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Further to my thread in chat..

29 replies

RevoltInParadise · 01/02/2014 22:52

Anyone else had a child who was doing well, achieving (and therefore had no problems Hmm ) etc and the. Start failing once they got into juniors?
Is that a known thing?

Ds has ADHD and was doing well, but in the space of a few weeks (since last parents evening) has stagnated in his reading and is not making his targets and progress in maths. In one lesson he failed to even write the learning intention or date. :(

So talk me through suddenly having a non achieving child who we actually thought might be hfa. (Awaiting asd assessment)

Is this our fault?m(the school is saying it is as he is apparently too aware of his condition, despite us never actually telling him anything about it) or is the school failing to meet his needs?

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StarlightMcKingsThree · 01/02/2014 23:01

It's not your fault. How could it be?

It is possibly not the school's fault either because it exists within a system that means the beginning of KS2 brings about a much more demanding curriculum than KS1 and a faster pace in a culture that doesn't really 'get' inclusion.

How long before the ASD assessment? What do the school think has happened (apart from denying their own responsibility)? Does he have an IEP in place?

FWIW Year 3 and Year 4 is the most common year for transferring to special schools so there is definitely something that happens at that time.

RevoltInParadise · 01/02/2014 23:06

The school think that his demotivating. Coincides with his loss of enthusiasm, which is our fault.

We are almost two years away from asd assessment due to waiting lists. We do have a letter that says they suspect underlying asd but apparently that means nothing.

I don't want him to. Have to fail to get our point across that he needs help.

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RevoltInParadise · 01/02/2014 23:08

From my chat thread...

Putting it here so it disappears...

A child exits year two on level threes. In first term parents evening all progressing well. Two or three weeks into this term parents are told as an aside that literacy has stagnated and maths is not making expected progress.

So, I effectively the space of seven or so weeks, five if you take outta e Xmas holidays, a child has dropped from doing week, no problems to speak of, to normal ing progress. Is the drop really that quick?? Can it happen so fast?

Child is intelligent but not motivated at school. Has a normal healthy motivation level at home for things that are of interest. School blame parents. Parents think school work sent home is too easy and demotivating.child often doesn't want to go to school.

I just have a real feeling something is going wrong for ds and I just want to help, but have no idea how?

And...

We tried the meeting. With the head also present. That didn't work. We pointed out the homework being too easy. They won't accept he is bored as he says he 'can't do it' when actually, if I sit with him (not doing it, just talking it through) at home he can and will. If I leave him to it it results in massive meltdowns. But school have asked me to get him to do it independently in case he comes to expect that level of support at school. One lesson he failed to even write the learning intention or date.

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claw2 · 01/02/2014 23:08

Its only been a few weeks, isn't it a little early to label as failing and not achieving academic targets or making academic progress?

Transition to juniors is a big step for any kid, particularly one with SN's. School should be talking about how to make this easier, not blaming you.

StarlightMcKingsThree · 01/02/2014 23:09

2 years? Check your PCT guidelines. I have read something recently that says assessments should be no longer than 6 months.

Someone on here might be able to help you find documentation if you put the question in a thread title.

Has he any support at all in school? Is he showing signs of anxiety? How is his behaviour at home? Does he have an IEP?

RevoltInParadise · 01/02/2014 23:09

I know claw but it has been minuted in a meeting that he has stagnated and is not meeting targets. :(

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Handywoman · 01/02/2014 23:12

Minuted in a meeting? At school ? Already ? Are you in the UK? Independent sector?

RevoltInParadise · 01/02/2014 23:14

I think we are in the same pct star, I think, from lurking on the sn boards? Starting with h? Apparently the cdac lists are crazy and really long.

He has sessions twice a week for social skills last term. Bright stars this term. He commented to the bright stars leader he knows the answer but in the moment he doesn't have that instinct.

Yes an IEP, but it was to attend the sessions and to basically, without digging I t out, okay and ask to play nicely. Hmm it remains unsigned!

He does have a homeschool book. Mostly negative stuff until we pointed it out and now they will put the odd. Positive in there. But the head is of the opinion that expected behaviours shouldn't be in there. My point is that if he behaves in the way a ks2 child is expected to behave then actually he has worked really hard and had a great day!

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RevoltInParadise · 01/02/2014 23:15

Yes already. Yes in uk. Meeting was two weeks ago. So what's that, two weeks into term? Not private. Bog standard mainstream.

We have been advised all meetings, bar parent consults will be minuted.

Is this not normal?

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RevoltInParadise · 01/02/2014 23:16

Yes to anxiety as well, headaches. Have been to gp a few times, first at the end of year one, pre dx, she said it was anxiety.

Oh, and he was only dx in September last year!

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RevoltInParadise · 01/02/2014 23:24

Sorry, that sounded snippy. It wasn't meant to. :(

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StarlightMcKingsThree · 01/02/2014 23:25

It's good there are minutes. Make sure you respond in writing to any points you don't agree with.

Also, given where you are, photocopy that home-school book regularly in case it disappears.

Write to paed and ask for the 'suspect ASD' letter to be re-written with 'working dx of ASD'. Explain that this is to access provision currently denied. It will ensure you are back on the assessment radar and it might get you an earlier appointment.

