meeting with LA and school to discuss NIL - any point in doing it?

[bjkmummy]

this is my last post I promise!

LA offered me a meeting with school to discuss the NIL - I have appealed to tribunal - is it worth having? LA saying her needs can be met at school action plus so nothing will come out of the meeting at all but would the tribunal expect me to have a meeting and will it look bad if I don't have a meeting?

if you dont attend you run the risk of the LA playing the victim at tribunal about the pushy parent who will not engage with them and has instead dragged them to tribunal!
I would attend the meeting, smile and nod and ask them to put anything remotely important into writing.

I was advised by my solicitor to attend but not say alot. the LA usually end up giving their reasons away aswell so this could even work in your favour.

good luck

they kind of made the offer but not asked me outright if you know what I mean - given the letter today makes it clear what their reasons are for issuing the NIL a meeting will be pointless - last time the LA phoned me and pushed for me to do it - this time - there has been silence - I think they would struggle about my lack of not engaging as ive done everything I can to make them see sense - i think i will wait and see what happens - think the tribunal paperwork may push them to contact me in the next few days - i also need to give them permission to release the NIL to school so i guess i best do that at the very least.

I had a meeting with the la and school during appeal for refusal to assess. DS2 wasn't getting the full amount of support at SA+ which is equal to about 13.5 hours weekly support and so there was space for an increase in support without 'needing' a statement. I used the meeting to get the school to agree with the LA to provide the full amount of support. I had asked and been refused. I said I would leave the appeal in place but would of course cancel if the additional support was sufficient. In the event, they conceded.

It could be useful to go along in case they say anything that might be useful for the tribunal, e.g. as to what exactly they will be able to provide within normal funding, and you could maybe pin them down as to the costs of every item of support and/or whether it really is going to be adequate given the identified problems. You should ideally take someone with you who can take detailed notes, and get them typed up and distributed afterwards.

I have a meeting with the senco on thurs so will see what is said then - the NIL is so unquantified that the senco could say 'that will be just 10 mins' think she will faint when I tell her the LA expect them to fund 10k of support - that's never going to happen ever..... from what my daughter is saying the support she had last term has gone , probably cos school think they are off the hook and not having to be answerable to a tribunal

I asked for a meeting but despite the area sen manager attending he still had to go back and ask his manager what I proposed. I would say check a descision maker is attending not someone who has to go and ask their manager afterwards............

im still awaiting the LA to confirm that they have sent the NIL to the school..... im going to provide part of it to school on Monday and then meet with just the senco on Thursday and see what she says without the LA being present. theres no way the school can provide OT SALT and specialist teaching without a statement. if the LA offer a meeting then I will go but will wait for them to ask me first

also I think this time the tribunal are not asking for my daughters views to be sent but I need to double check that - everyone knows the farce me and my LA go through over the views - will submit her views still but will be nice not to be dictated to by the LA