A couple of things regarding SA application

[Skylar123]

I want to apply for SA for my Ds. I have spoken to Ipsea and they also think I should apply.
I will speak to them again soon but as My head is doing 100mph tonight I wanted to ask you knowledgable mumsnetters a few questions please -

If primary school is doing a good amount to help Ds at present , can I still apply?

If Statement is given does it cost the school more money and could they not want me to apply for this reason?

Should I tell the school I am applying for statement?

What do I need to show exactly to warrant SA being accepted?

Can I apply for SA based on amount of help that is already in place proving he needs constant support at school and where he would be if that stopped?

Thanks in advance to anyone that can reply I appreciate every ounce of help.

I don't doubt it, Keep, but that is nothing to do with the criteria for Statutory Assessment. It's not about what support a DC is getting. It's about whether the support they're getting is enough for them to make progress and if not, whether the support that is needed can be provided by a school from within its resources.

Thank you everyone. I don't want to bore you all with my Ds and my lack of knowledge, it must get tiresome I keep explaining things. Please feel free to ignore me.

The sch accept Ds has sen. I am assuming this as he is on sen register had SA since year 1 and now SA plus? He is now in year 3.

Since his dx he had had 2 ieps as I asked for them and was told by Ipsea he should have one.

Apparently sch don't like doing ieps and many parents have been refused. I was also told by senco that no child at this sch gets 1:1 support.

Sch told me they had some concerns in year 1 but didn't specify and said that their specific learning difficulty base teacher would take note when she came into the school. Ds had some sessions with her.

At this time I wasn't concerned academically I was concerned about his obvious social difficulties but had no idea at this point Ds was on the autistic spectrum.

Ds now gets social story time, about to start play therapy and uses a timetable at school, help card. Teacher acknowledging his difficulties with language. On top of what's he has always got which is 1:6 support with literacy and maths.

He can't hold the pencil properly and his writing is not good, he can't join letters properly and gets them all the wrong way round. Spld teacher said he needs 1:1 support to remedy it. He is now allowed to use computer once a week.

The spld base teacher has recently done a full assessment to see if Ds has a learning disability. She has moved him from monitoring register to the active register and is seeing him again in march to gather more info and do some more tests. She said she can't be sure if there is a learning disability or not. She has listed a whole heap of strategies to help Ds.

School say Ds is making adequate progress as his levels have gone up and have since year 1. They went up two thirds between the end of year one and end of year two. However apart from reading his levels are below the national average for his age. His teacher said that most of class is performing at a lower level so Ds is not that far behind in comparison. Since July 13 end of term to now he has jumped up one third of a level in maths and literacy and remains at same level for reading. His spld assessment shows Ds at mostly high average and average descriptive levels with one lower lever for semantic fluency. Could this possibly show Ds is capable of more than he is achieving in class?
The problem is I have no clue what my Ds needs actually are. He is a smart boy , but he is not showing that based on his levels.
Can I see someone who will look at all these reports and tell me in black and white what Ds needs are. If you have read this to the end you are a saint, a very patient one. Thank you

Apply for SA immediately on the basis that your son is a 'mystery'. Don't try and understand things before you apply. I started off in complete ignorance and wasted time trying to understand before acting. This process is slow. There will be plenty of time once the application is in.

The school may not be organised properly or they may be rubbish at the paperwork and communication with parents but still supporting on a day to day basis. In any case, they will be forced to pull things together as the LA will ask them for a report on application. The parental application report is very short and so if possible try and get the support of the school and ask them to provide details that they have to provide in a school application. I sent the email below:

'According to paragraph 7:22 of the SENCOP “When schools, external specialists, including LEA support and educational psychology services, and parents have been working in partnership at School Action Plus, the parental request for a statutory assessment will usually have been discussed between them. Therefore the request is likely to be an approach agreed by all the parties involved. The parents may then, with the help of the school, be able to provide the LEA with the evidence listed at paragraph 7:13”.

Paragraph 7.13 lists the evidence that should be submitted as follows:
“1. the views of parents recorded at Early Years Action and Early Years Action Plus or School Action and School Action Plus
2. the ascertainable views of the child
3. copies of IEPs at Early Years Action and Early Years Action Plus or School Action and School Action Plus
4. evidence of progress over time
5. copies of advice, where provided, from health and social services
6. evidence of the involvement and views of professionals with relevant specialist knowledge and expertise outside the normal competence of the school or setting
7. evidence of the extent to which the school or setting has followed the advice provided by professionals with relevant specialist knowledge.”

Can you please confirm that you will provide X County Council with all of this evidence?

I too have wasted a lot of time trying to understand before applying, I am that sort of person who likes to understand things before leaping in. I have however posted my request this morning.

Ok no more time wasting for me then. Thank you so
Much for the email info keepon application will go off end of week.i will still panic once I sent it. Good luck with yourswhoknows and I too need to know every thing indetail before I do anything but I will follow the advice of others .

Yes, good luck to you too Skylar I'm sure we will be on the same threads going through this, and thanks to everyone who takes time to post on the SN boards, they have been a huge source of knowledge to me.