SEN-school action in yr1-do I have to give permission?????

[frangipan]

sounds weird I know, but only through me asking to see DS2 teacher did i discover that DS2 was recieving 'extra help and support'with his literacy., 6 months on I recieve a leaflet through parent patnership? about my child with special educational needs.
W e hadn't actually been informed that DS2 had been registered as SEN or that our details had been passed on to a 3rd party until parents evening a few weeks ago, so I'm really quite cross, especially as the teachers reaction when I said that I hadn't been informed or had the process explained to me was'of course you would have been told!'

So I was wondering, if school identifies a child as having SEN what is the protocol and how should the school work with parents to ensure everyone understands what is going on so that my lovely DS is getting the help he needs.

DS2 is a late june baby so is 4th yougest in his class if that makes a difference.

Thankyou in anticipation and for reading this rather dijointed post!!!

[CaptainUnderpants]

i think that if the school has said he has SEN and has passed his details onto a third party then you should have been informed and they needed written consent.

Howver lots of children have extra support - whether it be handwritting , reading but it doesn't make then a SEN child.

I think that there may be a mis understanding here with the term SEN - it may be that your shild is just having extra help with a Teaching assistant which is very common.

I feel that there may be a misunderstanding along the way . I hope it is resolved.

[BBBee]

if your child has been put on school action you should have been informed.

[CaptainUnderpants]

the below website may be of some use to you

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/parents/life/sen/statements/sen_whatnext.shtml

My DS2 is the youngest in his calss aswell and has been having additional support since YR R . It was all documented , signed by me and the SENCO at the school. I wasn't consulted about whether I consented or not just consulted as to the process.

I was asked for my consent when his details were going to be passed to someone outside the school ie the SALT.

It is normal in these matters that the SENCO at school keeps a copy and trake of all pupils that need 'additiona; support ' of any kind . That doesn't mean that your child has SEN.
It

[bonkerz]

you should have been informed when your DS was placed on the SEN register. You should also be contacted and involved with all his IEPs and should have copies of them all.
I would let the school know oyu are not happy you have not been informed and request a meeting with SENCO to discuss exactly what it all means to your DS.

[gagarin]

Make an appointment with the SENCO and ask for a detailed explanantion of the process and explain how you felt dismayed to hear your child needed extra help in this way.

The whole education system is supposed to be a 3-way partnership between your child, the school and you.

It is a mistake they have made - not in offering him extra help but in not discussing this with you. But mistakes happen so once you've stated your case and hopefully got an apology then use the help to your child's advantage!

Good luck - be calm and all will be well again between you and the school.

[frangipan]

thanx for all your replies, I think I am just upset that as DS is getting extra support and that is how it was relayed to me, as "extra support" and not SEN, when I recieved the leaflet about SEN and asked DS teacher if he was registered SEN and she said yes I was a bit shocked that it hadn't been discussed..I will be to see the headmasgoingter after Easter to disuss it, So I will take on all your recommendations and suggestions.

Hate the fact that I can't help DS more, anyone know if you can get a dyslexia assesment, do't mind paying for it?? DS says the words jump out at him when trying to read xx

[yurt1]

Words jump out at him? He may benefit from coloured lenses. Google irlen lenses and behavio(u)ral optometry.

It doesn't always help but those it does it can help massively.

As a rough and ready way of trying pop to an art shop buy a stack of different coloured acetates and place them one at a time over something he's trying to read-he might find some colours help.

[frangipan]

thaks yurt-we're off out shortly somight try the coloured acetate.

The website you suggested captainunderpants made interesting reading,sometimes I think teachers forget that parents aren't always as clued up on the system as they are......now teeth I can do, know them insideout,upsidedown....

[TheMatrix]

Hi

You do need to find out exactly what has happened and where your child is. To go onto a SEN register it is likely the school have called in an external assessor (Speech and Language Therapist/Educational Psychologist)- if that is true and done without your knowledge, then it is technical assault on the child and the school could be taken to court (if you so wish).

Always ensure that you take someone with you whenever you go to a school meeting (partner/friend etc - you are lees likely to be intimidated and you have someone to help take notes)

Spending money on an independent assessment is worth its weight in gold. Any assessment carried out by the LEA/School/NHS tends to be very 'shallow' and the recommendations are poor. A good independent assessment is 'in depth' and does not 'pull any punches' over what is needed.

Note when you do get an independent assessment, you can give a copy to the school and you should immediately go to school action+ (I do realise these are of limited value, but it does give short term targets/achievements regularly reviewed with you and signed by you!! which is great evidence at Tribunal if you eventually need to progress this 'all the way').

The earlier you can get a diagnosis of any problems and get some remediation the better

If you are still having problems with this, ring the SOS!SEN independent help line on 0208 538 3731

[BetteNoir]

I only found out that DS1 was on school action plus at a parents' evening in Y2.
And the copy of his IEP (that I should have read and signed) was stuck in his reading book.

The overlays can be helpful, as Yurt said.
DS1 has dyslexia and visual problems, and has glasses with tinted lenses.

Also try him with books that have large type, wide spacing, and are printed on coloured or off-white paper.

The publisher Barrington Stoke is wonderful.
(I should be on commission! )

www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?storeId=10001&catalogId=10 051&langId=100&pageSize=10&beginIndex=0&searchScope=SimpleSearch&resultType=2&resultCatEntryType=1&c atgrpSchemaType=2&vipStatus=&fromPage=basicSearch&layout=oneColumn&pageNumber=2&pageSizeOption=10&fo rmat=&sortOption=DEFAULT&ageRange=&onlySets=false&categoryName=Children%27s+Fiction&categoryPath=%2F 48107%2F48112&categoryId=48107&luceneSearchType=CATEGORY&searchTerm=

[KateF]

If your ds has an IEP you are supposed to sign it and review it each term with the teacher. I have had the opposite problem and had to fight for support for dd2. There is no dyslexia assessment or support in Bedfordshire so in the end I paid for an independent assessment and she does indeed have moderate-severe dyslexia. I would not wait for tyhe school to organise anything as the psychologist who did dds assessment said the earlier the better (dd is in Yr2).

[frangipan]

Thankyou all so much, I was beginning to feel that I was over-reacting or being too sensitive-We are seeing our GP in 2 weeks time but am looking now for an independant assessment for him...THANK HEAVENS FOR MUMSNET XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

[gagarin]

Feel free to be a sensitive as you like!

[LIZS]

Is he on School Action or School Action Plus, the first is internal within the school so they wouldn't involve a 3rd party as such, whereas the latter does. We got ds' IEP with his school report and found out he was offically on School Action , but he has had learning support for over a year .

[frangipan]

I think he is on school action at the mo-but we recieved information through the post from 'parent partnership'? adressed to "parents of xxxxxx xxxxxx" so they must have passed his details on as it was to do with special needs. I have been assured he doesn't need statementing , I know this might sound a bit thick of me but I do remember going into school for a review in December where I was shown some of DS work, maybe that was part of IEP as there was ALOT of paper, DD was only 9 weeks old at the time, don't think I signed anything though.....[hmmm]

[gagarin]

May be - and this wouldn't be unusual - the teacher wrapped up the information so well in layers of reassuring words that you didn't get to hear what she was saying!

Sometimes it's best to be blunt!

Don't feel bad you haven't understood what's going on - at least you are interested enough to go in and discuss it