Special Needs - School Reports

[TheRealMrsF]

Ok- boys brought home their school reports ...and yet again there's the usual bland use of the computer 'templates/programmes'...which means the reports are dull...and in many places could be about ANY child...not MINE!!!

However at the end the Head gets to add his comments...and THAT is where the cuting remarks start


Now...befoer i go on about what he has said.....i will stress that 1) I am PARANOID
2) I suffer from anxiety/depression (so ?maybe? this is just me interpretting 'words' poorly)
3)THE BOYS ARE LEAVING THE SCHOOL THIS TERM AS I WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS SCHOOL...SO HAVE WE A TOUCH OF 'SOUR GRAPES' 4) 2 of my 3 are diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome...and the youngest (ALEX) i believe has "it" too....and no one has been listening to my concerns


sO HERE GOES:

*"Leigh is great to have around school (though i confess i would not feel the same if i had to teach him all the time!) I hope he will settle well in his next venue and do the best he can for himself."

"Alex needs to concentrate on his work and on his behaviour. From my point of view,he distracts me too often in assembly with his shuffling around.He needs to work on focussing on the task in hand even if it is something as simple as sitting still.Alex,always try your hardest to do as your told whether you are school or at home."

WEll....... firtsly..... i feel gutted that he said that leigh's lovely on one hand....but that he'd hate to be with him all the time....MY INTERPRETATION!!!!

And then there's alex..."something as simple as sitting down"...well ...if i am right and he has ADHD/AS...then sitting still is NOT simple ....and as far as the HEAD saying he is "diracted" by Alex...well...maybe if they'd took on board my 'theory' about him having ADHD/AS etc...and my suggestion that they seat him at the end of the rows...next to a teacher etc...which they NEVER did unless he misbehaved (which in my mind is ridiculous ...if they were able to seat him there when 'naughty'...then why not as a 'reward' ..from the start...hence preventing the 'shuffling around'.

Then in alex's report his class teacher says many things which i believe back up my theory of his needs...which are...

"Alex enjoys PE although at times he does not actively involve himself in the lesson. He is slowly developing skills in ball handling and manipulation of equipment"

"Alex finds it hard to listen to others in a structured situation such as circle time, He often finds it difficult to recognose that rules are important and that they help us."

"Alex often finds it difficult to stay on task and listen to instructions"

"Alex finds it very difficult to sit and listen for any amount of time.Even when he does manage to remain quiet,his thoughts have wandered. He therefore is unable to answer questions posed although these are well within his grasp"

[assumedname]

I think that's a nasty comment about Leigh and surely it's up to the head not to let himself get distracted in assembly.
What a fool! Especially for not following your excellent suggestions.

[happymerryberries]

I realise that I have never met Alex but I have to say that lots of the things that have been written could have been said about my ds....also and Alex

As A teacher I think that the meads comment about assembly was very badly put. I would also say that there isnothing in what I have read that makes me think that they would 'hate to be with him'

The comment from the sports teacher are very familier to me. I have just written about 200 reports and most of the reports for the boys contain some of what has been said about your ds. I should also say that they are written about NT kids. I realise that you are looking at the big picture and that you are bound to be concerened because of your other two having dx. I also know that you know your children best of all. But of themselves the comments made about Alex could be said of about 50% of the NT boys that I work with, and they are in secondary school, when you would expect them to be able to listen a little better.

None of this is to poopoo your worries, but I just wanted to give you the 'Teachers eye' view.

[saadia]

MrsF, my dss are not yet of school age so I have no experience of what is appropriate to put in a school report, but to me it seems as though the head's comments are really out of order. He seems to be personalising things and not thinking of how to put things so as to best help the boys.

[TheRealMrsF]

HMB...meant to say that i truely appreciate your thoughts of how 'Normal' Alex is.....like you said- i tend to be blinkered.....if i'm honest it's better for me if he is AS or ADHD than if not...as my home is a chaotic mix of ASD etc...and i feel sorry for him if he is 'normal' trying to survive in the world i live in!!!!!

Does that make sense!!!!????!!!!

[BattyBox]

hang on in there girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i agree with what HMB has written. ring me if you need to . hope we can still meet forshopping on Saturday

[TheRealMrsF]

you bet battybox...we can have a Mumsnet meetup at WH Smiths!!!!

Hmmmmm! Stationery!!!! Pens!!! Velcro !!!

[happymerryberries]

Mrs F, I do see what you mean, I think! I Work with some great kids with ASD and ADHD. I'm faintly obsessive myself and that helps me with the ASders a bit! I had a great conversation with one boy a few weeks ago when he was explaining to me how 'driven' he gets over thoughts....a wonderful insight into a unique mind!

But i was being hinest in what I said about the comments. They are almost universal for the boys I teach! And the girls tend to either be too chatty or too shy and retiring!

[Sapphire1975]

I have to say I do NOT think you are being paranoid here,
I would be furious with some of those coments myself, saying he would not want to be with Leigh all the time is unessesary and nasty basically and saying he distracts him with his shuffling during assemblies??
well surely he should be proffessional and experienced enough not to be put off so easily?

Lots of children find it hard and uncomfortable to sit still on the floor through assembly, let alone a child who probably has a disability.

I really hope your children do better in their next school and find staff who are much more aware and able to do their job.
I also hope you put your own coments in about the school in response to the report.