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RE: school - dunno what to do

17 replies

pokhara · 24/02/2010 19:06

hi posted yesterday, about ds school, and was seeing the head teacher today, this is how it went, took my friend for support and as she has been through statement process. firstly she said she had a copy of salt report and letter from paed and portex,in a folder on the table besdie her, she then asked which school i had put ds in for, so told her my 2 choices, she then said well nearer the time we will do a transfer to them, let them know of any prblems owen has etc and if they saw any problems he encountered in the 1 st year there they might decide to do something. so i asked her well why only that when his Salt report from jan says ds is on 1st centile aged 2 year 4 months (ds 4 next month), making him 20 months delayed in laguage, she was shocked and said who told you that i said the salt and its in the report, she asked me to show her, so i did, well she didnt know what to say, i mean she obviously does not read anything sent to her to do with ds. i explained that 2 years ago he was 12-18months dlayed, and 2 years on the gap had not closed it had widened and in light of this ds needs a statement for ms or sn.

well she then went on to say, ds is avery happy little boy who loves the other children and interacts with them very well, like beng in groups and has lots of friends in nursery and due o this she couldnt see that he needs a statement, she also added that for someone of is age to get a statement he woul need to be at 18 month old level. she said she would find it very difficult to put the evidence together to support a statement, as the lea would see that ds would be happyand socialise in ms without statement. I AM SO ANYRY AT HIS POINT BECAUSE I KNOW HE IS VERY SOCIALBLE ON HI OWN TERMS THAT IS BUT HE IS NOT LEARNING AT THE SAME RATE AS THE OTHER CHILDREN. he needs extra help so that he doesnt fall further behind and that gap closes. but apparently lea are only interested in the social side of thing. WTF............ my friend butted in and said so when he a 7 year old boy who is clearly behind every one else, his behaviour problems have gotten worse that when they might do something. In my opinion they have known for 2 years something wasnt right they sent programmes into nursery, ok he has learnt but i still 20 months behind.

she has arranged a meeting on 24th march for paed, salt her hv and me to discuss owen further at paed request, she said that she will see after that meeting if she should get ed phy in to assess him, friend told her she should be doing it now.

basically she also said i dont hear him name that often so he cant be that bad in terms of strugglng, then later contradicted herself by saying, he is boisterious and challenging and the teachers have said he has difficulties, and recommened that i dont bring him in early when coming to school come just on time so he doesnt have to wait with the other children and get hyper.

sorry this is soooooooo long, but god, does a child get left to cope for fucking years before someone fucking does something.

spoke to lea, very nice lady who also advised my, doubtful he will get statement as they have too many people in area with one!!!!!!!!!!! and that 2 terms worth of evidence would be needed. he has only been there since oct!!!!!!!! she also said they do something called individual pupil funding agreement which is like a statement but only takes about 6 weeks to do so could get it in by end of may and that doesnt need as much assessing as statment. i asked difference between this and iep she said iep school funded and this is lea funded and they can also name a school..

2 years wasted i feel of assessing him to be told see what he like in ms school, i know he will be fine makes friends so easily and is outgoing but, ths is not going to close the 20 month gap is it, and if the same pattern follows as has in 2 years then he will become more delayed.

IM FURIOUS, UPSET ANGRY and feel like forgetting he has any problems cos this is driving me insane and making me ill

OP posts:
lou031205 · 24/02/2010 19:17

pokhara, you can apply for a statutory assessment yourself. Why don't you contact Bibic, book a 2 day assessment (£50), then use those reports with the SALT report as your evidence?

wb · 24/02/2010 19:22

Can quite see why you're fuming, they are trying to fob you off.

In your place I would be applying for a statutory assessment - of course your ds needs one and who cares if lots of other children have them. They have them cause they need them, I expect.

IPSEA would be a good place to ask for advice I think.

pokhara · 24/02/2010 19:32

lou i have contacted bibic, they sent me an email yesterday saying they sent a pack to me and a lady will call me in 5 days. also the salt reports cannot be usd for statement it says on the top of them and the salt reminded me of that today, what is the point of these reports then.

also if i pply for assessment myself then i still need to get evidece from his pre school, and cant see the head being much help then

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saintlydamemrsturnip · 24/02/2010 19:35

Your very nice lady at the lea has told you a load if rubbish. You can't stop statementing because lots of kids have them - it's illegal.

Agree - you need IPSEA.

pokhara · 24/02/2010 19:38

this link is what the individual pupil funding agreement is

www.cheshire.gov.uk/EducationAndLearning/SEN/Individual_pupil_funding_guidance.htm

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anonandlikeit · 24/02/2010 19:39

You may not be able to use the SALT report for a Statement BUT you can usually use them as suporting evidence to submit with the request to assess.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 24/02/2010 20:20

Hi,

That LEA woman should be ashamed of knowingly telling you such lies.

www.ipsea.org.uk is a good website re statementing; you do not need school's permission to write to the LEA. Put in your request for the Statutory Assessment asap and be prepared for a long and hard fight with the LEA.

