School refusal when already in a specialist school?

[Freyja25]

I have a DS, aged 7 (8 in June). He was diagnosed with ASD when he was 3.

After reception year in mainstream, he was moved to a PRU for children with ASD, stayed there for 2 years. He has now graduated to a unit for older children, within the same PRU umbrella of schools.

I have had it outlined to me a number of times, that he likely has a PDA profile, though it’s not a recognised diagnosis in our LA.

He has refused school on several occasions since September. He physically stops my husband and I from putting his school clothes on, and will take items off if we’ve managed to get anything on him (he also refuses other items of clothing).

The school is not close by, and he has pre-arranged transport to collect him, so if he refuses, we have to keep sending the taxi away.

It seems like this is unusual behaviour, as he is in a school which is meeting his needs, and that he seems to enjoy. I’ve read that school refusal is usually a problem for a child in a mainstream school, so I’m at a loss as to why this is happening.

Has anyone been through something similar? I’m worried about Education Welfare becoming involved etc., when it’s something I cannot help, as much as I really want to (and for what it’s worth, this situation benefits nobody, as DS generally doesn’t like going outside, so we spend all day indoors, school day or not). So, we’re stuck 😔

My ds sometimes goes through periods of not going to school and he is absolutely in the right provision for him.

Does his school have a pastoral support team? I wouldn't worry too much about education welfare, if the school is good and supportive they should be explaining why some of their children have difficulty attending. I think general attendance rate across special schools is around 70% so you are not alone (although I know it feels like it at the time!).

Things our ds's school has put in place for us are social stories, a morning routine checklist, sending home visual calander and creating a sheet of reasons why ds might not want to go to school that day. For example is it the same day each week? Is there a particular lesson he doesn't like? Is the weather that day affecting him? Is there something happening at home that is impacting him?

It's good to keep a record of what's happening on days he doesn't go in so that you can see if there is a pattern to the behaviour.

School refusal isn’t unheard of in DC attending SS, unfortunately.

It sounds like you need to request an early review of the EHCP as it isn’t currently meeting DS’s needs. What provision and therapies does it include at the moment?

What are the absences currently being recorded as? They should be authorised so you shouldn’t be fined. If they are being recorded as unauthorised you need to challenge them.

When you say DS has refused on several occasions, how often are you talking about? If DS can’t attend school full time the LA must provide a suitable full, time education and anything specified and quantified in F. This should begin once it becomes clear DS will miss 15 days, the days don’t need to have already been missed or consecutive.

Is the taxi an individual taxi? If not, would it help if it was?

Are there any other schools that might better meet DS’s needs? Or a dual placement/attending another AP some of the week? If DS attending school isn’t appropriate then have you considered EOTAS?

I’m guessing your child isn’t verbal enough to help explain the problem?
When you say he seems happy at school is that something you’ve seen for yourself or just what the school is telling you? How does he seem when he arrives at school - could it be that it is the transport that is the issue?
You also mention that he has issues with other clothing apart from his school uniform. Would you be able to let him go to school in clothing that he is happy wearing to see if that is the problem?
Do you know why your son doesn’t like going out more generally? Is there a particular reason for any anxiety?

I’ll try and answer everything here, as much as possible:

The visual aids are a great idea @livpotter , DS has recently started using other clues, and these have helped.

As for the number of refusals, I’m fairly certain that DS has missed at least two weeks worth of days, in total. We have had 3 episodes in the last two weeks alone. I haven’t asked how the episodes have been recorded. Because of the way this particular school is run, you would always speak to a teacher, to report an absence. The teachers have always been empathic when I’ve spoken with them, as they know what DS is like.

DS has an individual taxi, as he has had behavioural issues with sharing.

School availability is not great. I had hoped for him to attend a different school, but that school refused to admit him (this was like a lottery, other children in his year group were admitted, and then those left over were offered alternatives). He has been refused a place at said school twice, so I’m reluctant to try again.

DS is non verbal, he has recently started using a little Makaton. He has a lot of sensory issues, especially with noise. There is one particular trigger that has been debilitating for him, and made him not want to go outside.

With the clothes - if he knows we’re trying to get him ready for school, he’ll refuse any type of clothing. He won’t let us remove his pyjamas.

I receive regular observations from school (pictures/videos/etc.) via an app, and from what I’ve seen, he does seem to be enjoying whatever it is that he’s doing. We’ve tried showing him these, to encourage him to want to go to school, but this doesn’t help.

Sorry if I’ve missed anything, but I appreciate the advice.

If you haven't seen them already - notfineinschool is a useful website and missingthemark and naomicfisher are useful twitter accounts. Latter two come from a pro-homeschooling and unschooling perspective which may or may not be your bag, but they're still a useful resource.

If you do end up homeschooling, don't deregister or say you're electively home schooling.

I recommend asking about how the absences are being recorded. When speaking to the teachers follow up the conversations with emails so you have a paper trail. And, as well as an early review, looking at s.19 provision.

Is the school you preferred which refused a place wholly independent? If not, the LA can only refuse to name your preference if the LA can prove:
-The setting is unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or special educational needs (“SEN”) of the child or young person; or
-The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for others; or
-The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the efficient use of resources.

If they can’t do that the can, and must, name your preference even if the school object. You can appeal if they don’t - or you could look at, and appeal for if necessary, EOTAS.

Does DS’s EHCP include sensory OT input?