AS ds (10) not fulfilling his potential?

[MyCatsRule]

My ds is in year 5 at a fantastic primary school. I cannot fault the support or care they have given him. Since starting school, he has blossomed and is now a confident, happy, friendly child - his progress has exceeded our expectations and we credit his school with this. His AS does at times cause him anxiety in unexpected situations, but he is learning strategies cope.

He is undeniably a very clever boy and has always achieved very well, but now we have a nagging feeling that he could be doing better. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there it is if school are afraid to rock the boat because he is so happy and progressing so well in so many ways. I suppose we have always focussed on supporting the social side of things, which to me has been the most important thing. Now, with secondary looming, I am thinking more about his academic potential. Areas we feel are letting him down are organisation (eg how much time to spend on a question before moving on), using his 'instinct' rather than following the rules to the letter in maths and just generally not tapping into the 'spark' that he has.

I don't know if this makes sense - I am just trying to make sense of it myself! We have raised it with school, who are concerned and are going to arrange a meeting imminently with his teachers and the autism support service. I suppose I want to get clear in my head where I think we need to go before we meet with them.

Has anyone had similar experiences?

Little bump

I have been in a slightly different situation lately with Dd3, her teacher has been pushing her too hard and it is making her unhappy in his lessons. She is with drawing and just doing enough to get by.

My Dd1 never really reached her potential at school either.

My girls are quite similar in that when they come across something new they panic. They need loads of support to get over the barrier of the newness. But they are very able and this confuses teachers sometimes.

Even at preschool, Dd3 was described as incredibly stubborn but I think it is fear that stops her moving forwards not stubborness.

Maybe your ds's school are wary of pushing him too hard in case he shuts down or goes into panic mode.

Good luck

Perhaps at the next IEP review you could get targets added around the areas that you want them to concentrate on, so add a target around organisation, or one around helping him to "do the easy questions" in a test first and come back to the tricky ones.
They should be able to add something like this to the IEP and get the teachers.TA's looking at this if it would help him. It is the sort of thing ( the second one) that you could talk about at home too, if he tells you about tests that they have done in class.

I would consider applying for a Statement for him now from the LEA as these can address social and communication needs too (they are not just for academic needs). This is also because secondary school is indeed looming and many children on the spectrum at secondary if not adequately supported can find things there very hard going indeed with the subseuqent fallout on your own family unit.

Is he on School Action Plus currently?. What is his current IEP like?. Am very glad to read that he is receiving a good level of support at primary school but this good level of support may well not continue at secondary (hence the suggestion also to apply for a statement now).

IPSEA's website is one that you may well find helpful www.ipsea.org.uk

Thank you so much for your replies. Yes, it does make sense I suppose not to rock the boat and push when he is doing so well. The idea of perhaps just taking a couple of areas and working on those seems a sensible approach. I would never want to push him beyond his capabilities or to the detriment of his happiness and social success. I just want him to do the best he can!
Attila he is on SA+ at the moment. I know that getting a statement is advocated and we as parents can apply, but I suppose I can't get my head around what we would be asking for! He does so, do well! I will have a look at the ipsea link - thank you!

Have you talked to parents of nt children in the same year group. I say this because my ds also started to flag in year 5 . There was a definite treading water feeling which I put aside as we were dealing with many things. Fast forward 6 years and I have a clever nt child in the same year with the same teachers. She appeared to be doing the same .
Might be worth checking if its something to do with the year/ teachers/ what they have to cover.

trout yes I see what you are saying, but I think that this has been going on for a while, it's just that we haven't felt the need to address it, because our (and school's) focus was elsewhere (on his social skills, learning routines etc).

Attila I have taken a look at the Ipsea website and I am still doubtful that he would get a statement as he is progressing so well. I totally get that things might well not be so easy at secondary school (in fact I think of little else some days!) but I can't work out how I could make a case for what might be just a 'gut feel' (although I think we are right) that he could be doing even better. He is hitting his learning goals and social goals - in fact he is surpassing them! I guess there are 2 issues - 1) he fulfills his academic potential, and I am not sure he is. 2) he gets 'unseen' help at school, because they know him so well and know when to quietly step in and help if a tricky situation arises.

