This is just a bit of a rant but also a word of caution to those of you who may have a child who is statemented and due to start mainstream school.
My DD2 (5 in October) has a genetic condition, Sotos Syndrome, which causes overgrowth and delayed development. Has had a lot of intervention over the years - portage, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, etc. - and currently goes to a mainstream nursery with a statement. The Education Psychologist got involvedd when she was about 3 to start the statementing process as it can take up to 6-9 months to get sorted. Anyway, she started mainstream last September.
Had lots of meetings - she has settled in well, loves it, interacts with the other children - everything a child without special needs should be doing. The statement is more in place for when she starts school as she might struggle with the actual learning processes and to give her that little bit of 1-2-1 help and also to form a curriculum that is correct for her rather than the National Curriculum. Basically, the way to think of children with Sotos is that they are on the bus behind all the other children - they do get there (wherever that may be - walking, talking, etc.) but her bus is running a bit late.
I applied for a mainstream place for her in September. After returning to nursery last Wednesday I found out that everyone had received their school placement letters but not me. Two of the children in her nursery school have NOT been offered a place in the mainstream school - one has been offered a place somewhere else and one child has not been offered any place.
I was a bit concerned as I had received no letter. I spoke to the LEA, admissions, and they told me that the only data they had on their database regarding DD2 was that she was due to start nursery last September. I confirmed this was true and that she had started. Admissions had no record of my DD2 being due to start school in September. Asked if I had her intake term correct - told them she was born in October so she was definitely due to start school in September.
They took my number and said they would look into it and get back to me.
They rang Wednesday afternoon saying they were still trying to sort it out - at least they were keeping me informed.
Previously on the phone they had asked which school I had applied for and I gave them the name and explained that my elder 2 passed through the same school, my middle child goes to the juniors attached to the infants. I live 1 minute walk from the school and DD2 has a statement.
On Friday I got called into the head teachers office in the infants attached to the nursery.
She explained that she had offered 60 places for children to start in September. The Head Teacher (H.T.) is aware of my DD2 as we have on-going progress meetings, I have had 2 other children pass through the school, etc. I know her very well. She said that she had got an e-mail with 59 names on it for children to start in September. She noticed that my DD2 name was not on the list. She spoke to the LEA (admissions department) and asked why only 59 places had been filled. They could not tell her. She had then received a posted list with 60 names on it, including my DD2.
Apparently, because my DD2 has a statement, I do not receive a letter regarding her September intake. The LEA presume I would assume that she has automatically got a place. The H.T. told the LEA that she felt that even if someone automatically (and what happens automatically these days - not much!) is awarded a place, the parent might NOT assume that and a letter would still be courteous.
I thanked the H.T. for sorting this out for me but I explained that as I had not received a letter, it might have meant that they felt a "special needs" school might have been more appropriate.
I would never have assumed that I had a place, especially as I had not received a letter.
So, any of you with a child who is statement, who has not started school, be aware that as and when you expect to receive a school placement letter, you might not - OR THIS COULD JUST BE MY LOCAL COUNCIL.