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SN children

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Original poster

School trouble - excuse me while I rant

12 replies

webstermum · 26/02/2009 15:38

Am so angry I want to scream
DS1 has just come home from school with a letter saying his ASN Teacher is leaving - TOMORROW! Wtf is that all about! Surely they must have known before now so why tell us the day before? Plus his annual review is well overdue (last done July 07) and any input she has will be gone with her. Plus when I asked him he didn't know & now he's all upset. Plus she's been with him since he was 5 & he's now 9 so they have a history.
Why don't they think about the kids & their reaction before they just drop bombshells on us like this?? I feel like crying now but have to sort myself out & decide what to do

OP posts:

flyingmum · 26/02/2009 15:57

I feel your pain. A favourite TA of my son told him she was leaving THAT DAY, told him and then he went into melt down outside the school gates infront of all the other mummies - not one of the best days of my life I can tell you. It may be that she is having to leave very suddenly. I think that TAS can give two week's notice and if the school have got someone who can start straight away (it is at the start of a half term so it makes it all easier paper work wise) then they are letting her go sooner rather than later. Which is fine for the school but not for your son.

It may be that they have not notified you earlier or said anything to your son because they think it will disrupt him more - in the build up to her going. She as well will be feeling very sad about going too so a tearful chap would be worse. I found with mine that I didn't say anything and then on Monday morning let him find someone new he actually coped with it better than when I talked through it.

It's still a bugger though - losing someone you trust at school is a biggie. Have they got an immediate replacement and does your son know them?

Nabster · 26/02/2009 16:00

Sounds like the knew what the reaction would be.

Sorry for your son and you.

Original poster

webstermum · 26/02/2009 16:03

She's not a TA she's a fully qualified teacher in charge of the SN Base within a mainstream school - surely she had to give proper notice & therefore they could have given us a bit of warning. No word on the letter about replacemnet, who or when.

OP posts:

Original poster

webstermum · 26/02/2009 16:05

Btw does anyone know the leaglities of the annual review thing, he has an IEP and we are supposed to have an annual review meeting but they don't seem to bother with it

OP posts:

Tclanger · 26/02/2009 16:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

webstermum · 26/02/2009 16:20

I mean legalities of course

OP posts:

fatzak · 26/02/2009 16:26

That's very unusual for a teacher to leave mid term. It's pretty strict the notice you have to give unless she has been released from her contract for some reason?

ICANDOTHAT · 26/02/2009 16:50

I don't suppose the teacher did just up and leave ... they probably knew how many people would be upset and didn't want a rush of requests for reports etc.

Ultimately, it's been very badly managed by the head teacher and I think you should let them know in a letter to him/her and the board of governors (once you've assessed if she did give notice). There will be a rep sitting on the board who deal with SNs. Ask them for a reply and they will have to put it in writing to you. It won't change anything for your son right now, but you will feel much better having expressed your concerns on paper and they will have to answer you. DO IT !!

Original poster

webstermum · 26/02/2009 18:20

Thanks ICANDOTHAT you're right I will do it tonight. At least then I will feel better at having done something

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flyingmum · 26/02/2009 18:26

Very odd if it is a teacher. I can only assume that she has had to go for either personal reasons (a dying spouse - or the like - it would have to be something this serious for them to release her mid contract) or health reasons (this again would have to be quite serious). Alternatively she may have been dismissed for incomptence or gross misconduct - in which case she would go immediately. This would have to be very very serious and usually these things are couched as being 'on sick leave' while unions, appeals, etc are involved. Any other form of leaving - ie, new job or retirement would require half a term notice or a full term in the case of someone more senior.

So its down to 1. something unforseen; 2. something dodgy or 3. they've known but didn't want the public hue and cry. If it is the latter then it is very very pissoffing especially if there is no replacement.

Re the annual review. If your child has a statement then that statement and the targets that are set at each annual review meeting need to be reviewed annually - usually round about a similar time each year although not necessarily. Before each annual review you should be notified of the date in good time (I always phone parents first), then letters of invite go out to the parents, relevant staff, relevant outside agencies (SALT, ED psych) and the county. 2 weeks BEFORE the review date you should be sent your child's report which is a full account of the previous year's targets and how they have met or not met them and a general overview of how the child is doing and some suggested new targets. There should also be a form for you to fill in with your input. You send that back then at the meeting there should be a pack with the statment, the report, a SAM - which records the amount of support, your form and your child's input form. There are usually any other reports from agency involvement This is then discussed at the review and a report of the review should be sent to county by 2 weeks after the review. You should then get a copy.

You are right that the annual review is well overdue and you should get in touch with your case worker at your LEA to moan. Perhaps this is one of the reasons she is 'leaving'????? If your son's annual review is overdue then there are bound to be others as well . . .

Original poster

webstermum · 26/02/2009 18:40

Thanks flyingmum - very helpful.
lol at pissoffing (at least I can still laugh after today!)
I was thinking there must be others in the same boat. We did have a review date but it's been postponed more than once.....am now wondering if all connected in some way

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flyingmum · 26/02/2009 19:11

I think you might be right. I wonder whether she's been quitely got rid of or she's handed in her notice for a legitimate reason (going to another job or travel) and they've let her go early to get rid. alternatively it could be stress - now I am working with SEN children (as well as having one of my own) I can vouch for the stress aspect of it.

Must go and write an annual review report otherwise it will be me for the high jump

I'd phone the Head tomorrow and ask who is replacing her. I know at primary level my son's quality of education totally rided on the quality of the SENCO - fortunately we had three really good ones (by golly we got through them didn't we!)

Good luck!

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