School arrrgh....!!

[debs40]

Why does school do it? I mean seriously why? Just when I think we are starting to build bridges and work together for DS, they pull the rug from under my (and obviously DS') again.......how's that for mixed metaphors!

Anyway, we have spent the last three months on the Early Bird Plus course with DS's class TA. All went well, she learnt alot although it was a constant battle to get suggestions implemented in class.

However, the TA was given ten minutes (timed with a clock!) to talk to him daily and that built up his confidence and it seemed to make him really settle.

We've just been told by DS on cothat his class TA is moving after Easter and won't be in the class any more. She has just finished the Early Bird Plus course with us so I haven't a clue what they're playing at.

They never warned us, or even told us, and have no transition plan for it so I had to go back into school to talk to the TA and teacher to confirm this.

Honestly, I feel like things are going ok and then they just treat us like shit again.

I knew this was you from the title, - before I even saw your name!

Where is she moving to? Can your ds go with her?

LOL...that says it all doesn't it?

They are using her as a 'whole school resource' i.e. she will be working on catch up work for numeracy and literacy. She will be in the junior corridor which will be good but am I being unreasonable to think they might have mentioned something to me?

She has only just found put herself but they told the kids and not us so some new woman will just walk in the first morning back.

I'm sure they think she has got too close to the opposition and makes too many demands on behalf of DS!!

So is your ds getting another TA?

What the feck did they thinks she was doing EarlyBird for? So they could tick their boxes for her CPD provision? Isn't the course kind of 'whole child' specific, - namely YOUR child?

Can you ask if those hours that she attended the earlybird were taken out of your ds' funding allocation and therefore since your ds will not be benefitting they need to be 'paid back' somehow?

Grrrr for you!

She was always the class TA. He does not get much in the way of individual support and I think part of the problem was that this became so obvious when the TA attended the course.

There will be a new class TA who is entirely new to the school.

Doh, - so why can't THAT TA be the numbers and letters girl?

I know! They've apparently sent this one on courses over the years and now want to put her learning to good use.

Really, I've seen the head and deputy head and the teacher around over the course of the day. We'd been in school all afternoon on an open afternoon. Would it have killed them to say - we're moving Mrs X but we have a plan and hope we can work on it together....

Oh wait, that sort of thing happens in the real world, where people don't consider themselves to be Gods beyond reproach, not schools....silly me

Oh no, what a shame as this TA sounds like a good un.

I know....it's one step forward, two back.

I am losing faith with school but DS has friends. They keep on telling me how much more difficult it will be in Yr 3 with 35 in a class. Like, thanks, what can I do about it.

Would you move and take a risk DS will make friends elsewhere or stay put and battle on?

debs hugs

that happened (sort of, no earlybird but as soon s he settled with his TA they promoted her to another group) to ds3 also

the upside was that the replacement ws lovely, and is still a friend now

and that we could use it as paperwork to help prove case for new school (TA mark 2 walked out after a dispute with Head)

Poor your ds though, how unfair. YY to wanitng back hours

Hi Debs

Also knew it was you before I read who the poster was.

Awful of school to do this but par for the course for this shower.

I'd be looking at other schools now as well as applying for the Statement (yes I know you;ve heard that from me before too).

Junior school can be a hard taskmaster for many children with any additional support needs particularly if those needs are not being met by school.

debs I agree with attilla, i am far more wary of MS juniors than infants tbh: not only does the workload jump hugely its the age where the other kids start to notice differences.

I'd be wary tbh of continuing with this school.

I know, that's what we're thinking.

It is hard because he has a nice crowd of pals who don't tease or pick on him and look after him but I can see things getting so much harder for him.

I think we need to get out of this area altoghther as it's grammar school catchment which makes the primaries really competitive and really affects the secondary schools.

But where to????

debs40 With a statement you can choose whichever school you like!

That's the problem.....where to go???

I KNOW, - crazy problem.

I would start with parents of children with similar difficulties.

I would also look at league tables and the 'added value' column and no. of children with SNs and look round them in that order.

Ideally I'd be looking for a school with an Oustanding Ofsted report, that was high up in the league tables, with over 101% added value and a high percentage of children with SN. I would go and look around more than once. Speak to the SENCO and HT. Try to network to find a couple of parents who send their children there.

If you are applying for a statement you have ages to do this. Be systematic.