Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

Flip

Original poster

Tribunal this week

23 replies

2boysnamedR · 19/10/2015 14:11

The LA still have named the school senco as a witness ( tbc). I emailed the deputy head last week and she says she doesn't know who is going from the school???!!!

Can she honestly not know where her senco will be on that day?

Can I print these emails out to take on the day if the ask to adjourn saying the senco couldn't make it?

That's what they did at the last hearing. I had to pay witnesses twice.

Also I am looking for a school for my toddler and all the senco said are shocked that I have never been invited to a pathway plan / IEP meeting. I am never shown completed targets either.

After half term I think I'm going to withdraw him. He's happy their but I can't work with the school any more.

I don't know how I'm going to get through this week

OP posts:

iwanttoscream · 19/10/2015 16:28

I can't believe how they have treated you!!!
Best of luck for this week.
Deputy head probably does know, just being a twat.
I would print out the emails just in case.

Ineedmorepatience · 19/10/2015 19:51

I would take the emails, the senco from Dd3's old school and the barrister made a big thing about us missing one meeting but I had several emails where I had sent lists of times we were available and then she had booked a time when neither of us were!!

You will get through this and then you can rethink your options when you know the outcome!

Have everything crossed for you

Original poster

2boysnamedR · 19/10/2015 22:01

Thanks. That's what I was thinking. See how much we win first

OP posts:

Ineedmorepatience · 20/10/2015 09:30

I had pretty much decided to take Dd3 out if school before our last hearing too.

What day is your hearing? I will be thinking about you this week! Lets hope this is the last one and your littlest will sort himself out!!

KOKOagainandagain · 20/10/2015 10:34

In my LA, the documentation submitted by the LA at Final Evidence includes a witness statement by a named member of school - in our case for DS2 it is the HT (I would prefer the senco as she is so green that she is draw-droppingly honest about their inability to deliver provision because of staffing constraints) whereas DS1 statement was by the DH and so it was him that attended hearing.

It is very hard to try and make the best for the sake of your DC whilst fighting a legal battle where the school will be fighting for the other side. I think it is worse now that LAs piously point out that the school already has funding as this incentivises schools to deny and minimise with relative impunity as even if parents do appeal it is the LA and not the school that bears legal responsibility.

Worse case scenario, in terms of preparing the way for a Judicial Review the Statement has to be worded in a way that allows no wiggle room to the school and then you have to come down on them like a ton of bricks if and when they breach it.

Best case scenario, the school will have an epiphany and all will be rosy

It can't make things worse.

Good luck this week

Original poster

2boysnamedR · 20/10/2015 15:55

No it's not going to make anything worse.

Don't worry I will be raising JR if the school even blink after this hell. I'm going to amend WD to teach touch typing as well

Not had any WD from la

OP posts:

GruntledOne · 20/10/2015 18:49

Have you filed the WD with the tribunal? It would probably be helpful. Put in the subject line the fact that it is a working document for a hearing and the date of the hearing.

Original poster

2boysnamedR · 20/10/2015 22:05

Yes I sent it last week. It's a nightmare. I can't see how we whittle it away in the day either. I have completly re written the damn thing

OP posts:

Ineedmorepatience · 22/10/2015 09:37

Dont know what day your hearing is 2boys but good luck

KOKOagainandagain · 23/10/2015 13:01

Hope all is going well

Original poster

2boysnamedR · 23/10/2015 21:57

It was today. Kicking myself I didn't apply for indi slt school. Oh well will see what's happens in year five now. Nothing close enough for his age to make ss worth looking at.
Senco said the school don't adhear to his statement as they get no funding - where do they find these people? It's like saying you wasn't robing the bank as you across town murdering a granny at the time. Much eye rolling..

I didn't the WD until a hour into hearing as no one mentioned the la had brought one. It was emailed - while I was in the train - but emailed to sendist yesterday. Nice

OP posts:

Ineedmorepatience · 23/10/2015 21:59

What was your general feeling 2boys? Were the panel helpful/knowledgable?

Hope you are ok and can now recover from all this crap!

Original poster

2boysnamedR · 23/10/2015 22:41

I really don't know. It was all over pretty quick. The majority of things the LA conceded without a fight. I'm more worried longer term and loosing the statement at AR or transfer

OP posts:

Ineedmorepatience · 24/10/2015 10:46

I am sure you wont lose anything! Especially if this appeal is successful!

