Teacher for next year is one we've had before and hopeless with SEN

[TheTimeTravellersWife]

Thread title says it all really.

DD is in mainstream primary. Doing OK, lots of support, making slow but steady progress. She's happy. All going relatively smoothly.

Bombshell dropped.

The school have moved the teachers around so that they are teaching different years in September and as a result we have a teacher for that DD had lower down the school and she REALLY didn't get on with her at all well; that's an understatement. She went into a cataclysmic shut-down/withdrawal, total toilet regression, needed an emergency Ed Psych assessment (and we all know how hard it is to get an Ed Psych into school!)

And we are getting this teacher again for next year.

Just gutted.
Absolutely gutted for DD (and myself too) Trying to put a positive "spin" on it, such as DD is older now and it can't possibly be as bad as it was before, but this teacher has absolutely no idea about SEN, autism and all the other difficulties DD has.

I thought that things were going too well at school......

DD just won't speak about, actually is refusing to speak at all at the moment....

What to do? Wait and see how it goes? Look at other schools? Have a meeting with teacher now?

Aww shit. I very much doubt you'll be able to get anything changed, unfortunately. Schools (headteachers) hate it when parents object to this sort of thing as I suppose they feel that their decisions are being questioned. I bet your DDs needs are low on their list of priorities. Trouble is the choice of teacher can make such a big difference. I hope you are right and with a bit more development from your DD and a few years more experience from this teacher that things may be better this time. Hopefully others will have some more constructive advice, but I think you'll have to keep positive in your DD's hearing and get a dialogue started with school.

What a nightmare, everyone dreads this. I hate this time of year not knowing who your child is going to get. it shouldn't be a lottery but it is.

Is there another class she could be moved into?

What is the SENCO like, does she hold any weight over the other staff. The one at Dd3's school is very well respected amongst the staff.

We had to move Dd3 last year and it was the best thing we have ever done in so many ways. At her old school nobody got her and the HT was SENCO and refused to acknowledge her issues.

I really feel for you but couldn't possibly tell you what to do, I hope someone will come along with some useful advice.

Yes, it was the one teacher that I really, really dreaded having again, to the extent that it has been playing on my mind.

There was another, utterly fabulous teacher that DD had and I would walk on hot coals to have again, but sadly we didn't get her, although she has moved Year's too.

Sod's law isn't it?!

I do agree that I need to stay positive in front of DD and work in the background to see what I can do to make things better.

The SENCO is very good, so will start with her. School need to form a transition plan for new school year, so there is scope there to make a diplomatic approach.

I do know that there is no chance whatsoever of getting the decision changed and it is a small single form entry school, so only one class per year.

Will just have to make the best of it and consider other options, such a moving school if it all goes horribly wrong again.

It is always hard for DD to change teachers and this will make it much harder for her to cope with. Some of the things she told me about when she was taught by this teacher before made me cry and I don't cry easily.

I'm sure that it will look better tomorrow after a stiff drink or two tonight!

This is s*. But secondary is full of similar dreadfulness, and providing they pick up the pieces (maybe shift witch-teacher at Christmas?) a disasterous autumn term on record may help her in the long run.

If you can move schools - do.

Ring up admissions tomorrow and find out which schools locally hav vacancies.

You know this isn't going to work. Don't wait for her to get even worse.

I'm going to cross my fingers for you because I know how difficult this is.

DS1 had a really awful teacher, last year and it's done him so much damage. He recently started school refusing and when we got to the bottom of it, it turned out that it was her playground duty day. DS1 and this teacher cannot resist digs at each other and we all know which one of them should be the adult about it, but isn't. DS2's due to go into that class, next year and I'm more than thankful she's retiring because the awful woman tuts every time she sees him.

I do hope you find a solution. Meantime

Is there more than one class in her year? A friend of mine had this problem a couple of years ago and was able to get her child moved to one of the other classes. I don't know if that is an option for you?

It is a small, single form entry school, so there is no other class for her to go to. The fact that is is a small school is one of its strong points for DD - all the staff know her and it is a very friendly, caring school. It also reduces her chances of getting physically lost (she has no sense of direction, even inside buildings)

I'm going to meet with the SENCO for a start and explain my concerns. There is a low level of SEN at school, but I do know that since DD arrived, there has been some whole school ASD training and awareness; maybe that will have helped; but I got the fundamental impression that this teacher did not support the inclusion of children with complex needs in mainstream. I got the distinct feeling that DD and I were seen as a nuisance that disrupted the smooth running of her class.

Even in a big school, if it's good, all the staff will know her.

All the staff, the dinner ladies, the TAs, the teachers, everyone will be told about her when she starts.

A big school probably already has several kids with ASD and will probably already have lots of things in place.

I moved my kids from a 1 form entry to a 3 form entry - and can't believe how much better the 3 form entry is. And a lot of it is because it's a bigger school.

That's good to hear Indigo. I have always actively avoided considering larger schools, for fear that DD would be just a number and lost in the crowd, so its good to hear that it can work in larger schools.