How to find a new school for ds?

[claw4]

My appeal for SA has now be lodged. Ds has been off of school since mid June, since ds's self harming escalated. School then decided to report me to SS CP, rather than even attempt to understand ds's complex need

Ds now has to return to his previous school.

My solicitor has advised me to start looking for alternative schools and i dont know where to start.

He has so far attended two MS schools (without a statement) and his needs have not been met.

Do i look for MS, special school, Ind schools?

i don't know anything about the law (probably on the wrong side of it myself right now as DD isn't going back to her primary in a few weeks) but fwiw i let my heart rule my head to a certain degree.

i made a few calls to the schools i'd heard good things about, ones i could realisitically get to under my own steam (transport issues etc) and and ones i was curious about

i had a list of questions i asked all the SENCOs and judging on their initial responses, made appts (or not) to visit. even schools that had no places were very willing to show us around (DH and I, not with DD)

and went on from there..

hth if not please disregard

That is good advice with hindsight. First school ds attended i phoned SENCO on the advise of OT prior to ds starting (pre-dx, no IEP in place, me totally new to the world of SN etc, etc) and i was treated as a nuisance from the part-time SENCO who only worked 2 days a week.

Second school SENCO made all the right noises, she told me she would support my request for a statement, gave ds 20 hours of 1:1 and lots of other lovely help, only to be removed once she decided his difficulties 'were only on paper'. She appeared like a right know it all and had unkind eyes upon our first meeting!

I phoned another school which is just round the corner with an ASD unit attached and they were reluctant for me to visit the school and told me to approach the LA and have ds's name 'put on the waiting list'

Another ind 'special school' really tried too hard to 'sell it' to me.

Im just not sure what kind of school would be best for ds.

sorry, i meant this is how we've chosen a new school, about to go to appeal

are you in touch with other parents in your area with DCs with similar needs to DSs? where do their DCs go to school? even that isn't the best indicator at times, but it can be a starting block.

we are now appealing to get into a school that 2 years ago was failing - OFSTED gave unsatisfactory on behaviour management of all things, but now the head has been moved out of education and the SENCO is deputy head - things change so rapidly in education now, it's frightening when you're trying to predict the future with so many variants isn't it?

claw laugh all you like at this, knowing my situation but what I would advise is making a list of needs, viewing schools and asking the relevant Q's regards the needs iyswim. While viewing schools you will see if your child will fit. HTH x

I 1 friend who has a dd with similar needs to my ds, but she lives in another borough, can you move borough for school?

yes, as long as you can prove none in your borough can meet the needs of your child.

if you find a school that will absolutely fit your DC and you have evidence to prove it, the LA have to give it good consideration. i don't think they have to provide transport though..not sure on that

Ok thanks guys will get searching.

Transport wouldnt be a problem for this school, although in a different borough, its only 15 minutes away by car. Would or should they be willing for me to take a look around though?

if they are proud of what they do, they should be willing to show you around

i would make a few appts with different schools though, it's hard to make a comparison if you only see the 'best'

good luck

claw4 are the children back at school where you are?

You won't get an accurate picture of how your DS will fit into the school if you only see the building and some of the staff.

Can you keep him out of the old school come September, so that you can start looking for a new one then? Or have SS told you he has to be in school from Sept?

No not back to school yet, just solicitor telling me to plan ahead.

My GP signed ds off of school, until the LA basically told him he couldnt (and lied, still thats another story)

Solicitor has advised me assessments for SA will be best performed in school. SS are saying ds HAS to go back.

I went to my GP to ask for DS1 to be signed off school. He said that there is no need for a doctor's note, it is the parent's decision whether the child is fit for school or not. He said Drs notes are only for adults (although I have heard of other Gps who have done them, and I'm not sure how this ties in when SS are involved).

SA needs to be done with school, yes. You are in a difficult situation in that if you deregister DS and Home-Ed, you won't get a SA. If your DS is registered at a school and not attending SS will be on your case.

Have you spoken to the LA officer in charge of Statementing/Special Needs Education? I found that speaking to ours at least cleared up a few things and although we didn't always see eye to eye, and I didn't get exactly the result I wanted, they were at least willing to compromise and we could come to an agreement. It might also buy you some time with the SS if you can show you are investigating every avenue.

Thanks Amistill, its a long story ds was off of school due to self harming and the stress of school, so i needed my GP to sign him off (LA then wrote to my GP telling a pack of lies and overruling his decision)

SS were involved because school reported me to them, not for non attendance, but CP issues ie school denied and continue to deny the existence of self harming (dispite it being well documented by experts).