"Attila I have taken a look at the Ipsea website and I am still doubtful that he would get a statement as he is progressing so well"

No, its not just about academic progress or lack of. You may well have been told the above too; its a line usually trotted out by some schools.

Social and communication issues can also hinder academic progress and statements are issued on such a basis as well. The main and only criteria for a statement is need of one.

I would seriously consider applying for a statement now if he has AS because AS and secondary can be very uneasy bedfellows indeed, with the subsequent fallout from this being felt with your own family unit.

(BTW every child I know of with AS in DS's secondary school have statements).

Importantly too, the level of support he is receiving at his current school also, "because they know him so well and know when to quietly step in and help if a tricky situation arises" will simply not happen when he enters the secondary school (at least in the beginning and perhaps even later on).

Listen to your gut instincts and act on them. You do not feel he is meeting his potential, you could well be right. After all, you know your child better than anyone else, besides which you are your child's best - and only advocate.

Mycats I think it depends on what the other help your DS is getting at the moment to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
Is he for instance getting work broken down so that he can access generalised questions, is he getting organisational help, are there any areas of the curriculum that he cannot access without help.
I was told by Parent partnership when applying for a statement that the LEA want to know, despite all the help currently in place what barriers remain to him accessing all of the NC?
I found this when I was looking at what LEA's did consider its a PDF to download the relevant bits are page 14 onwards
[PDF]
Managing special educational needs - Department for Education
www.education.gov.uk/.../Download?...

If that doesn't work PM me and I will send it to you as a document

llisten thank you for your very helpful reply. I will have a look at the document you linked to.

Attila It is this 'unseen' help that he gets at school which I suppose I fear would be difficult to quantify on paper. And yes, I totally understand that this would be missing at secondary and it could all fall apart. I think I have started this thread looking for answers to one question and have now got myself thinking about the statement issue again. It has never really arisen before because from day 1 at primary the support has been in place when needed. He has needed less and less support but I do worry that this will be turned on its head at secondary. Can the application for a statement take into consideration the anticipated difficulties in the future vs. the current reality? I suppose we would start by identifying where the unseen and instinctive support is employed at the moment? I'm sorry if I'm not making much sense, I'm just trying to get my head around things!
Thank you everyone who has replied.

Hi MycatsRule (great name that!),

re this part of your comment:-

" It is this 'unseen' help that he gets at school which I suppose I fear would be difficult to quantify on paper. And yes, I totally understand that this would be missing at secondary and it could all fall apart. I think I have started this thread looking for answers to one question and have now got myself thinking about the statement issue again. It has never really arisen before because from day 1 at primary the support has been in place when needed. He has needed less and less support but I do worry that this will be turned on its head at secondary. Can the application for a statement take into consideration the anticipated difficulties in the future vs. the current reality? I suppose we would start by identifying where the unseen and instinctive support is employed at the moment? I'm sorry if I'm not making much sense, I'm just trying to get my head around things!"

S'okay. At least he is in Y5 so you have some time to act but it is still only a finite amount of time.

yes re identifying the "unseen" support he is currently receiving. Also in his application flag up his needs re organisation (also these children move around a lot in secondary school and have many different teachers) and his wanting to follow rules to the letter rather than just use instinct/ He will likely not receive such a level of support in secondary unless there is a statement in place. Look at his IEPs and see how his support is written into these documents. He (and by turn you) will start at zero sum at secondary school particularly if there is no statement in place by then.

IPSEA is very good and they have a helpline; I would give them a call as soon as their phoneline opens. SOSSEN is also very good and they also have a website.

P.S Autism support service is all very well and good but they do not have much if any real influence within some schools.

Attila A big thank you! I feel like I have some direction now, starting with ipsea and collating information from his ieps. Do you really think it is doable?

Just a quick update - I spoke to Ipsea who were incredibly helpful. I am going to meet with school to get a better idea of what support they currently give my ds 'as a matter of course' and then take it from there. Thanks again for all your input.