Getting dressed for PE issues

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Hi all,

ds is 11. He's just started mainstream secondary but hoping to move him to a sen school soon, I don't think a mainstream environment is right for him. He does have an EHCP but everything's a fight to get the right support.

he's very capable of trousers, jumpers, shoes (slip on), taking his PE kit on and off but cannot do buttons so struggles with his school shirt and tie.

we have already tried Velcro school shirts from M&S but he hated them, they come undone constantly, the Velcro doesn't stick well after a wash and he didn't like the noise of the velcro so he's now back in normal shirts

he also hates being rushed and getting dressed for PE in mainstream is very rushed!

the PE teacher is refusing to help him with buttons, I get it, the boy is 11 and should be able to do them but he has severe learning delays amongst other issues and also has fine motor skill issues - writing is a big issue too, this is all outlined in his EHCP.

I have emailed the school continuously to try and sort it and try and come up with a solution, they are doing indoor PE at the minute and DS isn't an overly sweaty pre teen - yet, PE is usually first or second lesson so I suggested DS wearing his PE kit to school or wearing it to school and uniform on afterwards rather than worrying about buttons twice.

the PE teacher gets almost angry and frustrated and calls another member of staff to come help. This causes DS to get anxious.

he's attempted to take his shirt off just by pulling at the buttons damaging the shirts.

we have practised so much. He just really struggles with it!

I just don't know what to suggest. Any advice?

he should have more adult support at the school but the school say 'there isn't enough money' for him to have a TA to support him. He had 1:1 at primary.

this is just one in a list of many problems going on!

but it's making DS dread PE!

I would ask for a meeting / phone call with the SENCO, ask them to intervene.
Either they provide someone to help or they make reasonable adjustments.

Reasonable adjustments?

• stay in PE shirt/kit all day, or even change from dirty PE shirt to a clean one?
• stay in PE shirt until break/lunch then change when time?
• pull formal shirt on/off like a jumper but not have to do up top few buttons?

Note that in Covid times kids were in their PE kit all day on PE days, and schools coped. I'd ask for adjustment 1. He has an EHCP, it isn't as if you are just being precious.

If there is a list of issues, maybe write them out, email SENCO and ask for meeting to go through to agree solutions. There are bound to be things that crop up with moving to Secondary that weren't visible when doing the EHCP.

@TeenDivided thank you!! I have had one meeting with senco and emailed her several times about this and other things but she's a bit pants to be honest. They changed senco after we started the secondary transition, the previous one seemed great but I think there was a mismatch communication because of the change.

he's doing indoor pe currently and he's not an overly sweaty child, so I honestly wouldn't see the problem with staying in uniform or wearing it in and changing later once rather than twice managing buttons!

its just the shirt, everything else he can generally manage - at his own pace!

You have my sympathy, both my DCs have dyspraxia, they found buttons fiddly and slow but just about coped for school. They wouldn't have needed to be much worse before it would have been an issue for them too.)

The others you could contact are form tutor, asking them to intervene directly with PE teacher, or Head of PE. But to be allowed to wear PE kit around school you'll need SENCO to agree.

If you do get agreement, ask for a permission card for him to have in his blazer or wherever, so he can show it to any teachers who query him being in PE kit.

Actually I'd copy form tutor on email anyway so they are aware.

Thank you! I think he does have dyspraxia but it's not formally diagnosed! His only diagnosis is autism but has a few other things going on! I am hoping will practise it may get better. He just can't do them at all.

I will email again, but thank you. He did say the head of PE came over to help sometimes but it's his actual teacher who is the problem.

Dyspraxia, autism and dyslexia all overlap somewhat don't they.

Going in wearing PE kit seems like a perfectly reasonable adjustment.

Or he could just wear white t-shirts instead of button up shirts.

Have you asked for an early review of DS’s EHCP? Is the 1:1 provision specified and quantified in F? If so, funding isn’t your concern the provision must be provided, if it isn’t you can enforce it. Is helping DS change in his EHCP?

