Statement for AS without school backing. Anyone every succeeded?

[Lorns]

Hi there

1 statement needed for academically able ds with AS and with serious behavioural issues at home, but not at school!

Just met with the school again about my ds who is as usual way above average academically in all subjects - (does the bare minimum to get by and doesn't answer all questions)and displays behvaiour which is within accepted limits within the school environment. Everything is unfair to him at school and friendships are a major issue for him!

Typical of AS he will kickoff at home. I'm trying various anger management strategies, (thanks Karen! ), all of which at the moment don't get past the drawing board as he just kicks off when I try and include him in this area.

Anyway they won't back a statement. I would dearly love for him to go to a new school which is opening in September for AS children in Surrey area, (not that we live in that area at the mo), but he needs a statement.

Has anyone sucfessfully got a staetment by just applying to the LEA themselves??

Anyone in the same situation?

hello.
YES!!!!
In exactly the same situation as you, school did not back us up in fact said that we were causing DS problems and stated so in the case statement put forward by the LEA.
Unfortunately we had to go to tribunal to get him asessed, he came out of school and still is 18 months later, we did get a statement but it wasnt up to much and we are at tribunal again on 20th june to get it written up (hopefully) and a place for Ds in an independent special school.
The best advice i can give you is just to go for it yourself, dont listen to school, they will try and put you off, you know your child the best.

HTH

Lorns

I would fully agree with Jenk's response re applying for the statement yourself. You as the parent have more power than the school do in this regard anyway as you can appeal the LEA's decision if they say no to assessment. School cannot.

What you describe is a scenario shared by my friend's child - her son can just about cope at school but mum gets the full brunt of the anger and frustration when out of school.

www.ipsea.org.uk is the website of IPSEA and they can give you a few pointers as well (there are model letters you can use for the LEA).

Thank you both so much. Just what I wanted to hear! Obviously it depends on which LEA we are all under, but a statement means a new lease of life for my DS (well I think so anyway!!).

Thanks also for ipsea!

Lorns, I will be really interested to hear how you get on.

Do you know anything about the new school, is it going to be specially for AS children?

Loads of good luck with this.

Hi caroline3

Do you live in the Surrey area? The school is being opened by the Priory Education Trust for children with AS specifically in the area. 8-16 years provision.

The school had set to work already on communication and ways to help DS1. It's amazing what a meeting and a few tears will do! He;s year 4 and has been at the school since year 1

If DS1 responds well to what they are now putting in place it will be great in one way but frustrating in another and make statementing even harder. I would love to have one in place before DS goes to senior school as I don't think he will cope that well.

If you want I can give you the website address?

Hi Lorns I live in S London - would def like to look at the website address.

My ds is in year 2. It is getting v. hard to get statements for AS kids now as the resources are meant to be going to the schools. I don't think that helps much as we need specialised help for our kids.

Anyway I don't think you should necessarily give up on getting a statement. As you said it is secondary school I am really concerned about. This is where a statement will really come in useful as without one I think our kids could get lost.

ah very interesting about the priory cos thats one of the schools we want ds to go to.

they have just opened one near to us which we cant visit as our lea wont arrange one for us, im hoping the tribunal will make them though.

Hi Caroline3 - sorry about the long wait for a reply! This is the website www.prioryeducation.com. Once on there you can select a school and proceed from there.

Hi Jenk1 - can you not just ring priory education up and ask for a visit???

I got very excited when I read this thread! We do not live too far from Godalming and it would be brilliant if I could get my ds into an AS specialist school. He was turned down for a Statement in year 5 as being "academically able" but now in Year 7, the senior school are finding that he is just NOT progressing as much as he ought to. I hope that the Priory will send me some information and if I need to get him a Statement I shall go out all guns to get him one.

That's fab round the bend! . Why oh why do they label out children s academically able and then surprise, surprise find out they are struggling when they get to secondary school. Good luck for the statement