Help needed - reduced timetable in reception

[MummyNotMommy]

Hi everyone, I could really do with some advice if possible.

My son started reception 3 weeks ago, he turned 4 at the end of July so is very young. He has not transitioned well and has been challenging in his behaviour and school feel he is getting worse and they are struggling to cope with him.

They have today phoned and told me they are going to have him observed next week by the PRU and the advice from them before the observation has been to reduce his hours to 8.30-10.30am every day.
This is obviously incredibly difficult to manage as both of us work full time. There is no end date for this reduction, they've just said that they will increase it when he shows improvement and will be creating a pastoral support programme.

He is under a paediatrician but does not have a diagnosis and has yet to start the process. I suspect we are looking at ASD with PDA traits, but this is just from my own research really.

Does anyone have any advice about where I stand with this? I can probably manage to cover the next couple of weeks but realistically if this continues for longer than that then my husband or I will have to give up work, which we really can't afford to do, nor do we really want to.

Thanks in advance for any words of wisdom.

This doesn’t sound like something that is likely to be resolved in two weeks, though it’s possible of course. I presume he doesn’t have an EHCP in place at the moment. Have you applied for an assessment?

I don’t know what the legalities are. @danni0509 had issues with her son being on a reduced timetable for the entire reception year.

Hopefully someone will be able to give you some advice.

I dont actually know the legalities as he hasnt turned 5 and i presume doesnt have an ehcp. You should try IPSEA and SOSSEN!

I think its also important to protect his mental health so a defined PT timetable of a weeks to allow them to sort some support out may actually be in his best interests. But you can gauge that.

However, i think i would want meeting before agreeing to a PT timetable and in that meeting i'd want to know what adjustments they had made and what professionals (other than the PRU) they were intending to consult and how soon. And for them to apply for an ehcp now. Some behaviour specialist from PRUs arent as aware of autism as others and behaviour approaches can be different - so id be wanting to see an autism outreach service asap, even without a diagnosis.
I'd like to see the school recording what is triggering the behavior to help them build a picture (is it too noisy, does he struggle with transitions, is he not getting social niceties eg sharing)
I know this is a lot of informstion, but in terms of adjustments - are they using plenty of visuals, including a visual timetable, does he have a safe space, are they taking into account he may need longer to process instructions so giving simple instructions and giving him time to respond, who is supporting his social interaction?, what undestanding do they have of anxiety.
I suppose what i'm sayng is id like to see the school has put in place a lot of sutism best practice and he still wasnt coping before id agrree to anything other than a very short mental health break. Otherwises there isny much incentive for them to sort it out properly.
All the best.

Thank you, that is very helpful. I am meeting them on Friday so will raise what you have suggested.
The reduced timetable has already started from today (I got the call this morning!) and I feel like I wasn't given a choice to delay it, was just instructed that someone would need to collect him.

I do agree that he isn't coping and therefore some reduction in hours is probably sensible but surely it has to work for both parties?! I just feel like the expectation is there will be one parent at home and so it should be manageable but that's just not reflective of society today.

You can also ask whether he has been excluded and how they are recording the absence.

@MummyNotMommy as open said, my ds was on a reduced timetable until 2 weeks ago. He's in yr 1 now and 6 in January.

It started from his first day with 2 hours a day until the term after he turned 5 so from the September he started, up until the April, he did 2 hours daily, then from the April they conveniently did it so that he came back in the afternoon too, since he was compulsory school age from this point. So from the April he did 2 hours in the morning, I had to pick him up take him home for an hour and a half before lunch then take him back for the last hour and 45 for his afternoon mark. Was such a ball ache.

When I got his end of reception year report it had absences and attendance etc on, how he had been marked for the 2 hours a day for the first 5 months was with the code for non compulsory school age!

I complained to school many times even to his ehcp co ordinator who said that school said it was in ds' best interests and to keep on at them. In the end I had to speak to the LA Ed psych for advice as ds had an ehcp from the start. After nearly a year I had had enough of all the back and forth so mentioned it to the Ed psych at a parents coffee morning on the off chance, who took ds name and my mobile number and said she would see what she could do.

Not sure what happened as school never mentioned it and I never heard back from the EP (!) but a week or so after this school said after the summer holidays ds can go full time. Coincidence, who knows?!

He is full time now or just about. He starts half hour later than the other kids and finishes 10 mins earlier and that's a permanent arrangement (ds cant manage busy pick up / drop offs) but he does nearly 6 hours a day now so not going to argue and I don't mind that set up.

I feel for you! Especially if your working. Dh works fulltime but I don't work so I could manage it (just..!)

I would just stamp your foot down and say you'll lose your job. Tough shit basically.

I really wish schools wouldn't do it, ds lost a lot of hours learning last year.

