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Original poster

Handholding for reception in September part two !

78 replies

autumnsmum · 24/03/2014 10:25

Hi autumnsmum here I thought I would start another thread for those of us with Dcs starting reception in September. I have two older children and dd2 who has autism and will be going into the reception class of her special school where she attends nursery in September . I would love to hear from others

OP posts:
Original poster
autumnsmum · 27/03/2014 08:17

Hi king lovely to see you

OP posts:
MrsPear · 27/03/2014 11:27

Hi just seen this. My little boy starts school in September and he has moderate to hearing loss with bilateral aids. He has big speech and communication problems and terrible issues with frustration and anger.

Had my first meeting with educational psychologist this morning and I am left feeling reassured that he is not going to fall down a crack and he should be supported - the woman who is going to present his case to the panel specialises in children who are deaf with special needs. But I have massive amount of sadness and guilt.

Report will be in two weeks then panel

MrsPear · 27/03/2014 11:27

*severe

Original poster
autumnsmum · 27/03/2014 11:38

Mrs pear lovely too see you as well the more the better on this thread . I hope things go well when it goes to panel

OP posts:
Perspective21 · 27/03/2014 12:57

That sounds very positive hazey...

Perspective21 · 27/03/2014 12:59

Nice to meet everyone, it does feel reassuring that we have a few starters all together, will be lovely to keep up with everyone's stories...

Original poster
autumnsmum · 27/03/2014 13:00

That's why I start these threads it's lovely to hear about all our experiences

OP posts:
JoinTheDots · 27/03/2014 15:04

guilt, wobbles and some uncertainty aside, it sounds like everyone is in a reasonably positive place which is really good. Not long until we hear about school allocations which will be good too.

Does anyone else have some nerves about the summer? I feel like DD might not want to go back to education after a lovely long summer break!

MrsPear · 27/03/2014 15:21

I am not worried about the long summer break just a melt down when he finally gets that it will no longer pre school - he will have been for two years- but primary school!
When does everyone else find out what school they are getting? I have until 5pm 16th April. Although they keeping writing asking for more evidence which is stressful enough without the extra stuff.

hazeyjane · 07/04/2014 11:27

Just thought I'd bump this up.

How is everyone doing? Any news/progress on statements?

I guess we'll be hearing about our school choices soon - is it the 23rd?

Ds is doing an extra session after the holidays, to try to build up his stamina a bit!

Sahkoora · 08/04/2014 13:21

Hello, can I join? DS will be 6 when he starts SS in Sept, should have been in year 2 but MS mucked him about so much with a reduced timetable and then permanent exclusion that this will really be his first experience of full time school.

Very worried about how he will cope, particularly with transport. They can pick him up in a taxi but I am hoping to pass my driving test so I can take him, at least until he's used to it.

Added to all of this, I'm pregnant and DC3 is due about a month after he starts, so it's going to be a very unusual year for him.

BUT I am really looking forward to be able to take DS2 and future DC3 to playgroup and to get my life back a little. DS doesn't cope well with supermarkets and town etc so we have mostly been stuck at home the last year.

Also had neverending professional visits, at least 2/3 a week for over a year, so it will be nice to have our home to ourselves again.

Original poster
autumnsmum · 16/04/2014 11:34

Bump

OP posts:
hazeyjane · 16/04/2014 16:03

Has anyone heard about school places??

Kingofthevagabonds · 16/04/2014 18:34

Hi we heard about mainstream place today. But as we are aiming for ss school it is pretty irrelevant, am waiting on draft statement to get ss school named. It is a grim wait Sad Anyone else?

hazeyjane · 16/04/2014 19:01

I haven't heard. We only put 1 choice - ms infants, but have to wait for statement to get place in special unit within the ms. Won't hear about statement for a while yet.

ConstantCraving · 16/04/2014 20:33

Hello again - I thought I'd avoided this September and that DD could start Sept 15 as she has an Autumn birthday. We were wrong - she has to go the term after she is 5, which will be January, but we are being pushed for her to start Sept with her 'friends'. We are waiting for diagnosis ( 1 year waiting list) so won't have that in place by Sept, but working diagnosis is HF ASD. She is ok at nursery with lots of 1:1 but I just can't see how she will manage in reception. She doesn't interact with other children at all, has high levels of anxiety and whilst very bright has communication issues (processing I think). I am sick with worry, but have at least heard that she got into our first choice school which has a special ASD unit attached (not that she'll get in there before she has a diagnosis). Also hate that we have long summer hols then straight into new environment.

hazeyjane · 17/04/2014 13:24

just got letter saying ds has place at ms primary. now we need the statement in order to get into the unit.

I remember just feeling a sense of relief and ordering school uniform at this stage with the dds, all so much more bloody complicated with ds!

Original poster
autumnsmum · 17/04/2014 13:47

Hi hazey I agree with dd1 and ds I just filled in a form statements are so much more complicated

OP posts:
JJXM · 02/05/2014 10:32

We have just had our special school place confirmed - very pleased after a long fight Smile

Fishandjam · 02/05/2014 10:39

Can I join? I have a DS who will be 4.8 in September - he has recently been diagnosed with mild ASD. His verbal skills are good and he's not too bad as regards rigid routines etc but his social interaction and understanding is less good. He also has some sensory issues (we think) and his gross motor skills are fairly poor (again, we think). On a good day he can pass for a particularly chatty NT child.

At present, as we're only just into the whole ASD merry-go-round, we have no idea what to expect. The learning curve is pretty vertical for us right now!

hazeyjane · 02/05/2014 11:00

Hello Fish!

That is fantastic news JJXMSmile

We have hit another frustrating wall, with delays from medical reports, and ds's request fro statuatory assessment missing the deadline to go to panel. I spoke to the woman in charge of his case and she said that she would be able to give me a decision on the 13th May (as to whether they will go ahead with statement or not) so 2 weeks late - which isn't so bad until you add in the months of delay we had previously and the fact that that will put the date for the final statement being issued into the beginning of the Summer holidays.

I am feeling pretty fucked off and despondent about the whole thing, as we are supposed to be doing a transition to school gradually because of ds's problems and it seems to have stalled completely.

Add to that the SALT report we got yesterday was just such grim reading, that I haven't been able to go back and look at it.

Suddenly questioning again whether I am doing the right thing sending him this September, and whether we even have the right place for him.

Sorry for the massive moan, just feel churned up inside about the whole thing.

Original poster
autumnsmum · 02/05/2014 11:09

Hazey hugs the whole process has been a diaster for you

OP posts:
babiki · 02/05/2014 11:31

Hazey what a mess :( So stressing this whole process... Are you going to send him to the school even if Statement is not finalised?

JJXM · 02/05/2014 11:40

Hazey - we had similar issues (refusal to assess, missing panel deadline, a vague statement, refusal to name any school). I save my frustration for my LA and every victory must annoy them. I cried when they first refused to assess and became very depressed but that is what they are relying on.

Skimmingstones · 02/05/2014 11:43

Hi everyone back to my original name after posting above under kingofthevagabonds. That is fab JJXM Smile

Sorry to hear your update Hazey. I am in a similar position regards time frames, and also feel sick with worry everytime I think about the process. I was expecting a draft statement last week, when it didn't arrive I called and was told they are two weeks late in the process. I was really anxious as I'm waiting to name ss. They have told me in writing that they will refer to my prefence of ss on the day the draft is complete rather than wait for it to come back so hopefully that may make up for some of the delay.

I can't relax until this is sorted. I completely relate to feeling churned up hazey.