What is this?????

[KOKOagainandagain]

Ongoing saga re DS2 I'm afraid.

But the thing that most baffles me atm is that the LA have sent (snail mail hard copy) letter asking that parents fill in the regulation form on the website requesting SA...???

But DS2 already has a Statement and is part way through the Transfer process.

No assessment was planned for Transfer. I pointed out that full assessment of need should take place for Transfer unless there was agreement not to do so and then the LA wrote saying "as you have requested reassessment ..." fill in the request for SA - LA have 6 weeks to decide whether to assess etc. WTF???

They don't have to do a request for changes form to change witnesses. However I have a feeling that technically you do need provision to bring a friend. Normally if you have someone there as supporter they're supposed to stay completely quiet but it shouldn't be a problem.

You could also take DS, but what usually happens is that they would get him in first right at the start of the hearing to talk to him, and you'd need to have someone around to take him away afterwards.

thankyou.

youare - sorry I missed this. ime LA witnesses always changed prior to the day and this was never challenged. I've never taken a friend as a supporter so I don't know the rules.

If I were you, I wouldn't take DS. Take a photo. Get him to dictate to you or write his views and then ask for them to be accepted on the day. Anxiety as it relates to school attendance in DS with ASD, rather than a mental illness affecting all aspects of life, is poorly understood. The panel may think that appearing at tribunal is more stressful than attending school on a daily basis.

The most important evidence for DS2 was from his own workbooks. When it comes to assessing progress, the SENCO is considered to be the expert which means that what they say is treated as fact even if they have no evidence to support it. So just let them say that levels are xyz and then draw the attention of panel to a photocopy of a piece of work that is below that level. The SENCO at DS2's school had to admit that the work was below the standard expected in that school year. In the eyes of the panel this then calls doubt on their assertion of making progress and being fine.

Also now that levels have been officially abandoned (although schools still use pupil tracker or similar and the expected rated of progress is still 6 NCP) it is much more difficult to compare progress over a number of years. You also are not told how far behind expectations your child is as each year is treated as if discrete - below, expected or above expected for the year compared to peers.

Good luck for next week.

I'm so glad you said that about producing work to the contrary of what's said! I have some work and the most recent is the piece that when I asked on MN was suspected to be written by a 6-8yo and some even picked up on the fact DS has autism from it! Plus Ben when the senco of old school says he's made progress I can actually show that she wrote on application that DS was X at start of year 7 and expected to be y at the end. He was graded as X!
Good idea about the views. The la said they would be seeking them as school didn't send them with application as they should have - but said his views were reflected in EP report anyway. Except EP report backs up everything I said and says DS views reflect the concerns I gave.

They clearly have some game up their sleeve because I don't know how they think they can win with 2 witnesses from a school he's too anxious to attend on their side

Some panels will still fall for obvious LA eyewash. So they'll usually have a punt at an impossible case- why wouldn't you, if it was primarily a game of numbers on a spreadsheet.