pre-school review ... what a lot of c**p!! grrr....i left disheartened and angry!

[genieinabottle]

Hi, me back again with a long rant... (sorry in advance but need to vent to people who do understand)

I got there and teacher (who is also pre-school senco) was running late. I was the first parent but still had to wait 10 mins. Why? i found that out later on.

We sat down and surprise , surprise she starts telling me (like at last review) of the 'wonderful' progress B has made, in terms of imaginative play, creation, interaction...

When i start asking her to specify or give examples, again like last time it's all very vague. Such as he is seen talking to other children a lot more than before, and seen around the other children a lot more. Than it transpires that most of the interactions are still very much paralel-play and B copying what others are saying and doing (he has been doing this for over a year now).

The imagination is not really there (as far as we can see at home),and i feel the only real progress is that he takes a bit more interest in things around the nursery other than solely cars and trains, and his role-play has developed such as using the real stetoscope on another child chest to listen to their heart.
She went on about his creativity (which we see nothing of at home) and that he was making things such as a fire engine with bricks,... but she wasn't sure that it was a fire engine as B hadn't been able to tell her what it was when she asked him.

Then she turned the second page and all the rest was blank. Apparently she hadn't had time to write anything! this is a review about the whole term and the book is supposed to be filled in as the months go by. I suspect the fist page was filled in with haste during the 10 mins i was waiting. She said she finds it easier to talk about things from the top of her head rather than written notes. What is the point of this book then! She asked me to sign it, but i pointed out it was nearly all blank, she said she would fill it later.

I then questioned about whether his IEP should be changed in light of his 'progress' as it has stayed the same since last october! Apparently the IEP had been changed in May. I wasn't consulted, told and never got a copy. I asked to see it.
It was exactly the same targets as before: 1) listening for 2-3 key words instructions, 2) expanding/developing his play and imagination, getting him to participate to table activities, 3) social skills: turn-taking/ sharing.
The only difference was that this new IEP was very vague and looked half written in comparison to the last one.

I asked her about the lack of drawing/painting/creative things. B never brings anything from MS nursery; while i was waiting i checked his tray and scrap book, all empty apart from 2 poor pencil drawings with 'alien' written at the top.
She said they cannot get him to participate to table activities within group of children.
I said they manage this at the lang.unit he attends p/t. Reply was at the lang. unit they are experienced and work only with children like B and the ratio teacher /pupil is small.
I'm aware of this, but my main issue is that MS nursery doesn't even try with my son.

Then the last straw came! I asked teacher 'would i need to be here for meeting with school senco on friday, in case she had questions about the assessment and B's recent autism dx'.
Teacher had no clue what i was talking about! What assessment she said? what dx? She knew full well B had his asd assessment last week as i spoke to her about it on two occasions.
Also i had left a message in writing for her the following day, she hadn't seen it and my verbal message hasn't been passed on neither.
Her only reply was 'oh well at least you know now!'

I left totally disheartened.
B has no statement, and basically wil enter reception on school action + with an IEP not worth the paper it written on.
I pray for the school teacher and senco to be more pro-active and taking at least an interest in his education.
I wish B could stay at the lang.unit another year, as all of the actual little real progress he has made are due to their excellent work with him. But sadly it is for under 5s only.
The MS pre-school have really given me the impression that they couldn't care less about B.

Thanks Marne.

Yes i'm hoping (praying smiley) that school will understand DS's needs and meet them better than MS nursery.

School SENco did say they will apply for extra funding for some 1:1 support for DS.
Going to see school SENco on friday when she goes to observe DS at nursery.
Will speak about this with her again... and keep on about it.

our paed has written to have just written to autism outreach and ask them to get involved as the school requests. As it was brought up at the transition meeting.

You should apply for a statement
They will turn you down first time but as a result you will know by time you would get to appeal / they cave in whether the transition has worked or not and the LA will put a lot more pressure on the school to put in support short of a statement.
You have good evidence - you have evidence the language unit high staff ratio and 1:1 direct teaching works and he makes progress whereas the freeflow child led Early Years Foundation Stage does not.
Write down the comments of the m/s nursery about high staff ratio / experienced staff - this is your evidence
Collect any evidence from language unit you can - try and get a copy of their file
There is a debate here but many many experienced SN teachers will say EYFS does not work for children with autism as they need adult led not child led activities as they do not make good choices for play (repetitive stuff etc).
Would anyone at the language unit back you for a statement?
Find out how much 1:1 the LA expect the school to put in without a statement - here it is about 20 hours a week.
Say clearly you expect them to employ a 1:1 up to the maximum allowed under School Action plus.
They will probably be vague but try and get it minuted or write it up yourself
Would the language unit do some overlap into school?
The autism outreach should be involved now and they should organise the transition
You should ask for them to take on managing his transition and ensuring the support is in place before he starts
When is he 5?
Does he have to start in Sept or could he stay at language unit PT and school PT for a few extra months?
What SALT will he have at school?
You need a SALT to set targets for the school and teach them how to deliver them.
Ditto outreach.
If the school is a mainstream school they will already have a delegated budget from LA for 1:1
If you can try and ring parent partnership or SEN officer before Friday and find out what you can expect the school to do eg how much 1:1
Push the safety issues for 1:1 eg if risk escaping from classroom
You could ask the parent partnership person to go to meetings with you (but some are more use than others)
To get a statement you will need to show needs more 1:1 than can get without a statement ie over 20 hours here
Our IEPS are waste of time too!
If you have big worries keep looking around
Sometimes the best m/s schools for SEN are not the schools you would naturally choose but the ones in the rough end of town where they have more experience (and may have room!)
You could ask school to employ a higher level TA with autism experience / training - they will fob you off but you can write up minutes "mum said she felt a HLTA with autism training was needed - this was refused'
From now on every meeting has to be on basis that if it all goes wrong for your DS you are collecting info for tribunal to get a statement - hope for the best but expect the worst!

Thank you AgnesDP for all this info and advice. It really helps.
I will write notes and questions as well as my comments, and fire all this at SENco on friday.
School will know i mean business!!

Genie,

The alternate name for an IEP that I have seen on here is Individual Empty Promise. It is an apt name.

Good luck Friday, I think you're going to need it. Would imagine that DS's new school will try and fob you off as well. Whatever they apply for won't be near enough. Applying for a statement is the only way to go here as it is legally binding unlike anything else.

We were never turned down for a statement (got one first time).

Good luck xx