EHCP

[KisstheTeapot14]

DS is in Y4. Last year was rather a disaster and we very nearly pulled him out, however things have improved with a new head teacher who seems on the ball.

DS has dyspraxia diagnosis and is due soon for Ed Psych to look at reading and other issues.

Going to ask for paediatrician to look at ADD inattentive in April when we have review meeting, OT flagged up attention span of 5 mins - we and school were well aware of this by observation.

LA have granted school some extra money (a couple of thou) to fund interventions and TA - though she seems to be working with other child with SEN and be general TA...that's another story. LA did not grant specialist teacher input of 1.5 hrs as he's 3 years behind literacy and 23 months in maths (have to be 24 months for both according to LA policy). This is due to be reconsidered in April.

We are considering EHCP. Interventions do not seem to have made a marked effect on progress - reading has gone up 1 year in 1 year, but is not narrowing the gap. Ed Psych will assess for reading difficulties like info processing and phonological difficulties but policy no to diagnose dyslexia.

2 questions -

1. How is 'adequate progress' measured - as in school have done xyz and he has made progress but not in my opinion enough. I feel more could be done and that his reading issues have not been dealt with as matter of urgency. Had to ask for Ed Psych for over a year for example, mean while school do some extra phonics. Feels like they are ticking a box not addressing the need.

IPSEA says:

At paragraph 9.14 the Code states that “the local authority should consider whether there is evidence that despite the early years provider, school or post-16 institution having taken relevant and purposeful action to identify, assess and meet the special educational needs of the child or young person, the child or young person has not made expected progress”

School have their own indecipherable mode of progress assessment and I can't get to the bottom of how its applied to SEN kids...

They just keep saying 'he's making progress' (yeah, like a snail, no offence to DS, its not his fault).

1. Should I wait until I have all the reports in a line -

ie. Pay for private assessment/diagnosis of dyslexia
Dyspraxia report done recently so that's in the bag
ADD possible diagnosis around April

before I proceed with EHCP?

School do quite a few good interventions for dyspraxia and a bit of writing work/typing but reading wise I have not been impressed so far in terms of time or ways of teaching.

We do at least 30 mins a day at home with various strategies to boost reading.

Sorry to splurge, its all this that wakes me up at 6am whirring round in my poor old head! Sometimes I could and do weep at how much work this all is - the obstacles and the way people in the system try to deceive. It makes for cynicism. Other times I come on here for sage advice. This makes for faith in humanity being restored. Thank you.

Oh, he has some physical health stuff going on too. Bladder. Up to consultant level but no diagnosis poss overactive/dysfunctional voiding. Lots of accidents/loo trips which disrupt class/learning time.

special teachers come to kids who are delayed 1.5 hrs a week in our area - but we do not yet 'qualify'.

Progress should, as a minimum, mean that the gap between the child and his peers is not widening, and ideally it should be widening. If your child is making some progress but it is only, say, 6 months' progress in a year, then that gap will be widening. In assessing progress, they should also take into account whether the only reason the child is making progress is that the child is getting much more by way of help than is normally available in the mainstream, e.g. if the parents are paying for tuition or the school is putting extra support in.

Local authorities should not have rigid criteria for deciding whether to assess, but should consider the circumstances of each child individually: for instance, if the child is 23 months behind in maths but is also exhibiting very low self confidence or behavioural issues, that could well indicate the need for assessment. In your case your son's physical problems would be very relevant.

The legal criteria for deciding whether to assess are simply whether the child has or may have SEN, and whether he may need special educational provision through an EHCP. It's usually that second limb that causes complications, because councils tend to argue that the child's needs could be met in school. However, if the child is not making progress despite the fact that the school is putting in place lots of help, that would tend to suggest his needs aren't being met. Also, in your case, the fact that the council is putting in place extra funding demonstrates that they accept that your child's needs can't be met within the resources normally available to mainstream schools - which is one of the main criteria to consider when deciding whether to issue an EHCP.

Independent reports may help, but a lot of LAs tend to ignore them. However, a formal diagnosis of dyslexia may help if it won't delay things too long.

You might find SOS SEN's booklet on assessments helpful - www.sossen.org/shop/index.php?cPath=22&osCsid=inglo3t8d79s63hhqdj2cqldh1

Thanks for the reply. Going to arrange a meeting with his teacher and follow that with one with new head teacher. Feel like we have to get this ball rolling.

It’s absolutely worth paying for a private Dyslexia diagnosis as the more evidence of the range of his SEN you have the more evidence is there to be considered

School have asked us to apply for EHCP.

Is it better for us to do it (more control, but a lot of work, stress, time and money which we don't have due to me being ill 50% of the time) or should school be stepping up and making an application for assessment? Glad they recognise the need, but wonder what is the best route to proceed.IPSEA appointments all full, otherwise would book in with them for a chat.