How common is it for a child to a statement for only a year?

[2boysnamedR]

A high up school bod told me that he is seriously concerned that I am not aiming for my ds to be statement free next year. He has only just his statement!

Is this normal or even a realistic dream? He's got DLA for dyspraxia. Can he really just perk up with a years focused input and go off and enjoy being average?

I am doubting myself now.

Maybe my asd son can also be cured after a year of input or is this a load of tosh?

Should I expect to loose a statement in 12 months? I was thinking if he doesn't need it for secondary (he's starting jounior a next year) I should be very happy, but 12 months? How is that realistic?

Seems a daft idea to me. If he does 'perk up' after a year of input the all that shows is the input is working and he needs it! Also, if they are looking to overcome all his issues in one year then the level of input he receives should be a lot higher!

Having said that, my ds might only have his plan for a year or slightly longer but that is because of the scottish system; they are coordinated support plans up here to 'coordinate' input across agencies. You need 'significant' input from another agency (e.g. nhs) to get one. (children with 'just' high educational needs won't get one, which is why so many appeals focus on SALT provision).

Hmm - statement is very skimpy with less than 15 hours in it

I also don't think you should 'aim' to be statement free but rather aim to have the support he needs. If in a few years time this level of support is less than is needed for a statement then you become statement free, otherwise you are looking for the tail to wag the dog.

Well of course, the LA might change their ways and put enough money and expertise the way of your school to allow dc to be statement free, and if the head is daily writing articles to the n ational press and starting petitions to make that happen then of course it is wonderful.

Perhaps you should aim to force a new government to put enough money into SEN so that you can be statement free next year, as well as looking after all your dcs and listening to half-witted high up school bods.

The stumbling block is that the starting point for that member of staff means that it is likely to take more than a year to get your school educated up to actually undersand SEN enough to make the statement unnecessary....