I've ruined my dd's chances of school

[sammythemummy]

I've really really f'd up.
Last school has done a u-turn after speaking to the LA (coincidence?)

Now he's saying that as they have a unit, no child will et help within the mainstream class. Obviously this goes against our whole reason to send her to a mainstream, there will be no benefit for her from staying in a room with children who have English as a second language, non verbal children etc..How is that beneficial to a child who learns best by picking up language from her environment?

All other ABA friendly schools are full (30children max)
I've even applied to a fee paying school, it would've been perfect as class sizes were very small. It bloody turns put that another child go in their because their sibling was already attending the school :(

I cannot catch a break.

Meanwhile my dd keeps saying she wants to go to school and to play with her friends :(

I've let her down

Sorry you didn't get the result you were hoping for... Can you appeal?

Perhaps you could try the unit?while you are waiting for the private school place. I mean- it would be small classes wouldn't it?... And she may find friends to play with from the unit.
Also I would presume that language is very much used within the unit... Perhaps even MORE concentrated on tbh

The questions I have are:

1. What sort of unit? - is it intended for dc's type of need?
2. Who funds it - the LA or the school? If the LA funds it, then the school should still get it's SEN budget to spend on the mainstream children, like dc if that is where you want them to be.
3. Who controls entry - the LA or the school? The LA should have a set of criteria - which you can ask to see.

is that even legal??? that isnt inclusion, its putting all the children who have any additional needs into a ghetto!

I see the good in some units, for children whose needs can be met there, depending on the child and the unit, but saying NO ADDITIONAL HELP will be given in mainstream classes, for whatever reason, is so wrong I cant believe it can be legal.

School is above average in size. A very high percentage of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals. Most pupils are from different minority ethnic groups and a large majority speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is much higher than average. These pupils mostly have difficulty in acquiring literacy and numeracy skills. In recent years, the percentage of pupils joining or leaving the school at times other than the usual ones has been high; the school population is now more stable but there is still more mobility than in many other schools. The school's provision for the Early Years Foundation Stage consists of a Nursery and two Reception classes. The school has achieved Healthy Schools status and the International School award.

^That's what the latest ofsted report says about the school.

There is no mention of having a unit/special room on their website, does that mean that it's not funded by the LA?

The Head has told the SENCO that I can keep my funding to use it towards the ABA, he will however expect my dd to use that room if she needs further help.

I've been to see the room and it's very mixed abilities, it's supposed to be for children with Asd, but it's also used to support children with no English and there are children with no dx. I wouldn't mind if she spent a couple of sessions to support her with the curriculum, what I do mind is that they are expected to stay in that room during their breaks!

And at lunch time they all sit on a table together, so when will her social skills be worked on??

It seems like a lazy approach at tackling sen.

temple I don't quite understand your second point? I'm a bit clueless with sen bugdets and how they are spread out. [Message edited by MNHQ]

Damn, I thought I took out the name

So basically, it's a way of weeding out and segregating children who are a bit tricky for them. I think it's Ugger who has the lovely illustraton of that in the hi-vis jackets thread.

I'm still not seeing how you've messed up, mind.

Don't put here in the unit if you are not happy. I agree with iloveithere, i don't think they can refuse to give support in a ms class if that is what you want and you have a statement.
Most units require a diagnosis and/or statement. They have a criteria and a purpose. This unit just sounds like a free for all and stinks of segregating the 'problem' children to make life easier for the school.

Yes our it seems very like the hi-vi jackets doesn't it?

I'm looking to arrange a meeting with him but I need to get my facts straight.

Dd has a statement part 3 that says "xxxx will benefit from a learning environment that ensures addictional support. She must have an IEP and facilities/equipment as specified to be provided in a mainstream school from within the school'a own resources and with additional support from the kEA commensurate with band X of xxx Council's SEN"

"There should be close liaison between home, school and any professional involved in xxx's are so that the programmes devised for her can be applied consistently and monitored effectively"

Well our VB programme clearly focuses on peer interaction and being part of the mainstream group.

Can I point this out to him?

Excuse my never ending typos, are is care

You have done nothing wrong Sammy. You have been fighting ever since you knew she needed help. All through your pregnancy and now with a baby.

Is she going to any school at all? If not, can she attend as a guest

Also the 30 pupils limit doesn't count statemented kids

I should've looked around for schools before rather than waiting for the statement.

How do I go around the 30max rule? All schools are like, we would love to but we're full. What do I say then? (Sorry it's such a stupid question)

What do you mean by attending as a guest?

ime if the class is full, a child without a statement can appeal and get in - I did it with DS1 and a DC has just joined DS2s class via appeal. If the child has a statement and the class is full, the school can say 'yes' it can meet need, but 'no' because we are full. The sen dept overrides admissions so parents can't access the same route of appeal. Sen dept can force the school to take the child even though full but does also ignore parental preference and finalise naming an LA alternative if it suits them. My LA did this even though the alternative was also full and said no. The LA said we would need to go to tribunal to get parental preference m/s a mile away

I don't get it. Are they saying that if your dd goes to that school she will stay in the unit all day every day? Most schools with units work on the basis that children in the unit will integrate into the mainstream when they are able to do so, with support from staff in the unit. I doubt that a unit on its own could comply with the legal requirement to teach the full national curriculum.