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Meeting to discuss SA

35 replies

sugaplumfurry · 13/11/2013 14:14

Anyone else had to go to a meeting to go through why the SA was turned down?

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wetaugust · 14/11/2013 12:05

The LA keeps files and school has a legal duty to maintain a pupil's file, so yes, the information will be retained.

If your appeal is unsuccessful (and most are successful) you prpbably wouldn't have sufficient time before the abolition of Statements to request a 2nd SA, have that refused and then attend a 2nd SEND before Statements themselves are discontinued.

You need to factor in the waiting time for SEND to hear your appeal which can be 4-5 months.

So you really have nothing to lose and everything to gain by appealing now.

lottieandmia · 14/11/2013 12:36

When we appealed we didn't include any evidence initially at all - just put in the appeal form (our solicitor said it's better to give the opposition as little time as possible to see your arguments). We also didn't even include a case statement - we submitted reports only as the basis of evidence and argued our case on the day of the appeal.

lottieandmia · 14/11/2013 12:41

Have you thought about requesting your child's file from the LEA? You can use the data protection act to make them cough this up and it may give you some clues of what they have done behind the scenes before they refused to assess.

sugaplumfurry · 14/11/2013 13:12

Ok, No Lottie not from the LEA, I did send a letter to ask for what information they had gathered to help them make their decision not to assess (after the meeting above had been mentioned) still haven't had anything back yet.

We have pondered on requesting files, esp EP files, we think these may be key to what additional difficulties we have witnessed at home, if I had the chance to go through this info I may be able to see/query these difficulties, we have copies of any NHS reports which have been organized by us but never anything to do with the education side which pisses me off no end. It's as though we have no right to this info.

I need ALL of DS's records. We have had many discrepencies about his behaviour e.g Ds told us he had to stay in at break to complete unfinished work, DH contacted HT to see how things were, who had no knowledge of this only that DS had hurt someone on the playground...therefore lost his break as a consequence. Yet we have been told repeatedly by CT's for well over 12 months that DS's behaviour has dramatically improved and there are no more incidents? Confused

So need files from school, Educational psychology and any other outside agencies, LEA. Is there somewhere I can go directly to for these files or would it be individual requests?

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sugaplumfurry · 14/11/2013 13:15

Just wanted to mention that OT had made a comment that our LA were clamping down on the number of statements they are issuing, she had just been a witness in a tribunal.

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wetaugust · 14/11/2013 13:45

You need to make separate requests for information to school (where his pupil record will be held), to the LA, to OT, to Ed Pysch etc.

Sounds a charmer your OT Sad

sugaplumfurry · 14/11/2013 14:07

Smile Thanks wet will get onto that now. OT was actually quite good she did spend more time looking/thinking outside the box while assessing DS rather than just deciding 'he didn't see the point' therefore just can't be arsed, and she did make many references that she was here for us especially DS not for the education system. There was a conversation before she said that so she wasn't trying to make it all sound doom and gloom.

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sugaplumfurry · 21/11/2013 13:29

I just wanted to update on the Meeting mentioned above. It turned out to be with our allocated officer when requesting SA she commented that she had never met DS only read all the information provided when statutory assessment was requested and was a 'neutral' member of the meeting. By the way the staff were squirming everyone else had no idea why they were there either.

All of Ds's CT's (there were 3 in total Shock), SENCO, HT, EP were invited. The adviser had everyone introduce themselves. Except myself and DH, then went on to introduce us as the most important people in the meeting!

She had everyone go through the support which they were providing to Ds and noted it all down, firing questions at them as to why and how they can provide more support then gave more recommendations which she clarified with HT each time. Then asked for our views on the support. SENCO kept referring to the OT report (DS was referred due to possible dyspraxia...main concerns writing levels way below what he is capable of) which stated that DS had no issues with fine motor control.

I updated about Podiatry app-still waiting for report, He noted hypermobility....adviser listened and then said what info she had received made a lot more sense now hypermobility had been mentioned. CT's again referred to fine motor skills being excellent and adviser said hypermobility wouldn't affect this it is his muscles which would be causing difficulties which would slow down his progress especially when doing written work amongst other things and make him very tired very quickly.

Apparently Ds really enjoys reading at school Confused the only reading he does at home is his reading book and that is not from lack of trying, if he gets books from the library they have more pictures than writing because he finds reading hard. We have noted many symptoms of dyslexia. CT's boasted about how much understanding Ds had of maths etc and what fantastic comprehension he has..and how he could quite easily do YR 5 work, possibly higher (he is in YR 4)

Final 5 minutes of the meeting = Outcome SA was turned down because the school have the funding to provide 15 hours on SA+ and as it stood they were not, Funding was mentioned several times by HT including that there are other children with 'no understanding' who will take priority over Ds because he has understanding Angry Much to Advisers disgust, and she kept reminding him that the funds were allocated to all children on SA+ each financial year, some may only need 2 hours/4 hours etc but ALL children on SA+ are receiving funding for 15 hours. What will happen now is the school WILL take on board her recommendations...and she's sure HT would like to see ALL Dc do well. So basically I do not have a leg to stand on with regards to SA Sad

Adviser kept pointing at the notes about hypermobility, and saying as soon as I get the report get it in to school...that's when everything will change?? Hmm Although she did make recommendations to help with what had been said already.

When everyone left the meeting adviser and EP hung on behind and EP muttered and that is how you have a team around the child meeting Confused

We are now going to get private Educational assessments done to get a real idea of what levels Ds is actually at with his reading, writing, maths etc

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StarlightMcKenzie · 21/11/2013 13:37

Bloody Hell! I have never heard of a meeting like that.

I'm extremely impressed if I'm honest.

I do think you need an independent assessment of what support your child needs though.

I would write directly to the SA person and thank them for a most productive meeting but raise the concern of how, given the HT's reluctance, this provision will be policed and why you should trust it will be delivered.

sugaplumfurry · 21/11/2013 13:55

Starlight we still haven't fully processed what happened TBH. I went on high alert when she first mentioned being neutral and I thought I was going to get more grief so got myself ready for war!

She had HT and myself sign a form about actions to take e.g her recommendations, at the bottom it does say that copies will be sent to Parents/EP/OT/LA etc etc so I'm guessing we will be getting a full report so everyone is in the know. Everything that was on it was additional support via the school and ours was simply to hand in the report from Podiatry.

I am in the middle of writing an email for her at the moment.

Another comment by the officer was that she will bring HT around eventually so I'm guessing this is not the first time she has been in.

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