I take him in via the office and collect him via the office and every morning I'm seeing a parent doing a familiar routine to what I used to do and I recently heard her say see you at 11.30am! She doesn't know what she's in for but by the time I've hand delivered my ds to his 1-1 she's gone so I can't even warn her

The problem is if you refuse the school may feel they have no choice but to permanently exclude. Realistically it is not likely to be a quick fix - think months rather than weeks so you will have to plan for childcare on that timescale. In fairness the school do at least seem to be trying to call in support to try and help the problem longer term so is a temporary leave of absence a possibility?

I only started a new job three weeks ago so I'd have to quit! I'm trying to see if I can get him back into his nursery (who were wonderful with him, but who the school seem determined to avoid taking advice from) for some of the days.

Ironically, I chose the school because it is brand new and part of a very well performing academy trust and I assumed they would try everything before kicking him out!

I think you should consider keeping him back a year. As he’s summer born maybe he can start reception the year after if he clearly isn’t ready.

A deferral needs to be applied for and agreed by the LA.

It’s a tough situation OP. Hopefully you will get some clarity after the observation next week.

I had a child who went part time in the first 2 terms of Reception. He was not coping, and later diagnosed with ASD. He coped very well at Nursery (a Montessori 9-3 pm) the previous two years. His birthday was March, so not young for his year, and not premature birth either.
Year 1 and beyond went comparatively well, although school had to put in some strategies and pastoral support from year 3 as he was occasionally school refusing in the mornings (but fine once in, apart from playtime)

I'm telling you this, because the long term, what helps your son now, is going to massively affect his future and your ability to work full time. School isn't child care for working parents, although it feels very unfair.

My ability to work was very much compromised by my son's SEN, culminating in my having to home educate him in Years 8-9 (aged 11-13) It isn't just the hours you have "free" whilst they are in school, it is the hours you spend with distressed anxious children when they come home that wears you down. Son is doing very well now and been back in full time school for ages (doing A levels)

So in the kindest way possible, try and think of the box.. Stairways suggestion of him deferring for a year, and going back to nursery is a really good one. An extra year makes an enormous difference developmentally - it is after all only luck that he wasn't born on the Ist of September and the year behind, and one of the oldest ones in Reception in the year to come.

HTH. My son loved many many aspects of primary, but rushing him a this stage would not have helped him. I'm glad I didn't know the law.

sorry "out of the box."

There are many many situations we find ourselves in where a working parent can no longer work, or would have to take unpaid parental leave. My elder son had a bad accident and was off school for 3 months when he was 9. Again, I had to just suck it up, whether I had worked or not - his recovery (he was in a wheelchair for 3 months but also needed to mobilise in a supervised setting, ie not school) was the most important thing at that time, and I just would not have been able to work. I know that friends who did work full time would have had to take the same time off, or share that time off between parents or relatives, or pay someone to mind him part of the day. That is just what you have to do when your child isn't in a position to attend school.

My son missed his entry to reception this month...he will be five in January...and I am waiting the court hearing for our appeal.against the LA decision of special.school...

Sometimes i think it is better to keep.him.homeschooled for a year or more as this would help him develop smothly far away from.too.much sendory loads...etc and get much affection from me
..his mum...

What do you think??

Thanks for ur help and sharing ur experience...

I have two autistic kids daughted who will be 6 in february and my son 5 in january.

My daughter is in year 1 but my son.missed his school this month as we are waiting for the court hearing as We appealed against LA decidion to special school :(

When my daughter started reception last year...i was asked to drop her 2 hrs later and .pick her up.1 hr earlier as she hits...poke other kids...etc...

But i refused and asked the teacher to either involve a psychologist or find a way to deal with the issue....

After some time...they were sble to deal with my daughter and she was full time all.last year...

But.my son who has a delay (he mussed reception entry this month) so he will be behind 1 year to his peers... My Educational pdychologist (private) ...she suggested i should dtart gradually with him...like your son...not because he hits...but because he seems more turbulant and in his wirld...but to be honest i would need advice from.parents like yourself...

What do you think?

Thanks

I also think that another year at nursery sounds like a good option if its not too late to sort. My advice came from the perspective that if the school could make adjustments to help your child cope and hasnt yet, then its worth making those adjustments to see if they help.
Nettleskeins is right that what your child is legally entitled to and what they need may not always match up. My son just had a year at home with me and it impacted on my work greatly. He was legally entitled to a home tutor but he wasnt in a position to benefit from it so i didnt fight that battle. SEN has a whole family impact. It doesnt feel very fair at times.

...He was legally entitled to a home tutor but he wasnt in a position to benefit from it so i didnt fight that battle....

What do you mean by: ...he was not in à position to benefit from it...

Do you mean he would need his mum as hid best tutor?

I am asking this because, I am in a similar situation where i am.being my sons full time ABA tutor...too tough...but no one can have the patience and affection.i have for him...

He had a nervous breakdown and had too may barriers to learn so i had to focus on his mental health for the year. He didnt trust anyone and couldnt have strangers in the home. It had to be me and his dad.

Hi. The school can't implement a part time timetable without your agreement. If he can't cope then the school should go to the local authority for funding. He does not have to be in school but should have an alternative such as forest school. Also if he is having difficulties already you need to apply for an EHCP.