I complained about ableist teacher...WWYD

[HRH2020]

DS was in year 4 this year with a teacher I can describe as a bit of a dinosaur regarding additional needs. DS is autistic, dyspraxic and demand avoidant. Teacher says she doesn't see any of it 🙄 so uses NT techniques (moving him, losing break time) to get him to stop talking/sit still. Also shouts at him if she has to repeat instructions.
At parents evening she said to him he was below expected therefore "coasting" and "not applying himself and focussing" and so on. He cried until 1am that night because he was trying his best with all his work. Any suggestions I make to help DS in class (eg written instructions) she ignores.

We heard from school last week that DS will have her again this year and I am worried that his current level of school refusal will go through the roof until he is unable to attend at all.

After my written complaint about the teacher, Senco has offered to "sort things out" with teacher or move DS into the other class. DS says his friends are all in current class so he'll stay. I'm not sure an ableist attitude can be "sorted out" over the summer holidays. I know another parent of a child with ADHD has also complained about this teacher. WWYD? Move class? Or stay and slog it out ?

I would move schools, a school where teachers can get away with this is not a good school.

Yes I agree that sounds like a crap school. Why hasn't that teacher been sorted out before? And why is the SENCO sorting it out and not the HT?

In answer to your question, it will be far more disruptive for him to move classes and he has said he wants to stay in his current one, so I think you have to go with that.

But I would be making an appointment to speak to the HT and pointing out very firmly

1.that your son has a disability and is covered by the Equality Act 2010.

2.Schools have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils, and that failure to make reasonable adjustments can be construed as disability discrimination.

And that if this teacher continues to fail to make reasonable adjustments and carries on using NT techniques you will be putting in a complaint about disability discrimination, and taking it as far as necessary.

Info here:

www.ipsea.org.uk/disability-discrimination

www.autism.org.uk/about/in-education/resolving-disagreements/discrimination-gb.aspx

Of course the school could make a very simple reasonable adjustment straight away by moving the dinosaur teacher to the other class instead of DS. You might like to suggest this.

Thanks for your responses. Yes after thinking about it, I am angry that they have offered to move DS. Imagine if it was me at work and instead of tackling colleague or boss re discrimination they offered to move me to another team?!

Senco is deputy head, I did also send a letter to the headteacher. I am getting a response from the teacher via senco today so depending on what comes of that, I think I will ask to see an IEP before September (promised but never happened) with recommendations from the SaLT and will be taking it straight to governors and beyond if teacher doesn't a) receive training and b) continues to "not see" his disability. 😡

The sad thing is this IS a new school (for DS) who apparently have a good rep for SEN provision.

Just realised - your son is already school refusing. That is usually a clear sign of unmet needs. Does your son have an EHCP?

No I have been dissuaded from applying as there is no evidence he is not accessing the curriculum- says the school

Well clearly there are difficulties as Dinosaur Teacher says he is below expected, not focusing and she has to repeat instructions. He is also school refusing which usually comes about because of unmet needs.

You can apply for an EHC Needs Assessment yourself.

"If a local authority (“LA”) is requested to carry out an EHC needs assessment by a parent, young person, school or college, they must consider:

whether the child or young person has or may have special educational needs (“SEN”); and
whether they may need special educational provision to be made through an EHC plan.

If the answer to both of these questions is yes, they must carry out an EHC needs assessment.

They are the only questions the LA should be asking.

Information here:
www.ipsea.org.uk/asking-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment

That's great, thanks so much 💐
I will apply before he goes back

Moving class sounds a good idea. He will make new friends and get away from the useless teacher.