procedure for changing schools for statemented child - can anyone advise?

[sphil]

Bit nervous about putting too many details as they make us very identifiable, but basically I am becoming increasing worried about DS at school (SEN provision within a m/s school) and am thinking of looking at the other special schools in the area. If we wanted to move him, what would the procedure be? Atm I take him in - the school is very close to us - but the nearest special school is a 25 min car journey. Am I right in thinking I would lose the right to transport?
TIA

I think that if you want to change schools you need to call a statement review meeting - like an annual review, but extra to that. It's probably an idea to visit the schools you are thinking of first and get their opinion on whether they could help your child. And also speak to the local authority SEN people (it's called SENA where I live, might be called something different where you live) - i.e. the person (caseworker) who signs the letter confirming your child's statement after the annual review. As a parent, if your child has a statement you're perfectly entitled to request a move from mainstream to special. You will need to prove that your child's current school can't meet his needs any more - if school say this too, it helps. If they agree to the new placement, and it's over a certain distance away from your home, they should provide transport - they do where I live - if it's on the statement. I think it would be worth calling IPSEA to find out where you stand too: www.ipsea.org.uk/ (Independent Parental Special Education Advice)

i sent you a PM but obvs hadn't read your thread title

sorry

Do the school agree with you re: potential move?

I think it would be as OneWay says - statement review, reassessment (possibly) and you need to get the new placement named in part 4.

once you have agreement form the special school, and the LA (ie place named on part 4) then you are entitled to transport if over 2 or 3 miles away (sorry, can't remember which - dd1 has never been to school that close!)

we don't claim transport - was part of our bargaining with the LA to get dd1 into the school we wanted (their choice of school + transport costs = our choice of school, so costs not an acceptable reason to not name the place we wanted, iyswim). there is, of course, no reason (legally) why we cannot apply now for transport - the agreement we reached is not legally binding in any way, but for now I take her in (might change once dc3 arrives - mightnot be feasible to do those journeys with a small child)

do you have an idea of the special schools in the area? do you know which one would suit better?

Thank you all - getting the current school and LEA to agree is going to be the difficult bit, if we decide to go ahead, which is not at all definite. His current school is classed as both a m/s and a special primary, which makes it less straightforward than if it was just a move from m/s to special. Wish I could discuss all the details here but am paranoid about confidentiality - I work p/t at the school, which is why I've observed the things I'm not happy about. If I didn't work there I wouldn't know, but that worries me even more! ( esp as I finish at the end of this term).
I am going to make appointments with two other schools but dont know whether to leave it til next term - its not a great time to go visiting at the end of the summer term.
Or there's home ed for two years until he reaches secondary age - theres a brilliant special secondary very nearby.

Can quite see why you would be concerned if you are observing things which you would otherwise be in the dark about. Do you have proof/evidence of these things - if the school/LA decide to refute your reasoning/brazen it out/lie about it you will need it.

I would visit other schools straight away, if possible - gives you the summer to mull over where might be best, rather than fretting over what to do next, iyswim. Gets the ball rolling (even if very slowly!)

How viable is home ed, do you reckon?

It's worth finding out whether the statement Part 4 is currently categorised as mainstream or special. Because there is a simpler route to requesting a change of school, but it's only possible if you are requesting change from one special school to another special school, or mainstream to another mainstream, as long as both schools are maintained. See here - Ask for the name of the school on your child's Statement to be changed.

It would take a shorter time than a review or reassessment and if the LA doesn't agree, it has to justify it (e.g if the school is unsuitable, their attendance would be detrimental to the efficient education of other children there, or inefficient use of resources). So in this case your preferences as a parent are quite strong.

But you wouldn't be able to make the request if the statement was written in such a way that your child would be moving from mainstream to special - you'd need an AR/reassessment for that.

We were in a similar situation, the school lied that they were meeting my daughter's needs and we had to obtain an independent EP report to show the true picture. It took about 2 years to get the lea to agree the move we wanted but it was to a non maintained school in a different authority which complicated things.

The school is described as mainstream in the statement, but its an interesting one, because he is going into the specialist provision, which is classified as a special primary school.

SF - home ed is viable in theory - I would probably go back to the Growing Minds model and ideally would employ someone else to tutor for half the week while I did the other half. BUT - we would have to use DS2's savings to pay a tutor, and it would mean my ability to work was even more restricted. I also worry about him missing out on peer interaction - something he has really enjoyed at school. He's a sociable child and I would hate to restrict that. On the other hand its only for two years, maybe less than that, as I'm pretty sure the special school would provide some transition for him in Yr 6.