Even though we are now home edding, my LA know they have to comply now with the Judges ruling! When we discussed changing over to EHCP there was no hint or threat of removal! I still dont trust them but I think our figjt with them is over and hopefully yours will be too!

Original poster

2boysnamedR · 25/10/2015 21:28

I am well peeved with the school. They was still insisting he doesn't need a statement. I sent a sarcastic email to the school afterwards. I just don't see really how things can ever improve.

OP posts:

Ineedmorepatience · 25/10/2015 21:56

Jeepers, what are they like!! I have heard it all before anyway!! The senco at Dd3's school was still maintaining that Dd3 didnt need any 1:1 even in the week that the LA had given her 17.5 hrs a week in her draft statement!!

Ineedmorepatience · 25/10/2015 21:59

I am not the right person to advise about schools at the moment as throwing the towel in has been the best thing we have done in yrs!!

Original poster

2boysnamedR · 28/10/2015 15:17

I just don't think I could ever home ed - four kids and one toddler with asd. I envey people who can as the only way to be free is too get away from these people. I have a few ideas left if things get worse. I don't think I will ever be talking to that school again. Major pita as its only school realistically my kids can get into on sibling rule as were in no catchment area.

I'm not doing any thing the same with my asd toddler. Lesson learnt. No one really cares about Sen. It's box ticking and minimising.

OP posts:

Obs2015 · 29/10/2015 18:27

Minimising. Isn't it just? It's so painful isn't it? How are you doing? Have you made any decisions yet?

Original poster

2boysnamedR · 30/10/2015 12:59

Thanks. I had the disabilities team from ss round today as I can't carry on like this with no support.

I am debating putting a formal complaint in with the school re not adhering to the statement or just giving up. It would only be to make the school sweat. Not sure I can spare them any more head space.

I don't want to check my emails. I don't think I ever care if we win now

OP posts:

Ineedmorepumpkins · 30/10/2015 13:01

I was pushed right to the limits of my mental health before I stopped sending Dd3 to school and so was she! There is now way I could have home ed my other 2 Dd's, so I totally get what you are saying!

Yrs ago when I moved Dd1 from one school to another which turned out worse I often wondered what would have happened if I had just left her there. She was relatively happy but her needs were not being met. I have often wished I could just have dropped her off and gone to work without another thought like other parents seem to be able to do. Maybe the school would have stepped up and maybe yours will too!

Who knows, why dont you wait and see what the outcome of the tribunal is before you make any firm decisions and see what happens!

You are right about the box ticking though. At the end of the day unless a child is causing massive problems it is likely that not much will change.

Hang in there

Original poster

2boysnamedR · 30/10/2015 13:33

I wish I could make the head see that I'm perfectly able to haul his arse through mud - I can and I would in a snap of my fingers.

Thing is he's not going to change for the next parent or screwed up Sen kid that finds himself at that school so what's the point?

I am worried yet resigned with my toddler. Thinking today about the parents on the early bird course wanting mainstream and have already turned down ss nursery. Their kids are as severe as mine but they too will get screwed in mainstream.

I can't spare headspace to care which makes me feel sad. They want to go to the local outstanding school and I want to scream "are you fu&king mad!!" But more and more I just don't care anymore.

Where's my toddler going to end up? Will this crappy school ever step up? I just don't think I care about that either.

Eventually my toddler will catered for as I have learnt lots from this. I would be better not diving in with him. I think he's not going to be glossed over.

Plus the school have inflated my sons levels so much he will be leaving with higher grades than his nt older brother. It's all going to come crashing down, I just hope we can survive to fight on if needed in year five.

He's a 3b in year three with a receptive and expressive Lang disorder. No 1:1 and no slt. If he keeps it up he's a genius. If they have inflated his results he has very little room for further inflation now.

I do miss work some days too. I almost wish I was back full time so I could mentally check out of this education system

OP posts:

Thespiderinthebath · 30/10/2015 18:12

Just keep pushing through 2boys. You are doing so well, keep going. .

I absolutely know what you mean about the parent situation. I too was that parent that wanted her DC in mainstream as long as possible. I had many parents tell me to get a statement and all I heard was gibberish. It wasn't until my friend, who is a teacher, told me that DD would not likely get the help the with her speech difficulties at a mainstream and advised me to look at speech units. Luckily, I listened and began my research on the SEN educational system.

Flip