My solicitor is advising that SA will best be done at school, as this gives a clear picture of ds in the school environment and whether he needs are indeed being met in the school environment, as oppose to assessing ds at home and reporting everything is fine.

I am appealling the LA officers decison not to carry out SA, so the last person i want to be speaking to. As all they would be interesting in is gathering what info and evidence i have for appeal!

Disclaimer please excuse any spelling mistakes, no sleep last night!

Claw If the school is out of borough and you want him to attend, you can do one of the following:

1. Move to that borough and get them to give him a statement with the school you want on it.

2. Prove that it is the nearest suitable school therefore obliging them by law to provide transport or re-imburse your transport costs if you prefer.

3. Prove that the school can meet his needs and that it is no more expensive than their preferred option which a tribunal might rule can also meet his needs, and get the school by law under parental preference named in part 4 of the statement but let the LA off of their obligation to provide transport which will make it a more costly placement for them.

'Some' state schools will have admissions policies that mean they can't accept children from out of county/borough whilst they have children within county/borough that needs places or that 'might' need places in the future iyswim. Most independent schools couldn't give a monkeys where you come from provided they can meet your child's needs, and you can meet their financial ones either from self or LA funding.

1. I cannot do.

2. Distance its 15 minutes away, but 2 boroughs. Although im sure i can work on this.

3. At the moment, nothing can be cheaper than what he is getting, because it amounts to very little indeed. So i assume i work on what they should be doing to meet his needs?

School dont give a monkeys.

Sorry Claw I have no idea.

I am a bit confused about you looking for independents/specials, since as far as I know, the LA has to agree to those in a Statement, and if they won't even do a Statutory Assessment, you are not eligable for a place at a Special School, nor funding for an Independent. Have I missed something?

Would you be better looking for the most sympathetic and child-centred mainstream close to you?

Amist, at the moment they are not agreeing to SA, which is why i am appealing. Them refusing SA is pretty bog standard and what a lot of LA's do, hoping you will go away. Once you lodge your appeal they usually back down.

Then to get the LA to name the school in a statement, as Star said i have to prove that this is the most suitable school for ds and the first step, is to visit the school and for them to confirm that they can met ds needs etc, etc. I then get my experts, EP etc to confirm that this is the school that can best met his needs and why this school can met his needs better than the school he is currently at etc. Its not down to the LA to tell me ds is eligable, its down to me to prove that this school is the most suitable.

I have already tried the most seemingly sympathetic ms schools, one with an ASD unit being built (my thinking they would have more expertise and experience of ASD) the unit hasnt even been built yet and the expertise involved half a day ASD training.

In the meantime, while all this is going on, ds will have to return to the school, he was signed off sick from.

Hope that makes sense!

Not 'most' suitable claw, the 'nearest suitable' school to provide your ds with an 'adequate' education that would be reasonable use of public expenditure. That's what you have to prove.

Technically you don't need a statement for this but......

Thanks Star, i did actually scribble down what you said previously and i have now underlined. I did take it on board and my description wasnt the best!

One thing i am not sure of, is how to prove its reasonable use of public expenditure?

I know claw. That's always a tricky one and confusing.

But generally the nearest suitable school is your Ds' legal entitlement, so that is by default reasonable use of public expenditure. Where this thing usually comes up is in parental preferance cases when it isn't hugely clear that the LA option is unsuitable.

For example, if the evidence said your Ds needed a SALT school, but the LA wanted state SALT school but you wanted Independent, then the cheapest woukd usually be ruled. But if your prefered option was only a little bit more expensive and was say, closer to you, with a lot of extra-curricular activities that weren't provided by the state and your ds didn't 'need' then it might be considered reasonable expenditure.

You can also do digging on the cost to the social care budget/mental health expenditure from your Ds going through school life without his needs being met. You may get evidence from new school to state that if your child doesn't start there now, they are likely to be rejected in favour of a more expensive placement due to further deterioration. Certainly your experts will say this if it is true.

Some people have included in the evidence parental loss of earnings and tax due to having to address the fall out of their chikdren's poor educational placements.

Ok so i also have to prove that current school is unsuitable?

Ok all scribbled down, thanks Star

Yes claw. Which is why legal advice is for the EP to see current school and any that the LA might propose.

Right got it. Can she also visit school which is my preference?