Feeling completely overwhelmed and anxious

[Stradbroke]

I have sadly come to the conclusion that I am going to have to move my DD from the school she has been in since nursery. She has just started Y2 and i do not feel that they can meet her needs educationally.

She is not making progress from what I can see and is on p levels for reading and writing and just in a level 1 for maths.

She has 1:1 support in the morning, but I don't feel that they really know how to help her learn. There doesn't seem to be a plan in place to get her moving or at least not one that I know of.

I just feel so sad. Her brother is at this school, she knows everyone. It is her home, but how long can I leave her not making progress?

She has just received an ASD diagnosis, has SALT issues and huge motor planning problems. She has real trouble concentrating and she wants to be in control so is not exactly compliant.

I know I have to find somewhere else, but just feel so anxious and overwhelmed by it all I am struggling with everyday life.

I have been to see an independent school which was just set up for her way of learning, but with fewer than 40 pupils aged 7 - 19 I don't think is suitable for her. She should be with lots of other people. There are ASD resource units I will also go to see and I am seeing a state special school next week, although everyone tells me she is too high functioning for that.

I just feel so panicky and so sad that her school is not working out. It is HER school you know? But I am so angry with them for failing her (probably not fair) and so lost in a system that doesn't seem to have a space for her.

I just want to curl up and sleep. I just want her to be happy and learning and for me to not worry about this anymore.

Can other people let me know their experiences and where their children are and thriving?

I really need some support at the moment :(

Have the school had any outside agencies come in and advise them? Are they good at and do they want to support her?

You may find somewhere else that can meet her needs better but you may find that with the right specialised advice and willingness her school can provide the same as the others do.

Am curious as to why you think she should be with lots of other children? ds1 is thriving now he is in a specialist school with probably around the same number as the independent you mention. He has AS but is academically able. You are doing the right thing though to look round at all the options but it would also be helpful to have an EP report to find out why she has difficulties in certain areas and what strategies might help her.

She may need some specialist teaching especially for literacy and numeracy! What does her statement/ehcp say?

Dd3 has 40 minutes twice a week with a specialist teacher to support her literacy, the Ep recommended daily bit we felt that would be too disruptive!

You might need to call an emergency annual review and get some provision added into her statement! She should definitely be seen by an EP too to find out where her strengths and weaknesses are. No one will be able to teach her if they dont know what she is struggling with!

Good luck

Sorry that should have said On Dd3's statement it says she should have 40 mins twice a week etc, she is not in school at the moment but it will be ready when she is!

Thanks everyone. She has OT and SALT input. She had an EP report last year. This was done to see if she had LD which she doesn't. I will dig it out and see what it says.
Since her ASD diagnosis they have asked for outreach from the special school to come out. They came in the first week of term when she was of course on great form and her teacher didn't really know what to raise. They will be coking back and I have asked that I imput in to it.
I have a meeting with the SENCO booked for next Monday. I have asked for answers for specific questions I particular what her progress is and what is being done to address her difficulties.
I would like to keep her where she is but I am losing faith in them at the moment. I think they mean well but I need to see some action

Ok, so the first thing I'd be asking is why she is only on p levels if she doesn't have learning difficulties.
What is her barrier to accessing the curriculum? It can be any number of things of a combination of them. Things like environmental factors can be worked on - ear defenders, own desk/workstation/ calm down area etc. but you may need to be prepared for the fact the layout of the school is does meet your child's sensory needs.
Is it that she's off task? Struggles with writing or thinking what to write? Is she not reading because the books don't interest her?

At the moment I'd be asking lots of questions to get a good idea of what the barriers are. Once you've established that you can look for the setting that is best set up to remove them.

Good luck with meeting today.

well I just went and looked at the local special school and I have to say I really liked it.
The facilities were great and there was a great energy about the place.Asking about levels it would seem that they are at the same place as my DD.

And I almost felt teary at being in a space where DD would be among people like her, where her disabilities would not be seen as a negative, where everything was set up for her and people didn't need to make adjustments for her.

I honestly never thought that I would be thinking about a special school for her.

Need to think a bit more but it is definitely a possibility!