Help me prepare for meeting tomorrow please

[claw3]

Have a meeting tomorrow after applying for Statutory Assessment and it being refused.

Initially school wrote to me requesting this meeting to discuss ds's 'progress' (school are NOT backing my request for SA)

After this meeting was arranged i wrote to LA and requested a meeting with them, while we were awaiting Tribunal. I stated that i wished to challenge the provision as it had been ineffective and i wanted to provide evidence and examples.

LA phoned me and said they had spoken to school and seen as i had requested a meeting with them, they would attend the school one!

I was expecting 2 separate meetings.

So i have a meeting with LA officer and school and i need a bullet proof agenda, backed up with my evidence.

Where to start?

Hi Claw

I think you need to ignore the school's presence tomorrow and foucs on the LA. Now the SA has been refused this is out of school's hands and it's you v LA.

I hope you've someone who can attend with you tomorrow otherwise you may feel outnumbered.

TBH I would stay as quiet as possible and let them do the talking. Phsycologically noone feels confortable in silence and if you are quiet then school / LA are under pressure to do the talking and that's when they might let things slip that are to your advantage.

I would also take notes.

You do apreciate that the purpose of thsi meeting s to discourage you from appealing the SA refusal/ Therefore I would ignore almost anything that school / LA say as unless LA changes it's mind voluntarily it's now between you v LA at SENDIST.

I woudl also be very wary that LA will be attempting to explore the strength of my case - another good reason for staying silent and letting them do the talking. So i woudln't raise specifics with them that I intend to use at SENDIST.

Best wishes

Hi Wet,

School are no doubt planning on proving that ds is making progress. I was aiming to prove that he isnt, backed with examples and evidence. School wont be able to prove otherwise, as they have nothing other than he is making progress because i say he is. I was hoping that LA might have to change their minds when school is put on the spot.

For example IEP dated November 2009

? At times he separates himself, often physically from the rest of the class if a lesson involves an activity he dislikes. On these occasions he becomes non-communicative when addressed

12/11/09 meeting which TAMHS attended, put a now/next timetable in place, this has failed as he has never used it; this was confirmed by Miss X in a meeting on 1/2/10.

Teacher report dated March 2010 to the LA

? At times he disregards instructions from staff. He sulks and cries and takes himself to the back of the carpet when reprimanded.

Same problem 5 months later. No progress and being reprimanded for his difficulty.

What do you think?

Parent Partnership will be coming with me.

Also if previous meetings are anything to go by, when the school cant answer my question, they will fail back on the usual, we have limited resources available to give ds x, y, z. Which is exactly what i want them to say?

Maybe main points of ds problems and then evidence after each one to show why nit being met if you have paperwork copy it and hand out even better if you have evidence of the school being. Unable to meet ds needs.

Keep it short direct and functional just hard facts then hopefully school will trip over own feet

Oh and then make sure after you done notes email or post to lea ask if they wish to add anything to them that way if they do in writing you should either have what they disagree on or if they don't reply send them another one aski g for confimatio. Of receving because then they can't say records are incorrect if you given them thr chance to comment on

and anything by post make sure it's signed for

Thanks Roundthebend. What i will be saying is nothing that LA dont already know. LA has refused SA because school have reported ds is making progress.

Ds is clearly not making progress and its all there in black and while. For example school have said that a target has been achieved, but then listed it as still being a concern in IEP.

School are really all over the place. It shouldnt take much to trip them up.

I was aiming on difficulty, no progress made, then SEN COP quote on how progress should be monitored?

Our experience of meeting at same point wasn't good. The LA cherry picked anything which supported refusing SA and ignored the big picture entirely. They might join forces with the school; or they might put the blame on the school ie say well school have the money to put support in place and within resources of school to do it so don't need SA. The reason you have been given for refusal SA is also not in our experience always the real reason. The real reason is money - statementing costs more money. The LA will want the school to take on the responsibility and will either say they are doing a good job - or say school are doing a bad job but you don't need SA, school needs to step up or you should look for another mainstream school with better attitude.

To get a statement you need to show needs cannot be met by the ordinary resources of school - ie not just that your crap school can't meet them but even the best school for SEN could not meet them from its delegated budget.

Don't worry if you think of things afterwards - we followed up in writing and actually after we queried some of the points they made about DS they then backed down.

The only way they will reconsider SA is if there is new evidence. So you would need to show that the new evidence is that the reports of progress are inaccurate AND that progress can only be achieved by provision that comes with a statement.

I found it a frustrating experience as they came with their mind firmly set and it was a going through the motions exercise.