Individual Pupil Funding agreement is another way of LEA's saying to the schools "here's some money, its your problem". IPA's are also I believe not legally binding and are thus useless. It is NOT in any way like a statement. Do not accept an IPA under any circumstances; your son needs a Statement and nothing else will suffice.

lou031205 · 24/02/2010 20:46

Sorry, not use them during statementing, but as evidence of the need for statutory assessment.

sugarcandymountain · 24/02/2010 20:47

If pre school won't help with providing evidence, you could use Data Protection Act to release any info they do have. Not sure if they will be as tight with record keeping as a school but any incidents should be reported. Google for a template letter, there should be one on the ACE website.

pokhara · 24/02/2010 20:49

attila - i had downloaded a letter format to send to lea for statement, on the letter its says - I believe that Owen's special educational needs are as follows: unsure on how to word this and how much info to put in, is it just school stuff or everyday school and home stuff and then another question - My reasons for believing that the school cannot on their own make the provision required to meet my child?s needs are:

not expecting you to do it for me, although would be great if you could sort the lot out for me and i'll go on holiday, lol, but your input and advice would be gratefully accepted. thanks everyone x

OP posts:
lou031205 · 24/02/2010 22:49

pokhara, try and think of your DS in a school situation, in 6 months' time. Run through his potential 'day'.

So:

  1. Arriving at school - would he be able to find his peg, hang up his coat, put his lunchbox away, etc.?
  2. Would he be able to purposefully choose an activity?
  3. Would he be able to sit for circle time?
  4. What abut using the toilet?
  5. How is he with sharing, turn taking?
  6. Can he understand and follow group instructions?

Etc.

Then group problems into skill-sets.

So, then you can list: Gross motor - xxx; Fine motor - yyy; Speech and language; Attention & Concentration; Self-help skills; behaviour, etc.

For the second part - your DS has had input for the last 2 years, and he is more delayed now than then.

pokhara · 24/02/2010 23:10

well at the moment if he oes in with other kids he will put his coat on the mobile hangers like the other kids do but when we go on our own a few mins late he will just go straight to sit were other kids are so i put it up. it looks like to the teachers he know what to do and understand but most of it is cue's and copying.
He could chose an activity if put in front of him but if asked might struggle to understand unless it is something he understands, like bike, outside, book. he wouldnt be able to sit in circle for long time very fidgety and shot attention span, but then he might stay there like at the moment the teachers say he gets bored easily.
he can use the toilet with me he will not wipe his bum when done a poo, he screams for me. when he does poo in school when he comes home its not been wiped (school will not help him) he doesnt ask them but i did.
struggles alot with sharing and turn taking that is on his program and is getting better. of what i have seen outside school things have to be on his term, ie his terms of sharing and turn taking, he has to be in control not anybody else.
following group instructions, he comes across as he is, but salt monitored him last year in nursery and said he is just copying what others tell him, they advised to use visuals so he knows whats happening next. he is very good at picking up cues but will only pick up 1 or 2 words in a whole sentence and make sense of it his way.

i.e example from last year with his grandad.
grandad says ds name hold my hand we are going to cross the road, ds ran out in front of a car, he heard cross and road.

if teacher says, right put your coats on were going outside to read a book, he would understand and hear coat, outside, so it would appear he understands all of it.

OP posts:
pokhara · 24/02/2010 23:13

the looks i get of other people they way i speak to him, like instead of saying dont do that xxxxnamexxxxx i say not do that. and really shorten sentences down sounds like im being horrible to him

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PreachyPeachyRantsALot · 24/02/2010 23:38

Pokhara , sorry you are being given the runa round.

Just to back up what lou said- for both my ASD children school were obstructuive but I applied myself with BIBIC reports and Paed notes etc and got them statements. DS1's isn't as wide ranging as I'd like (yet, am trying) but after a bit of time ds3's is now perfect and he has the best palcement I could ask for.

DS2 OTOH isn't wuite funded LEA help level with his dyspraxia and gets zilch, far better to fight for a statement if appropriate IMO.

PreachyPeachyRantsALot · 24/02/2010 23:40

Oh and sentence shortening- yes we do that too for ds3 and I said same to DH, that I think I must look a cow when I just say No! really clearly: OTOH he's gone from sa non verbal 4 year old tro more than we ever thoght (will always be limited but is significant

Phoenix4725 · 25/02/2010 05:24

we do sentence shorting to and your ds shoulds get statement he sounds very similar to my ds

pokhara · 25/02/2010 08:07

im doing it myself, h statement sending letterto lea today and they have 6 weeks to respond. the head said for her statementing she had never lost one in 3 years and that it would make her pre schol and her look bad if it was rejected, its ot abouther though is it.

the thing that is most annoying me is that how can they say he is ok just cos his social interaction seems fine, thats not gonna help pass your basic exams when your older and help get a job is it, i only want to give my child the best start i can, i know he may not be that really clever child , but he might be, and he deserves a head start cos the other kids his age are brighter.

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