Aaaagh! Help - it's all going wrong again.

[notmorehassle]

After awful experiences with ms schools who didn't provide what was specified on the sm ds (ASD) is now at an indi ss (residential). It is very expensive and we had high hopes that he would settle in and start learning again.

He suffers with anxiety and has been ringing us everyday this week feeling incredibly stressed and anxious about things. The main problem seems to be the classroom environment and difficulty in learning because of the distractions from others. He is very able yet has missed so much due to various factors that we are becoming concerned about his education, as is he.

Another issue is the turnover of teaching staff - he is on his 4th class teacher in less than a year. The latest teacher is inexperienced yet his sm says that he has to have a teacher with significant experience of teaching children with his difficulties. He also finds lessons boring and the work too easy so doesn't want to do it which causes problems. So disappointed as we had hoped that a specialist environment would really help.

The Annual review is due so I know I need to get this sorted asap (never had a proper review before). Can I just request that this is arranged or does the LA do this?

The Annual review is the responsibility of the Local Authority and the school:

"9:10 The LEA must write to all head teachers no less than two weeks before the start of each term with a list of all pupils on roll at their school who will require an annual review that term. The head teacher must provide the LEA with a report following each annual review meeting before the end of that term, or 10 school days after the meeting takes place if that is any earlier. LEAs must provide similar amalgamated lists to the health authority
(designated medical officer) and to the social services department, indicating the schools attended by the children identified. These lists should include all children with annual reviews in the forthcoming term, including those not educated in a school. These lists could also be copied to the LEA Educational Psychology Service and other LEA specialist support services."

SEN Code of Practice pg 123.

Thanks Lougle. Apparently school have said to ds that a review is not due until the Summer when sm was issued a year ago - can that be right?

9:1 (pg 122) says: " ......LEAs must ensure that such a review is carried out within 12 months of either making the statement or of the previous review."

So no, if it was issued 12 months ago, they must review it.

Whether you make a fuss about it depends on whether you're happy with how things are going and his provision. If you're happy, I wouldn't worry too much - it's pretty much a tick box exercise. If you think the statement needs tweaking, or he needs more support, etc., then make a fuss with the LA.

O.k thanks-I'll chase this up then I think. I'm a bit wary of all the proposed changes to statements etc