This isn't right, is it?

[pannetone]

DD (8 years old, Y4) has HFA and selective mutism. This morning I asked the HT (who was SENCO last year) why DD was not in the extension maths group who go out once a week for a session with a specialist teacher. HT didn't make any comment about her not being 'advanced' enough, but said it was because of her mutism and that the group was for those who were able AND could express themselves verbally. I was as it seemed discriminatory to me. I said the School should be supporting DD so she could access a group that was suitable for her academically. HT said they couldn't afford to do that as DD doesn't have a Statement. I then said the School had a duty to meet DD's SEN even if she doesn't have a Statement.

HT then had a general rant about how the School were doing everything they could and how they were being 'let down' by outside agencies like SALT and CAMHS. This was somewhat ironic as the main reason I was speaking to the HT this morning was because DD had been told off by the TA for not reading in her group, or speaking to the TA on Friday, which completely goes against the 'no pressure to speak' approach the School should be taking. The HT does not get that the School are meant to be supporting DD with the help of outside agencies. I know DD's needs are complex, but they should have strategies to help with her difficulties as a result of ASD. And as DD has had a selective mutism diagnosis since she went into Reception, the School should be aware of the basic priniciples in supporting her. However, I still had the Head telling me this morning that surely it was OK to 'encourage' DD to speak. (It's not - they should set up situations eg small groups so it is easier for DD to speak, but there should be no pressure on her to do so.)

And (final rant!) I am so fed up with the question of support for DD coming down to what the School can afford. The need to seek top-up funding is sometimes mentioned, but as far as I can see the School are spending nowhere near the £6000 mark they have to meet through their budget.

So write to the Headteacher 'clafirying' that you had a conversation where she implied that your dd is advanced enough for the maths group, that the HT has declared that they don't have enough money to support her, that the HT has told you the school has been let down by SALT and CAHMS, and that the HT also said she needs a statement.

Then ask her in the letter, what her next steps will be, what the timeframe will be and if there is anything you can do to support her.

Copy that into someone, Head of SEN in the LA perhaps!?

BTW, the funding doesn't really work like that. No child is 'entitled' to £6k for having SEN. It is a bit more complicated.

However, costs are not your problem, they are the HTs problem. Your child is entitled to receive an adequate education and if the HT is struggling with this duty she needs to get some help urgently, not tell you about it.

Actually,the HT didn't say DD needs a statement. With my cynical hat on, this is because he knows that DD won't get one while the school haven't done all they should be to support her. It is just a 'convenient' excuse to attempt to fob me off with limited support. All the HT offered this morning was a TAC (team around child??) meeting which from what I've read on here is not what I want. Presumably so the Head could blame everyone else for not giving enough support.

I've had enough. I am going to put in a parental request for a Statement.

So can the HT argue it is an 'adequate education' if DD gets to do class maths but not the extension group she is academicallly capable of?

'I've had enough. I am going to put in a parental request for a Statement'

Good for you. You can include the letter you're about to send the HT clarifying your conversation as 'evidence' that the school will not cannot meet need.

Don't worry about the adequate education. No-one actually knows what that means.

Got a (somewhat) concilatory call from the head at lunchtime. It now turns out (!) that not being put in the maths extension group is nothing to do with DD's selective mutism (as he clearly told me earlier), but it is because there are only 10 spaces in the extension class for the most able and dd 'just happens' to be 11th in the ranking (further ). He is going to speak to the lady who he employs to teach that class as apparently she gets to decide how many are in the group ( once more). He is going to see if he can make an exception and get DD into the class. I 'played along' saying that of course they would want to take into account the fact that DD's selective mutism makes it harder to accurately assess her ability, as obviously she shouldn't miss out because of her particular difficulties... Oh and conveniently (for the School) the ranking of ability is based on an end of term test we weren't given the results for.

It has been agreed that the TA should not work with DD at the moment until the new SALT has been in to advise the School on managing her selective talking. Problem is that the School will now say that they can't give DD support because we have asked them to wait for advice from the SALT. But we only had to do this because their approach was not only ineffectual but quite possibly setting DD back . But as I think Ilikemysleep has said, supporting selective mutism isn't 'rocket science' - the School should be able to do it. Final straw is that far from the SALT not being in touch with the School as the Head ranted, she emailed me and said she sent a list of dates to come in to School to them early last week but she hasn't had a response...

The IPSEA site has the best guide for applying for a statement doesn't it?

Tee Hee. Change of tone of the Head from this morning to the afternoon may well be because OFSTED have announced they are coming in! However, the Head was making a big thing about how slow the SALT was about coming into School, but having emailed him and said the SALT has sent possible dates in, he has responded saying it will have to wait until OFSTED is out of the way .

Do you have that in writing that he is waiting until after Ofsted? I would be suggesting to the head that you will happily inform Ofsted of their poor attitude to priorities. That may get some action!