Am I being realistic

[sweetteamum]

DS is 10 and in his last year at Junior School. School and myself have real concerns as to how he will cope with all the demands of High School, with regards to his learning, behaviour & communication (In that he won't seek out help or acknowledge his difficulties to anyone in school). He gets a huge amount of support from school - 15 hours 'legally' but in reality they're providing him full time 1-2-1 support out of their budget.

He has progressed, however, it's purely due to how much support he's actually getting.

I want to request SA, with the support of the school, and just wondering if they see he's coping, with few problems, then they are surely likely to refuse to assess him.

I've just been through this process with my daughter, but their needs are very different and I feel like I shouldn't compare the 2, but to start a fresh with DS's application.

I guess i'm looking for any advice as to whether I should apply now or wait until he gets to High School - actually, I know the answer myself. If he's left and given the 'wait & see' approach he will get labelled wrongly by the staff he comes accross and possibly fall in with the wrong circle.

I see many similarities to my situation in yours.

I don't actually have any advice, but I am going to watch the replies with interest if you don't mind.

Of course not Amber. The more the merrier :)

Apply now- even if you are refused it puts on record that there were concerns prior to him starting just in case a crisis occurs when he's brand new and staff at the senior school don't yet know him. See it as a back covering exercise that will help get in help faster in an emergency than if you wait till after it's all gone wrong.

Your application will put his name on the list of kids the senior school SENCO should be keeping an eye on in the new cohort. She/he deserves a heads up.

Yes. Apply now. Get the school to put as much of the reality of his support in writing and if they are a bit vague or woolly, write to them clarifying that he does currently get 1-1 support full time and include various other things, however small (10 mins weekly chats with mum), calming down strategies, visual supports etc. in a letter to the school.

However supportive they are they might be reluctant to rock the boat with the LA for a child on their way out.

Getting a statement might be the ultimate aim, but there are many other benefits to applying. It gets the support needs formalised for one thing and it gives you a baseline if you are refused, for any subsequent applications iyswim.

Thank you. I'm just worried they're going to say that because he's getting everything now then there's no need to apply.

We really can't take the 'wait & see' option as it made DD crash & burn last year. I've got a terrible feeling it will happen again.

I am sure he has the capability to progress more, however, due to his additional needs, he's unable to at the moment.

The point is that the's only getting full time one to one with the goodwill of the primary school, but they could withdraw it tomorrow and there would be nothing you could do about it - so he's entitled to get it secured via a statement. Also, of course, there is no guarantee at all that he will get it in secondary - in fact, it's highly unlikely that he would unless he had a statement. If the school is giving him that much support, it follows that they're pretty convinced that he needs it, and it goes well beyond what you would normally expect to get at School Action Plus.

An application singing the praises of a good school shouldn't put anyone's back up. 'Supporting' you openly is hard for schools, but it's and very helpful, if they will 'just' be truthful and not deliberately obstruct the process.

That's exactly what my concern is. The school are going to ask for enhanced funding very soon anyway, but I know they are just as concerned about high school and the probable lack of support that will be available.

What kind of reasons would you give why the school can't meet his needs, when in fact it's more getting prepared for high school.

I have dealt with schools that have gone back on their word before but they've never told me they agree with me. I genuinely believe that they'll stand by their word.

The thing is, I also keep reading the part of the code of practice that states that IF the lea believe that he has needs and will probably need a statement then they must assess and it's making me more determined. He DOES have needs and they NEED supporting.