all the good staff have left

Woodcroft Loughton.

There is also Riverstone which I have seen and is impressive if not to far and Baston House has potential (though they're just building numbers)

Engleton Rothsay might be worth a look too.

Look up priory group an Cambian too although they migh be too far.

I would also suggest making appointments at all the independent ASD specialist schools within a reasonable distance. ds goes to an NAS school and they are excellent at managing his behaviour and getting the best out of him. If you know the alternatives you will be in a stronger position at the AR. I would also ask the LA what they are going to do to support the staff at his school to manage his behaviour. I have also found it very useful to have an outside view - is it possible you can ask an independent consultant to go and see your ds at school to see is you can get a handle on what is going on and whether this placement can be salvaged or not.

I am in a similar situation as ds has been excluded from Friday pm to Thursday (no physical assault) and I feel that he may had PDA. Can someone tell me where the educational and handling guidelines are that you've mentioned. Thanks

Thanks Hothead

Hi lovelylovelywine - I know I'm a little late here but seriously your DSs school need to get PASSIONATE about working with him and you. I just can't believe what I'm hearing here! Ofcourse there are going to be changes in staff and routine - this is inevitable in any school but it's how the school deals with these changes and especially how they support the children through these changes that counts. All this restraining too - no wonder your DS feels he has to lash out!.

They need to get a clue and you are the one to tell them - Are they using language jigs? (printed out matter of fact language with pictures that your DS can understand explaining in a visual way how things are changing) - this is a well known tool in schools. Are they recognising building frustration before things get out of hand? and then having a back up plan ie a "chill out" place where your DS can go (bean bags, books - quiet area where he can go and calm down?) Again language jigs can explain this to your DS so he knows what's going to happen when he feels frustrated or angry and then instead of restraining him staff can show him a photo of the room and he will know this is where he goes to calm down. When he starts to calm down then they can use simply cartoon drawings with speech bubbles to talk about what's happened and your DS may be able to record his feelings/frustrations using his own cartoons! I mean even if they gave your DS his own photo of this 'quiet area' which could be attached by a keyring to his trousers or stored somewhere close within his reach, then he could feel he has his own control of the situation and show it himself when he feels his frustrations building! Just a thought

I would not accept that they just exclude him - If their system is not working THEY need to change it!

Having the Clinical Psych there is gonna be good - they will be fighting your corner - the Ed Psych should also be there. The Clinical Psych is 'the cream of the crop' and what they say is 'law' the Ed Psych will then need to follow this advice and make sure it is implimented in school via the Statement.

Don't be afraid to speak your mind - just be honest about how you feel - Good Luck!

Thanks for all your replies and advice.

We had a meeting with the HT and SENco this morning.

They have said they want the LA to fund a 1-2-1 for him within the specialist provision and that they are going to use the Annual Review to state this and then go back to the complex needs panel and ask for the funding. I was surprised but delighted that they said this. I was under the impression that because his Statement names an ASD unit, I couldn't ask for specified, quantified support. But it seems I can, and that in fact, the school will ask and I can contribute a written supporting statement and any other evidence I want to - I wish I had known that 2 years ago!

The HT wouldnt agree not to exclude DS for the 'remainder of the day' if he 'becomes a danger to himself for others', but he conceded that the extra day's exclusion was pointless and said he would not be doing it again.

The SENCo said they have put in place from today an ABC chart for staff to fill in, and they will analyse it at the end of each day and week 9we will get a daily update, apparently) and then make a written analysis in time for the AR. They have also got the Ed Psych to come in and help draw up a 4 week pastoral support plan, leading up to the AR, which they hope will shed more light on where he needs help and will be ammunition for the local authority when they ask for extra teaching support. They both agreed that they need to work much more intensively on working out his triggers, which is one good thing at least.

I gave the SENCo the Education and Handling Guidelines for PDA from the Elizabeth Newson centre, and they have agreed to start using more PDA-specific strategies, but feel that this is even more reason that DS needs a 1-2-1. I have to agree, actually.

They are making some changes to the provision for September which sound promising, but I am always sceptical, unfortunately. Experience has taught me to be!

Thank you so much for all your support. I am going to start a thread on Annual Reviews in a bit - pop over!

That is good news, glad you are happier (i thought the bit about specified and quantified support was waffle, im learning fast!)

Fingers crossed for you and will be watching your thread with interest as you are two steps ahead of us