Mainstream School not working!

[Wyn312]

I don't really know where to start.

My 10 year old DS with ASD has always struggled with school. Where I live we have 3 tier system.

First School was a nightmare, with exclusions, meltdowns etc. The staff worked hard, we got an EHCP and eventually my son settled to a degree, with a lovely 1:1 TA. He has always worked separately outside of the classroom as he cannot tolerate crowds or noise at school.

Move onto 2020, his last year before transition to Middle School, which we are dreading, then Covid happens.
All of the enhanced transition that had been recommended went out of the window due to lockdown. DS anxiety went through the roof regarding worrying about Middle School. I contacted GP to try and get CAMHS referral and/or anxiety as he was so upset and worse than ever. This was declined and we were recommended breathing excercises etc which he never even tries.
We had a visit to the outside of the school and I had a zoom meeting to discuss EHCP but that was about it for transition.
So September was pretty bad, anxiety, shouting, screaming, not wanting to go. The in Oct his TA had Covid and he had to isolate for 2 weeks, followed by half term break. He was getting so worked up, not wanting to go to school, he even said he would be really naughty so they would exclude him , if that was the only way he could stop going.

He always suffers from having to go back after a break anyway. Then I get Covid and he has to isolate for another 2 weeks.

He went back today, after I get home from dropping him off, the school calls, he is having a meltdown and throwing chairs about, shouting and screaming. Go straight back to collect him and have a meeting with SENCO. He thinks school just isn't working for him. I feel like he is asking me for the solution but I don't know what to say. I feel he is putting words into my mouth saying mainstream isn't working, and I have to agree that I am so concerned about DS mental Health. However we all kwno the local special schools have no places and huge waiting lists.
We ended the meeting saying DS would stay at home for a while and we would stay in touch and decide what to do. I feel school have concluded that they cannot help DS and they want him out. I kind of agree, it is so stressful for us all. However I know it's sooo difficult to home school DS having tried during lockdowns and isolating.

We are not a wealthy family either, my husband works FT and I work PT (at home at the moment but that will change once we get back to 'normal'. We would really struggle financially if I gave up my job (and I would probably have a breakdown if I had to teach DS).

Sorry for the big jumbled messy rant. I guess what I am saying is I do kind of agree mainstream just doesn't suit DS, however I am so worried about the future and whether he will get a special school place, how long it will take, and what we will do if I have to go back to work. I don't know whether to take the plunge and de-register him or what next moves to take. School didn't say this to me directly, but I know they have had enough and cannot deal with him, he has also been so traumatised by the whole thing.

Any ideas, thoughts, advice greatly appreciated.
I just don't know where to go from here.

Don't deregister and electively home educate, doing so relieves the LA of their duty to provide education and SEN provision. If DS needs to be educated at home either short term until another placement is found or longer term it it EOTAS you want, where the LA will provide the education via a tutor or online and other therapies/provision in section F.

Do you think DS' EHCP is representative of his needs and has all the support needed? Or do you think the EHCP needs amending via an early review or DS reassessing? During a reassessment of needs you could ask for DS to be assessed by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist.

If you don't think mainstream is going to work do you have any additional/enhanced resourced provisions within travelling distance? Or do you have a special school in mind? You may have to go to tribunal but if you think that's the right setting for DS I would push for that.

If school are sending DS home they should be providing you with official exclusion paperwork.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate your help. The school haven't excluded him, but they have suggested some time away to think about what to do. They have said that they would support me if I think a special school would be better for him, but I feel that they just don't want to help him and don't want him in school anymore. I think half the problem is that he has had 2 x 2 weeks off isolating and 2 weeks holiday in October. He takes a very long time to settle down and this is a new school. He's got used to the TA but has recently been told that she will be going in January and he will have somebody else.
I know he is a real handful because when he's anxious he is seriously horrendous, but he is a sweet terrified little guy who needs really gentle care and patience so that he can become comfortable, before he can start learning.
There is a special school or 2 locally but I've heard there are no places and it's a nightmare to get into them.

I just feel like they don't want to deal with him anymore because he's hard work and time consuming 😞

I have two children with ehcps. One in a mainstream and one in a specialist. The one in the specialist school spent a year in mainstream and it was horrendous. He was kept locked outside away from the other kids, lunch was on his own in the classroom. The school were very unsupportive and didn’t want him. I’d take a look at some specialist schools. Once you decide on one, I’d call an emergency review unless you’re coming up to an annual review and name the new school on the plan.

What the school is doing is an illegal informal exclusion. If they are sending DS home you should insist on official exclusion paperwork.

Make sure to look out of area and at independents. If the school is the nearest suitable school you will get transport and the acceptable travel time is considered to be 45mins for primary and 1hr15 for secondary, however many children travel further.

Being full isn't enough of a reason to refuse to place a child in a school. Unless the school is wholly independent the only reason the LA can refuse to name your preference is if
-the setting is unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or SEN of the child.
-it's incompatible with the efficient education of others.
-it's incompatible with the efficient use of resources.
And the bar for those is high.

I think you should contact your case office and say you have been asked to keep your child home in a sort of informal arrangement so the ehcp isnt being delivered and could they arrange a FT education asap.

Thank you so much for replying. I feel completely lost.
I know I'll have to spend some time considering what to do. I really appreciate your advice and I wish I knew all the legalities that you guys know. I'm not an uneducated person but I have a high needs son and another child and am working too.
I am in despair as to what to do for the best. Thank you again for taking the time to read this and help

The trouble is that in the past I have been upset with the other school because they have excluded him formally when he has had meltdowns and I don't feel that this is fair as it is a stress reaction and part of his condition!

The meltdowns are an indication of unmet needs. And it could be sensory related. Mainstream schools are a lot bigger, busier and noisier than special schools.

But I agree with PP above- do not de register and electively home educate. That absolves the LA of all their responsibilities. If your son cannot go to school the LA have a legal duty to secure the provision in Section F of his EHC Plan some other way.

Contact the LA and ask for an urgent review of the EHCP. Model letter here:
www.ipsea.org.uk/asking-for-an-early-review-of-an-ehc-plan

Look for schools not only in your local authority but also in neighbouring local authorities:

To search for schools by local authority:

get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/

Section 41 special schools:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-special-schools-and-colleges

Independent special schools and colleges:
www.specialneedsguide.co.uk/

Information on choosing a school with an EHC Plan

www.ipsea.org.uk/choosing-a-schoolcollege-with-an-ehc-plan

And if CAMHS won't do anything, try contacting Youngminds:

youngminds.org.uk/

This is great advice, thank you so much for your help. I am going to look into this in detail later. You have given me so much help, I at least know where to start. Thank you x