Teachers claim DS2 is having random good and bad days

[KOKOagainandagain]

DS2 - seven next week - has had lots of SALT assessment resulting in a 'diagnosis' of Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN). This may be primary or secondary to as yet undiagnosed ASD. The school have also called in the EP who has visited twice to observe him, once to talk to me and once to perform BAS.

She phoned me yesterday to say that she will be going in to visit him on several more occasions and that she is 'on stand-by' to visit him on the day if the teachers alert her.

This is apparently because he randomly has good and bad days and the teachers want the EP to see what they have to deal with on a bad day.

Having got over the shock of multiple EP visits I am wondering whether these differences are really random. The EP felt the same and has questioned teachers but they insist that behaviour is random. The way they see it on some days he just does not engage and completely ignores their requests. I have told them that he is only young and that all kids do that but they insist there is a problem (I couldn't resist )

Can anybody suggest what might be going on?

Diary - DS's TA did one last year and it really, really helped as to be fair no matter how well we know our kids we just aren't there to see for ourselves once we drop them off at school. Make sure they include any sensory triggers (eg just after music lesson, strong smells, very quiet class time etc, under bright lights).

I agree.You need some data.
That 'diagnosis' is just them telling you there are issues with communication which I imagine is why they were called in in the first place.
The question is, what will be done about it?

Many thanks.

I'll keep a diary at home and request (via the friendly EP) that the teachers do the same.

The teachers are getting a bit touchy about parents and now the EP saying 'are you sure its random?' and the view is becoming a little entrenched. I agree that it would be best to collect data before adopting such firm beliefs but it is rather difficult to ask them to collect data that will prove them wrong!

otoh I vaguely remember reading something about dyspraxia and inconsistent performace from day to day? Is this just non-behavioural performance?

Are there some pro-forma behavioural diaries that might make it easier for them to record the data? (another vague memory)

You also need to ask the teachers what days they feel he has one of his bad days and build up a pattern, as it may not only be things at school that the teacher can control in class that affect him.
I know of a child in Y2 that has apparently random days and has no idea why his behaviour changes. Sometimes it can be outside influences such as child x isn't in that day, their gate was opened last and he was not in class first - and these are just 2 that have been suggested.
I know with DS1 that sometimes the balance of his behaviour can be quite fine. Sometimes just 1 little minor incident can tip the scale. The same incident on another day would not have the same effect.