School Action Plus!!!! Is there a minimum amount of support?

[Dingle]

Spent nearly all morning at the school with SENCO/LSA and a PP rep. (This is the first PP visit)

Had lots to talk about and as usual ran out of time but a few very important issues were raised. The PP rep mentioned that if a child is on school action + they should be getting a certain amount of hours per week supporting them.

Has anyone got any info about this please?

Have not heard this Dingle-DS has been on school action plus and has not received any additional support.

Ds is on SA+ and doesn't have an LSA (although he did in Reception). He does a few minutes each week with the TA to help with his writing and takes part in the sensory integration programme but other than that he has no additional support.

IIRC in Reception he had something called settling-in hours where he had an LSA for about 10hrs a week (usually classtime in the mornings).

Well the PP rep mentioned something about a minimum of 6-10 hours support on School Action + BUT she wanted to find out more info from SENCO before persuing (sp?) this!

6-10 hours support on SA plus eh, well that's made me laugh!. No-one I know on SA plus gets anything near that. Going up towards ten hours per week as well is coming into Statement territory (well from 7.5 hours a week actually). Also School Action plus (unlike a statement) is not legally binding and therefore not legally enforceable. Small wonder many LEA's are keen to put children on this scheme regardless of suitability for same.

Some PPs work cap in hand with the LEA - would take independent advice from IPSEA if you're having problems.

When my son was on SA plus he got 4 hours a week all split up into 15 minute sections and no one to one. Certainly no entire morning or afternoon support.

Dingle, keep at it with regards to the Statement request.

OOOhhh I am Attila!!! The LEA should make their decision by the end of Feb- but whatever happens I will fight to the end.

Another subject that came up this morning was that the SENCO didn't think I facilitator would be in place until September- when DD starts Y1- something else the PP rep questioned!

I know I have no bench mark to go on- but as children with DS go- I feel DD is a very strong, socialable, confident...and dare I say bright (in her own capacity)little girl and that I want to give her a fair go at a mainstream education.

She has come on well, and her work with the LSA outside class just proves her capabilities IMO, so it's so frustrating to think how well she could be doing with the correct level of support rather than only an hour and 20 minutes a week.

BTW- still have IPSEA on hand should the LEA breech any deadlines...they helped us prepare the case ready for tribunal before the LEA backed down at the last minute and I am still emailing our Rep every now and then with updates!!!

I am certainly not thinking about settling on School Action + ,just trying to think of a way of improving the situation as it stands now. DD has already fallen further behind her peers (surprise, surprise!) and I really don't feel happy about waiting until September to get support in place!!!

Dingle this is something I am also trying to find out, so far not getting many solid answers.
I am also trying to find out if the school gets a set amount of money for each child at school action +
I am hoping to get my hands on the LEA SN guidelines, to see if anything is actually quantified.
It seems to me that our school give support based on their staffing levels and not on the needs of the children.
Mind you have turned into a doubting old trout as far as school and SN are concerned.

my understanding is that there has to be 5 hours minimum....BUT.....

this does not have to be 1:1....and rarely is ....just 'extra' to what is normally provided for a child that age...
it can be defined as loosley as " when child needs support...the teacher gives it"...and they can quantify it as breaking it down to 1 hour over the 6 hour day...or even as vague as '1 hour extra support over lunch each day'...which is basically someone 'keeping an eye on him' a bit more than the others

you can probably tell from my post that i think the provision of 'hours/support' at school action plus sucks.....

If he has a IEP (individual education plan)...which i believe he should at schoolAct + ...then they should give some idea of what supprt....but what i don't think they have to do is 'quantify' to prove the 5 hours.

Well DS1 teacher of the deaf phoned today and she had been into school where they have agreed to give him 1:1 half an hour a day from half term. I hope it comes off as this is exactly what he needs, he doesn't need an lsa and small group work is pointless as no one else has the same problems as him.

I might be wrong, but I didnt think SA+ led to one-to-one support, but it might depend on individual LEAs. I think usually it nmeans some work in a smaller group, IEP etc