Can I just ask some really stupid questions...

[blueberryupsidedown]

DS is 5 and he has a speech disorder (Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia), mild hypotonia and mild hypermobility. He has been under various speech therapy services since he was 2.5, and was diagnosed and seen a few times at the Nuffield speech unit in London. He went to a special speech and language unit in Nursery which helped a lot.

At school now in year 1, he has 45 minutes with a TA, twice a week, they do various games, she helps him with fine motor skills, and works of different sounds. On another two days, he has social group with other children at his school that have speech problems. So four days a week he gets help outside of the classroom.

He is doing really well at school, academically, in everything, maths, English, science, PE (OK). His reading is very good (he has just finished his first Flat Stanley book ). He has poor social skills and likes to play on his own, but otherwise has no behaviour issues.

The questions are:

• He has never had a Statutory Assessment, should I try and get one for him, or is there no point considering that he gets lots of help from the school;
• He has an IEP, but his teacher did not attend the last review meeting because she said that he is doing really well in class. Is that normal? I mean that a teacher doesn't attend an IEP review?
• Does he really have special educational needs considering that he is actually doing very well at school (comparing him with older brother and friends) he is probably in the top third of the class (that shows my understanding of the issue here...);

OK that's it. Hope I haven't put anyone off with the long post!

• From my understanding there are going to be some changes to statements although there is not much information about what these changes are. I also understand that to get a statement the child needs to be having significant problems as they are very hard to get. How is his speech now, has he been signed off SALT, can he be understood by the wider community, etc. will he need significant SALT input in the future.

• My DS1 has an IEP and in Reception and Year 2 his class teacher was SENCO so that made life easy. In Year 1 we had IEP review meetings with just the SENCO and also meetings with class teacher. But we did have issues so ended up having joint meetings as well but this was because we requested it.

• If your DS needs input for his speech / social skills then he does have SEN and I would also try and keep that input as things can become more difficult at secondary level. (I know it is a long time in the future but always worth considering)

On a personal note it is so great to hear that your DS is doing well. My DS1 has a speech disorder but now is having terrible problems with reading and writing.

Thanks Lori, I know that in our borough, you can only apply for a statement if the child needs more than 15 hours a week one-to-one care and has significant learning difficulty or disability. DS doesn't fall in that category for sure, but do you know if a a Statutory Assessment is the same as a Statement of SEN?

Yes I am very glad that he is doing well with spelling/reading etc. We were really anxious about it, but he tends to remember full words as opposed to phonics, and he has a very good memory so if he learns to spell a word he remembers it. He is a 'natural' at maths ie he understands maths easily and he can figure out complicated patterns (such as counting in threes backwards, or know within a second what 75+75 is, or indeed more complicated sums such as 32+9+5-2. He can do these very easily).

I am just nervous that we are missing something...

A Statutory Assessment will only be carried out if a LA has reason to believe that:

a) A child has SEN
b) They will 'probably' need a Statement.

It isn't true that you have to need 15 hours 1:1 for a Statement - that's a blanket rule and is illegal.

However, if your DS is making good progress in all areas then it will be hard to argue for a Statement because the criteria for them is 'has SEN for which the provision needed is beyond the normal resources of a school.'

Thanks Lougle, I thought so too but just wanted to be sure.

I do find it odd that his teacher did not attend his IEP review (his only one this year so far) and I suppose her argument is that he is doing fine in most areas, except speech and social skills, so why should she be involved in the IEP review? My argument though is that she is the main provider of his education in the classroom and she knows how he is in a social group and she should make an effort to make sure he is integrated in all activities of the classroom. I'm not sure what to think...

Hi Blueberry

Have you got a copy of the SEN COP? See here

This tells you the types of things which are considered to be SEN and explains the so-called graduated pathway - moving from School Action (SA), SA+ to a statement.

This movement is usually on the basis of lack of progress with an area of SEN or because access to services will not be provided if the child does not have a statement etc. However, there is no need to follow this progression if it is clear that a child could never be supported at one particular level of the pathway because his or her needs are too significant.

Is your son on SA+? This occurs when outside agencies are involved. If they are involved, this is where he should be.

It is important to chart precisely what progress is being made and this is not just academic. I have a bright Y5 son who has had a statement for two years and now has full-time 1:1 support because he needs the flexibility because of his social and communication needs.

So chart what is happening with his social skills or any other programme. is this likely to improve without specific outside help? Will this help be continuous?

The 15 hours issue is a red herring. It doesn't matter who funds the support.

The test lougle set out (waves to Lougle) is absolutely right and the importance of a statement is that it is enforceable by law.