Advice please for school meeting

[NameChangeGirl]

Hi we are going for a statement for my child which is due soon. We have been invited in by our child's school to talk about his needs, prior to the statement decision. School had a bit of a go at trying to get us to say we would move him several months ago, it was presented to me in terms of, so where are you going to move him to. Very unexpected and out of the blue, literally a phone call the night before to call me in. I held my ground and said we had made no decision about that. Followed that up with a phone call to IPSEA to understand our position and relayed that to the school who backed down immediately. Now the statement is almost due and they have invited me in again to discuss. The thing is we haven't made a decision, we are unsure but our backs were up from the last meeting and understandably we feel suspicious about this next meeting. At this stage, we still don't know what the statement will say, once we get it, then hopefully we will feel more certain about what route to push for but very much undecided still. Any tips about what we should say at this meeting? What is making me twitchy is, why don't they wait til the statement is out and then invite us to talk? We are not hell bent on keeping him where he is, we are simply undecided, but this latest development is making me very suspicious indeed.

I would stall them saying you need to see the proposed statement first. In fact, that's not stalling them, it's perfectly reasonable.

If they are suggesting your DS should be in specialist provision, the statement would usually be written with a special school or unit in mind. A statement for a MS school with 1:1 support would be likely to be worded fairly differently. If you want a MS school, almost any MS school should be able to support your DS with the support defined in part 3. I can't see that your current school would have a leg to stand on unless your DS's needs were too much for any MS school.

What did the reports from the various professionals suggest? The EP's report would usually hint if a SS was being recommended.

As a parent you have the right to have your DS educated in MS, it's usually the cheapest option for the LA as well. It's not always the best option depending on your DC's needs, though.

If this school is trying to force you out, will it be the best place for your DS, anyway? Would you always be having to battle with them?

Hi, thanks. Tbh we aren't hell bent on him going anywhere or staying, we simply haven't decided. If the statement says special, we won't push that away. But yeah, that's all we want to do now is wait and then decide what we want to fight for. It's such a shame they have taken this route, as it has soured things and on a day to day level, the support and staff are lovely. We totally accept that we may need to move him but we weren't prepared to make a commitment to not name them until we had everything in, medical, statement etc. Also, if we do move, I want to be very happy with the new placement, not just doing it because we have been pushed.

The LA aren't really supposed to advise you what sort of school you should be looking for. Really annoying, because the EP is supposed to be the expert, but we parents must have 'choice' so end up having to read between the lines, sometimes. LAs would usually prefer the cheapest option, but a good EP should have made it clear in their report what provision would be best. Have you not seen the reports yet? I got copies of ours before the proposed statement came through, directly from the EP, or Paed or SALT etc.

Hi, no, the only report I have seen is the school and SALT. The statement was applied for by school and we are grateful to them for that. When the draft statement comes out, will the parents copy come direct to us or will we receive it via the school? I have a feeling we will be offered ms with unit which is my least preferred option. If we move, I would rather go the whole hog and go special. The ms unit was fab, if he had gone there from day one but at this stage I don't think it will work out. The school he goes to is fab in many ways and my other child thrives there but I have always had my suspicions about what is really important to powers that be.

Ps so are you saying that once we get the statement all will not ne essay illy become clear? I guess that's what worries them then, our freedom of choice.

I'm not sure as I applied for my DS's statement myself, but I would think the LA should send you your copy, including all the reports (advices) directly.

Sorry, crossed. It may be blinking obvious if some of the provisions are only really appropriate for a SS, like on site SALT, or all staff trained in ASD or something. If it gives number of hours of 1:1 support that is usually for a MS school. But whatever it says, you have the 'choice' of which school to name in part 4 including a SS. If you want a MS school then the school does get the chance to refuse if they can convince the LA that educating your DS would adversely affect the education of the other DC and/or it wouldn't be cost effective. If the school do successfully argue this point, then in reality, no MS school would be able to cope, which is probably actually unlikely.

I made the decision to send my DS2 to the same primary school as DS1. To me it was more important than the school's dodgy attitude,to have them together. Rightly or wrongly, I'm not sure, but they coped with him, he actually did well there. The HT was a git but the teachers and the TA were fine.