If they say we'll do x, y and z to improve the school still appeal - it will take 6 months to get tribunal date so they will have time to implement changes and show it has made a difference (unlikely!)

No advice sadly, claw, but just wanted to wish you well for tomorrow.

The LEA will quote the SENCOP at you in regard to graduated response. They will say that the school say that he is making progress and if he wasn't after school action plus had been exhausted then the school would apply for a statutory assessment/enhanced funding. The LEA will want to know why you have applied for statutory assessment and are playing you with the hand that you maybe unlikely to speak up in front of the school staff. Then they think if you can't present your case in front of the school staff that they will undermine your confidence in appealing at SENDIST and going through with that.
You need to stick to the facts and use evidence from reports and use the phrase "and this proves how these difficulties are severely impacting on my sons education" repeatedly. Have a few SENCOP quotes available as well. Good Luck Tomorrow will be thinking of you.

Hi Agnes, the school are unable to understand or address his difficulties and, he needs a full detailed assessment to highlight where exactly support will be beneficial and to direct the school in strategies of support.

Will that show that progress can only be achieved by provision that comes with a statement?

Thank you Milady.

Wassup, the school would not apply for a SA or back me in my request as ds's needs are so complex, they are simply unable to identify or understand ds needs, is my reply, will that do?

Pipinjo, why he does these things is clearly set out in reports. For example SALT report actually says 'ds is confused by instructions and has limited conversation skills' OT telephone conversation with SENCO states 'ds is severely defensive' school are just unable to see the connection.

I have no plans to slag school off, as i know they have used all their resources to help ds just that ds's difficulties are very complex and they are unable to identify.

Thanks for your wishes,im going to need all the luck by the sounds of it!

Im scribbling down notes as we speak with your advice. Thanks everyone.

Most of all stay calm and don't let them up upset you and get you flustered know how hard it is when thru gang up

good luck

Hope you got some sleep. My grandpa always said 'Put your trust in God and keep your powder dry' - sounds like you have plenty ammunition (a friend made me laugh because she thought it meant face powder and actually I think that is just as meaningful ). Good luck, will be thinking of you.

Well i didnt get much sleep, went to bed a little after 1am, ds up at 2am and 4am.

My notes for meeting still not written, i hate not being organised and my older boys appear to have taken all the pens in the house on their way to school this morning!

Meeting is at 2.45, Parent Partnership is coming here at 1.45. Just having 3rd cup of coffee, then will get on with notes and hunting for a pen.

So my aim is reports of progress are inaccurate and progress can only be achieved through provision that comes with a statement, as the school are unable to identify his complex difficulties or what support will be beneficial without direction of a statement.

Then give examples and number examples so i can refer to them.

Does that sound like a plan?

I think that is a plan and you stick to why you are applying for a statement. These needs cannot be identified by school or met by them when identified. School don't even sound like they are part way there on the identification bit so how can they say they have met all his needs if they don't know what they are???

WetAugust is right about keeping your counsel and not giving them lots of ammunition pre-Tribunal. Just quietly emphasise your determination to go through this as you feel your son matches the criteria for an SA - i.e. he probably has SEN and probably needs a statement to meet them. That is all that has to be shown legally to get an SA.

Good luck. How have PP been? Hope they are helpful. It is so draining isn't it and a meeting at the end of the day is nerve wracking. I really feel for you. Remember that they are likely to be just as worried about it!

Hi Claw the reason I got from the SENco on Friday is that the school like to wait until Year 2 as some children who they can tick boxes for in Reception and Year one are absolutely fine in Year 2. Also remember that on a basic teacher training course teachers only have to complete one afternoon/morning on SEN issues. So that the class teacher is unlikely to be able to identify your sons issues in the first instance anyway. Many of his difficulties are hidden difficulties also not difficulties that would be immediate obvious to a class teacher with very limited training on SEN issues but difficulties that need assessing to establish the impact they will have on his Education.

Useful Quotes "Early intervention is Essential". Forgotten who thats from but an important quote
"Communication is a Basic Fundamental Human Right" John Bercow MP July 2008

Thanks Debs, i like that quote and have written it down. My notes are written, it wasnt as difficult as i thought, all info is there, just needed condensing.

4th cup of coffee, then id better get on with some housework, have Parent Partnership coming, dont want her writing in her notes that im incapable of keeping a house! Have a skip on the drive for building work and a carpet of dog hairs on the wooden floors

Wassup thank you too, i have written that down as well.

Im feeling much more confident now i have notes written and am organised. Was in a bit of a panic this morning.

hope all goes well this afternoon, claw3. It does sound as though you are well organised.

I hope the school do trip themselves up!

ok got appoints now myself for the rest of the day-go for it girl!! x