I asked for this kind of advice once before and you all helped me to make the right decision! Ineed help again!

[Ineedmorepatience]

Tomorrow I am going to look at a tiny music school for Dd3! At the moment it is an independent but they are awaiting an Alternative Provision contract, which I am guessing would mean it would become a type of Free school!

I cant afford to pay for Dd3 so this hangs on us being able to access funding!

My WWYD is this, without a statement I can choose for Dd3 to attend school in any borough and crossing the border will not be an issue to anybody!! With a statement I would have to probably go back to tribunal for an out of county setting!

I am in a position until May where I can pull out of the tribunal and not chase the statement anymore, if this school is the right place for Dd3!
But having come this far would that be a stupid move?

I dont know what to think anymore and I really need the power of MNSN to give me the strength to make a decision!! (If I like it of course)

Dd3 already wants to leave her current setting and says she has no friends, she doesnt know I have found this other school!

Help

I think you need to look round the school first. Once you've seen it you will be in a better position to judge what risks you want to take.

and how do you access the funding? deffo go and have a look

It might depend what other funding options you have without a statement

I know the new law is less obsessed with boundaries than the old law so that helps. I would need a damp towel over my head and some time to see if anything in the transition arrangements allows you to take advantage of the more relaxed attitude without having to try to convert to EHCP.

Let me just check, are you already in a statement appeal?

We are in the middle of Note in lieu appeal!! Our Jan one was ajourned to give the school more time to fabricate gather evidence!

If the school was funded in the same way as a free school would we just be able to choose it, under the normal admission arrangments?

Non sen children cross borders everyday to access the school of their parents choice, Dd3's current school is right on the border and takes children from both areas! As far as I know they operate a tit for tat arrangement for these non sen children. But does that work for free schools?

If she has a NIL, then she has been thoroughly assessed by the experts from the LA, who are completely sure all her needs can be met within resources normally available to MS schools in the area.

Obviously they know what they're doing And a NIL means she doesn't have a statement. So you can send her where you like.

The fact that you, as a pushy and unreasonable parent, are determined to have your day in court regardless is irrelevant

After all, given the LA are so certain you're wrong, it must be ok to let their professional counterparts assume your little Statement quest is a futile irrelevance

awaiting an Alternative Provision contract So someone official would have to cough up?

Is there any way at all you could beg borrow or steal one terms fees?

I think current school has to agree AP is suitable, pay for it, monitor outcomes, and take the dc back when they get fed up shelling out find all the planned outcomes are achieved

Sorry, I know bugger all about this stuff - but here's the most recent statutory guidance on AP - at least I think it's the most recent, the DfE website is a complete fucking horror show since it was moved over to gov.uk ...

worse than that. Half has ended up on the national archives. Loads has vanished. It wouldn't be so bad if it was just education- even the Tribunals website has gone weird.

And don't get me started on regional command politburos of NHS England (or whatever they're called this week)

I would be happy to HE for one term if we knew we had somewhere for her mair

But if the case is that the current school have to pay for her to go then we will be scuppered!! There is no way they would agree to it!!

Charity? Remortgage? Credit card even?

See, if school are going to lie convincingly, then you might lose. Or 'win' but still have to pull her out

If it's a disaster now, and you lose, will it be better after? If it's bad now, and you win, will the statement actually have anything decent in it?

I'd imagine it'll be the exact same nil with a new header line 'dd's statement' cut & pasted. So you'll be back to Tribunal to win an appeal parts 2,3,4 before anything changes.

So for several more months it most likely still boils down to 'is this school better than nothing, or not'

I would need to be certain that we would get the funding for the rest of her time there Mair

But thanks I will explore your link

The current school are going to show that she has made progress!
She miraculously jumped from a 5c to a 6c in geography last week after one test!! They make a mockery of their own assessment system! I do not understand their criteria, I believe that they may just pluck a number out of the air somewhere!!

Dd3 was unable to attend yesterday, due to anxiety and today came home and needed to sleep before she could attend band practice. She has now gone to bed for the night! She is not ill, she is exhausted with coping everyday without the correct support. So what ever hapoens we have to do something!!

I think I need that they will just even if you win just reissue the NIL under the guise of a statement and it will be dire and then you will have to appeal again - its wrong so wrong - but what to advise you to do - I don't know is the answer

I totally agree bjk!

I know that is what they will do.

I will go and look tomorrow and then come back and give some more info!

Oh hard one! I win my appeal but still didn't get my hard won statement. No MS wants my son.

I facing watching him fail then appeal for non ms school

2boys!

Ok back to the drawing board!!

Amazing lady has set up the school such a brilliant vision but I have no idea how she can or will sustain it!! Not enough children to fund it or any public funding makes it seem like an impossible task!

Great vision though and great philosphy about how some children need to learn.

Ah well!! The visit has at least led Dp and I to have a serious discussion about HE!! Which we have never really managed before!!