StarlightMcKingsThree · 01/02/2014 23:27

Your LA have had quite a time of it lately as their provision for ASD is totally awful and it has been publically shamed and an independent evaluation is on the cards. They consider parents of children with ASD 'difficult' and encourage schools to think that imo.

RevoltInParadise · 01/02/2014 23:29

Thanks star, we did respond. They weren't happy as we asked for them to be amended but they added them as an addendum. Lol

Yes, have photocopied from day one! Picked up that nugget from here, so thank you mn sn!

Will they rewrite the letter? Hmm. I often wonder if the cdc know of the schools that work with them and against them..... I have been told that any thing I learn that might help ds has to be channelled through the professionals or they won't do it.

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RevoltInParadise · 01/02/2014 23:29

Oh yes, we are 'difficult' and what they say to use has been described as bullying...

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RevoltInParadise · 01/02/2014 23:30

Also, would live some links to details on asd provision and shaming? Would be interesting reading. PM if needed to not out our la.

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StarlightMcKingsThree · 01/02/2014 23:42

survey done by and linked on local NAS branch website.

They were commissioned by LA to accredit LA schools for ASD provision but found none they could (even though NAS standards are exceptionally low).

So decided to open a free school due to need and LA opposed them.

So NAS lobbied for external review of ASD services which got agreed.

I think that's it in a nutshell, but been a bit out of touch recently.

RevoltInParadise · 01/02/2014 23:46

Thanks, will have a google.

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PolterGoose · 02/02/2014 08:33

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OneInEight · 02/02/2014 09:35

Can you ask school to see if there is a pattern with the work refusal. For ds2 it would be either (I) Following an argument in the playground or (ii) A literacy task where he was asked to describe feelings or write from the viewpoint of another person. Although quite able he just could not put himself in someone else's shoes. Talking about feelings increase his stress levels to unmanageable levels. He wouldn't be able to write about something he disagreed with e.g. school is wonderful. The rigid thinking would just totally prevent him from doing the task. If there is a pattern then maybe school could arrange alternative tasks.

RevoltInParadise · 02/02/2014 10:25

Polter, is there studies to back that up, would be interested in seeing it if possible? For my own knowledge only of course as the school would dismiss it as it didn't come straight from the clinician. Sigh.

No support other than what I said above. :( I believe this term it is just attending a social group once a week.

Pattern re work refusal would be interesting. I have asked for a timetable in the past but they wouldn't provide it. I know Tuesdays used to be bad as I established they had music class. Will have to trawl through the homeschool book again I think. Good idea.

With the talking about feelings, heis. Very verbal so knows all the right answers. It is just using them in the moment that fails. :(

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PolterGoose · 02/02/2014 10:56

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PolterGoose · 02/02/2014 10:58

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PolterGoose · 02/02/2014 11:10

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AgnesDiPesto · 02/02/2014 11:45

DS (asc) also in year 2. Is a big jump in expectations not so much from the difficulty of class work but the teachers move the bar on pace etc. from Jan teachers in some schools will obsess about end of year 2 SATs. We are in process of moving DS to a different mainstream school as teachers won't set him a different curriculum and just want to abandon him and his 1:1 to get on with it themselves. We had meeting before Xmas with EP backing us and teacher said after Xmas the curriculum would accelerate and she didn't know how to include DS. Which is ridiculous as he is not that far behind and well within what mainstream schools are expected to deal with.

I would suggest finding a school where a small fall in progress doesn't lead to parent bashing. We have had this and it's one of main reasons we are moving. You can't turn these attitudes around quickly enough for your child. I am kicking myself we have sat it out as long as we have. Things have been s**t for a really long time but we and his great 1:1 staff have propped things up. But there comes a point you have to accept you can't make a school care about your child if they have a negative attitude.

In terms of the work you can supplement this at home, get the teacher to write what topics they are covering and share weekly plan with you. You can do preteaching etc which can help. I found they jump around all over the place so DS never got to stay on any one topic long enough to cement any learning. DS made huge progress with primary maths app on iPad. Is your DS interested in learning using IT? There are lots of free sites you can use. You can of course just buy age 7 SATs revision books which will show you what they will be doing from now until may.

Start of year 2 is usually recapping, now they will be moving on to new work at faster pace and teaching to a test. In some schools all common sense goes out the window.

Another option is a token and reward system at school but to work well that would require your DS to have some 1:1 support who can give tokens and take him out for a break / reward - so you are breaking the session up.

It sounds to me as though you are in a school which is only interested in SATs grades. There are probably other parents getting similar grief as their children are messing up the schools figures. There is strength in numbers. Think about setting up a coffee morning or pub night out for parents with children with additional needs and advertise it through newsletter or noticeboard at school. You will not be the only one.

In terms of diagnosis we have similar wait here. Through campaigning (local NAS group), local radio, insisting on meeting commissioners etc we have not had some success in that GP commissioning group now having to pay to send children out of area to be diagnosed.

Is the EP involved? If not self refer and ask for EP to see your child in school and advise school pending wait for diagnosis. For eg the EP may say the school needs to put in 1:1 support - do not need diagnosis to do this.

All schools should run catch up groups for literacy / numeracy eg number shark etc ask what catch up small groups they run and if any would be suitable.

I don't know what your parent partnership is like but sometimes it can be useful to take someone along to meetings if only to stop the parent bashing.