The school must make reasonable adjustments, to not do so is disability discrimination. The school need reminding of this. As you have spoken to the Head of PE and the SENCO and haven’t got anywhere escalate the matter to the head. Make sure you follow upverbal conversations with emails so you have a paper trail as evidence should you need it.

In the meantime, can the tie be adapted to be a clip on one or sew it in place tied and add elastic or velcro at the back so DS doesn’t have to tie it?

Also would changing separately help?

DS3 changes separately and his 1:1 helps if/when it’s required.

Thanks all!

@Thatsnotmycar hopefully having a review soon! I am being very persistent with the school, just not getting very far!

tie is already clip on but he still struggles with this too!

changing separately might be an idea, thank you.

It’s the LA you request an early review from.

DS3 finds changing separately easier as it’s not as busy or noisy, there isn’t the same time pressure to be ready when everyone else is and when his 1:1 helps him no-one else sees.

it's his actual teacher who is the problem.

Make a formal complaint about this PE teacher. It is their job to minimise your son's difficulties and make sure he doesn't get anxious, not the opposite. I've come across a few PE teachers like this and not just with the SEND children.

Others will know the rules and whether the school is talking hogwash.
Consider homeschooling him until a SEN place/1:1 TA can be agreed or if he is otherwise getting on well there, see if you can come to an agreement with the school that you will provide sufficient physical activity for him in a suitable format outside of school, and what that will be, and he can go and do something else during PE such as do his homework in the library. Or he could just be allowed to take a bit longer to get dressed and come out to the field when he's ready, so long as it's not over the road or somewhere where that's not allowed and likewise not get into trouble being late for class.

I have a friend who managed to get an agreement to half-homeschool their child so maybe you could homeschool him on PE half-days? Hope the school will look for solutions with you rather than problems or shrugging. It's not just about money (even though it is that too) it's about ATTITUDE.

To be clear in saying this I've come across a few PE teachers like this and not just with the SEND children. I am not meaning to minimise your son's problem with the teacher or those of SEND children generally, by using the word 'just'. I was trying to say that this problem goes beyond SEND as well. Of course the SEND children should have additional consideration due to their SEND but all the children that get victimised by PE teachers with a poor attitude should be treated better, it's just not good enough. I'd've hoped this problem would've died out by now but apparently not.

Don’t deregister and EHE. You will get support quicker if DS remains on a school roll - it’s too easy for others to brush DC’s needs under the carpet and forget about you if you EHE. By EHE the LA will say you are making suitable alternative arrangements thereby relieving them of their duties. There are many reasonable solutions to your problem, the school just need to abide by their statutory duties, you don’t need to EHE.

Go straight to the head teacher. If you’ve done PE teacher, Head of PE is aware and the SENCO isn’t any help you explored all the other options.

No not the HT

Various routes:
PE teacher & head of PE
SENCO
Tutor, Head of Year

If none of that works (and I would assume one of the 5 would be able to sort it), then the member of the Senior Leadership team responsible for safeguarding / inclusion.

HT in a secondary school is massive escalation and the first thing they would do is push it down to one of the lower people.

What you can do is copy Tutor / Head of Year in on any emails.

@TeenDivided Seems to me like it’s gone through all of those stages with no improvement. That’s why I said go to the head. Include all the people you’ve spoken to in the email that haven’t been sufficient help.

it will get pushed back down, but you’re more likely to have it dealt with.

If they have been through all other routes, then yes the HT. I read it differently, (though I may not have concentrated properly).

Normally for other problems I would agree with Teen you would need to escalate via other members of staff first. However, in this situation with an EHCP and disability discrimination as speaking to the SENCO has failed the next step that would be recommended by charities like IPSEA would be to speak to the HT in writing. And if the support is in the EHCP and isn’t being followed the LA’s Director of Children’s Services.