Review next week. Help with questions please. pretty please.

[HecateWhoopass]

Now, the school is really good. My kids are both happy there. they both have full time 1:1, I don't think they're doing anything wrong, but they don't do IEPs any more and I want to know how they will ensure that the work is sufficiently differentiated, and how they set targets and how they know what needs to be worked on, and how they plan things and, well, I'm not really sure what I want to know. I want reassuring that they're doing the right things. What questions would you be asking.

Is this an annual review?

Why haven't they been doing IEPs? What are they reviewing?

I think you need to ask the questions you want directly. You can try and explain how happy you are with their help etc but need to track progress. I think you have to be straight.

Sorry yes, it's his annual statement review. y9.

I don't know why they haven't been doing IEPs. It's something I want to ask in the meeting.

I just want to know how they ensure they're doing right by him. But I don't want to seem like I'm having a go, because he's really happy and doing well, so clearly they're doing it right!

I know exactly what you mean. DS's school does their best too and are kindly, helpful people and I feel like I am kicking a puppy when I have to raise something.

But you don't have a choice do you? The hardest thing is knowing you have to do this and be diplomatic. But if it has to be done, it has to be done.

Could you email a list of questions beforehand? Sometimes that gives them the time and space they need to prepare answers without being out under pressure.

Schools don't 'have' to use IEPs, they are suggested as best practice, but there are some schools, especially SS, who would say that their use of 'provision mapping' and individual profiles is equivalent. I think, in SS, that progress should be being recorded regularly and that IEP targets might be seen as overkill by the school if the whole (small, similar ability) class targets are seen as sufficient.

Obviously, the problems come when each DC is inconveniently different to all of the rest and whole class targets become too generic. If they don't have IEPs you need to ask them how they are deciding what your DS should be specifically working on, how are they measuring his progress and what level of progress is needed to be regarded as being a success.

Good idea. Great idea actually. Thanks.

And that wording is ideal, thanks ellen.