School refusing my reception daughter full time hours

[MissBee80]

My daughter has social and communication difficulty, she'll be 5 next month. The teacher has refused her finishing at 3.20 like The other children. She claims it's too much for her and she has to be picked up at 1pm.

My husband has taken time off work since September and now he has to go back to work. She cries when she gets home that she wants to go back. The teacher says she gets emotional when they ask her to do things like tidy up but she'll still do it when she's told.

There are other children in the class who have similar issues but they are allowed full time.

I have a meeting with her and The head teacher next week, I really don't know what to say/do I need advice. Thanks

I think I’d listen to what they say and be objective. Obviously your daughters needs are at the centre of this and those needs should come first. Obviously if you are adamant that she is being “excluded” without a valid reason then this is an illegal practise, but I would say in your situation a sensible, frank and honest discussion where both sides are prepared to listen is the way forward. You have a long school career ahead and believe me, if you have a child with SEN you need to pick your battles and choose your enemies wisely.
For further info on illegally excluding children with SEN look at www.ipsea.org.uk

@lanbury thanks for this, I guess I'm just very emotional about the whole thing. I'll take your advice into account.

Do you have an ehcp in place? Have the school put any support in place? Do they use visual aids with her? Have you had an educational psychologist assessment? Do have an advocate who can support you in the meeting, I'm thinking for sendiass.

She's not yet at statutory school age, I'd expect the school to use this as an excuse.

They need to have a plan to get her ft asap. Formally request a meeting to discuss this and support for her, in writing . It may be an illegal exclusion (although technically she is not of compulsory school age yet) or discrimination covered by DDA.

@Biggreen87 there's no EHCP in place yet, I've chased them up and I haven't received any update. She hasn't been seen by an EP. I had to chase the speech therapist myself as I didn't trust them to do it.
I attended a meeting with the teacher and the speech therapist and she mentioned that they need to put some things in place and attend a training which I've also signed up for myself to help her at home.

@LIZS I'll be bringing this up in the meeting with them next week. I'm just upset that it has dragged on since September and still there's nothing in place.
I just don't want it to drag on for another term without any proper plan in place.

When did you apply for the EHCP assessment? The LA by law should let you know within six weeks if they agree to assessment (and the whole process should take 20 weeks) Good you’ve got a meeting booked with the school and hopefully you’ll find a way to work forward together. You can ask and you should get a plan in place with goals and strategies for support, including a workable time frame for full time etc.

If you are waiting for the school to apply for the EHCP, then do it yourself. You also then get the right of appeal.

Her leaving early, if it is not in writing, is an illegal exclusion.

The teacher told me this morning when I dropped my daughter off that the meeting has been cancelled because they are expecting a visit from the Special education needs advice team of the local authority.

She said the head teacher is also of the same view with her to have the meeting after the SEN team see her.
I asked her when they would be coming and she said she doesn't know as the school hasn't been able to reach them to get a date .
It took a whole lot of strength for me not to scream this morning at her as I'm trying to pick my battle as advised but I'm not sure of they are just pushing me around.

Think you need to continue to push for her to go ft in the interim. What if you told them it was no longer sustainable to collect her early? Maybe Ipsea or similar could advise you.

I agree with LIZS that you should push to get a date in the diary for a meeting regardless as to whether they have had a visit or not. In the meantime, you might want to think about contacting your local parent partnership for advice. Our local one calls themselves SENDIS and each area tends to have a different name, but they will give you advice and also names of people on the authority to speak to, as you may want to do some research on whether a visit is actually planned and it’s not the school fobbing you off. They should be working with you. Also talk to them about starting the EHCP assessment process, they will tell you who to write to, look for further info on this at www. Ipsea.org.uk. As someone else said, I think you should also ask school for thing a in writing. You need to start a paper trail for future evidence if nothing else. If they are saying she needs to go home because they can’t cope with her, then this is not a practical solution (it’s illegal) and that is evidence that the LA will need to fund provision in form of EHCP.

Ps: organising meetings to have civil discussions and mutually discuss a plan for the welfare of your daughter should be something the school is happy to do. That is not an unreasonable request as you are not going on on the aggressive or asking for anything unreasonable. There is a difference between being your daughters advocate and being strong than making unreasonable demands and making a fuss. Yes you do have to pick your battles, but what you’re asking for is just a meeting, so it shouldn’t really be one.

I'm really grateful for all your advice, it's feels good to know other people understand me.
I will be asking for a meeting with the head teacher again, I would not go through the class teacher this time and hopefully he agrees to see me for a civil discussion.
I did ring the people they are expecting and was told someone would contact me by Monday to let me know if she has been referred to their service or not.
I'll also ask for everything in writing going forward as taking their word for it hasn't paid off so far. She promised that my daughter would start full time this month and I can't challenge her now as it's not in writing.

@MissBee80 please please just apply for the EHCP yourself. You do NOT need the school. They will be contacted and the best thing is is that it has timelines so they HAVE to respond and cannot put you off any further.

It doesn't matter that your DD is below CSA. The statutory exclusion guidance makes it clear the guidance applies to those in schools below or above CSA.

As PPs have said definitely apply for an EHCNA yourself, and make sure to follow up conversations with emails, to get a paper trail.

You may find the case law F-T v The governors of Hampton Dene Primary School (SEN) [2016] UKUT 0468 AAC an interesting read. Also, you could threaten JR for failure to provide full time education, the threat usually works.

You can contact the inclusion officer at the local authority as they should have been made aware of the part time timetable, also this should only be a short term solution.

What's happening @MissBee80?

Any developments?

What's happening @MissBee80?

Any developments?