Hmm - what to think of this?

[Xmasexclusion]

Ds has just been permanently excluded for reasons relating to his disability. I am going to appeal ,not to get him back there, but to see them explain why they took the action they did.
Have gone through the LA guidance and looking at the template letters there is a glaring omission from mine. The paragraph stating ' you have the right to see a copy of x's school record etc.'
Now, any ideas why that paragraph would be missing? I did put in a request for the whole school records on the day of exclusion anyway but there seems to be a lot of underhand things going on.

Sorry you're going through this. I'm not as clued up as some here but I went through similar with dc except he was constantly suspended (at the age of 4!). I had constant problems with the school until I moved him to a disability friendly school. I threatened to get the governor (i think thats who it is, the person in charge of all the schools in my area) involved as they weren't coping with dc and that helped a little bit but eventually changjng schools was the best solution.

Does your dc have a statement?

Yes,with full-time support. He was part-time for almost a year and they only let him attend school full time when funding was agreed.

look at IPSEA and government docs on exclusion appeals - rules and code changed recently - you can now insist on an SEN expert being appointed to review the exclusion - worth doing even if only to try and improve things for those who come behind

Some people on here have experienced very bad behaviour by so called professionals. Lying head teachers are as common as muck on here I am afraid

All I would say is create a paper trail, get everything in writing and keep copies of everything related to your son in a file.

We also had to find a better school in the end.

sorry you are having to go through this

Just seen that, in his fixed exclusion letters, they have again omitted this paragraph and also the one about the rights to appeal to Sendist if you believe the exclusion relates to discrimination .

this sounds oh so dodgy and oh so familiar :(

I would do like Agnes suggested and contact IPSEA.

Email LA who provided full statement advising them that the school have perm. exc. and are ignoring the fact he has disability issues. Tell them you are contacting Board of Governors.

If you dont want him back there then this is a good reason to prove that they cannot meet his needs.

Just thinking they can do one of two things. Re instate your DS or admit that they cannot meet his needs x

Coff they already admitted,shortly before the exclusion, that they couldn't meet his needs. Loads of incidents have been caused by the staff doing exactly what they shouldn't be doing e.g arguing the toss with him and winding him up and some making really inappropriate remarks about him not being able to do anything . A new school is just being finalised for January so there was no need to do this other than because they could. The HT didn't even ask ds his version of events - he was still writing his sm when we had to call to say he'd been permanently excluded! Their policies don't make any allowances for disabled children as all are expected to follow instructions,stay on task during lessons etc. Ds's behaviour is wholly due to his disability so we will have plenty to say to the Gov's at the disciplinary hearing.

Wouldn't get too het up. Sounds like internal politics, old school might be forcing LEA's hand to firm up the offer of new school place. Otherwise new place can be pulled last-minute on Jan 7th, DS shoved into an unsuitable PRU without an exit plan, and old school expected to pick up the PRU bill while you waste time at SENDIST re exclusion, rather than going there re a statement.

In fact, that's probably very close to the story you'll find within the school files which you weren't offered.

Well,if it is internal politics, they ought to think about the damage caused to ds in the week before Xmas. Ho, ho, bloody ho

That's the trouble with educational office politics, too far up their own a**s to remember the dc. Tell your ds that it might be 'called' exclusion, but is actually his best present this year: a get-out-of-horrid-school-free card. And that his happiness matters more to you than forcing them to obey the law. In 1957, Josephine Boyd was the first black student in a school near Little Rock. In 1980, as a college professor, she deliberately chose not to expose her child to that degree of prejudice and bullying.

No they dont "think". DS ofsted outstanding school (probably for the fact that they loved NT kids) Were and still are hell on earth for children with SNs.

Tell him that they have been told to give him a break whilst a new nicer school is coming up soon. Say they have paperwork to close down and it wont be in order (DS likes things in order) by the time he moves schools x

Enjoy your xmas and sounds like a new start in January :)

Thanks
I can't say that to himCoff as the Deputy Head took much delight in telling him that he was out of the school and was not going back!

Should have said DS OLD school new one is marvellous.

Well a little white lie wont hurt in that the Deputy Head sorted it that your DS doesnt have to ever go back because they decided he needs the break. (In theory you are not lying!) x

You could tell the truth. Tactfully or otherwise. "The exclusion is a very welcome guarantee that you never have to see that witch deputy head again. Your new school is much nicer. The old lot are a very unpleasant and bunch who don't care much about your welfare unable to meet your needs and also ignorant, prejudiced and unwilling to try which is why we'd already decided to move you. We know the exclusion was unfair, so you aren't in trouble. If you ever get a fair one, in the new school, there will be hell to pay consequences"

Still think that there's probably a backstory of LEA trying to scupper the planned managed move, perhaps by denying the new school some resources which they'd promised.

The new school is independent as we've proved that no ms school will be able to meet his needs. The school knew that too and even said that it was 'not fair' to keep him in the environment he was in! Still,permanent exclusion was not the right way to handle the situation.

Nah. But it makes no difference at all to the outcome, so tbh it isn't worth getting too angsty over.

It's a tally a good thing, because it means that if in the future there is an issue with the new indie, you know he won't be forced to go back to the crapola placement just due to cost cutting or other bollocks.

Think of it as a welcome line in the sand and move on.

I would personally reply to all with a nice letter informing them that they seem to missed out a statutory paragraph of the exclusion ad,in, though, and please could you have a copy of the record etc. just to let them know you are on the ball. But I'd be laughing up my sleeve...