Changing School

croyland87

My child's school are struggling to cope with his behavior he is aggressive punches his teacher pulls her hair and bites her as well we have looked at a Special school but unfortunately they cant take him until Sept as they have no space. So the local authority are trying to put in more support for my child which I think is not going to work because as time goes on he is going to get worse and Sept is a long way away.

What should I do we have social services involved but they are not much help ether I feel like i am stuck and no help infact help which is not good enough. Thank you

Cuilean

From a teacher's point of view, I can feel your frustration, and the school's too. This is clearly not the best environment for your child to be educated.


Does your child have a statement? Or just an IEP? On the statement, you have the chance to name the correct educational setting for your child, be it a special school or a mainstream school. Statements are powerful documents, so make sure you read it carefully and can be sure everything listed is available to your child.


Unfortunately, special schools are in short supply. We need about three times as many as there are in existence. Places are in huge demand, and to be offered a definite place in September is something which you should hang on to. If you decline it without a better alternative, you're right back to square one. I cannot tell you how many parents would give their right arm for an offer of a special school place, even one seven months down the line.


I don't know which county you're in, but the one I teach in offers specially trained outreach teaching assistants. They're fully trained in special needs education, restraint when the child puts themselves or others in danger, and behaviour management techniques, and are assigned to children who are not coping in their mainstream school. They go out to the child in their school. We also have respite units within some schools, which are a sort of halfway house between mainstream and special schools. No more than 6 children in them, 1 adult looking after 2 children. The idea is that a more detailed assessment of the child can be made in this setting. Could you ask if that sort of thing is available where you are?


Social Services, in my experience, will not be as much help as the school in your situation. The school is the first port of call for matters of education.

croyland87

Cuilean wrote: »

From a teacher's point of view, I can feel your frustration, and the school's too. This is clearly not the best environment for your child to be educated.


Does your child have a statement? Or just an IEP? On the statement, you have the chance to name the correct educational setting for your child, be it a special school or a mainstream school. Statements are powerful documents, so make sure you read it carefully and can be sure everything listed is available to your child.


Unfortunately, special schools are in short supply. We need about three times as many as there are in existence. Places are in huge demand, and to be offered a definite place in September is something which you should hang on to. If you decline it without a better alternative, you're right back to square one. I cannot tell you how many parents would give their right arm for an offer of a special school place, even one seven months down the line.


I don't know which county you're in, but the one I teach in offers specially trained outreach teaching assistants. They're fully trained in special needs education, restraint when the child puts themselves or others in danger, and behaviour management techniques, and are assigned to children who are not coping in their mainstream school. They go out to the child in their school. We also have respite units within some schools, which are a sort of halfway house between mainstream and special schools. No more than 6 children in them, 1 adult looking after 2 children. The idea is that a more detailed assessment of the child can be made in this setting. Could you ask if that sort of thing is available where you are?


Social Services, in my experience, will not be as much help as the school in your situation. The school is the first port of call for matters of education.

Yes he does have a statement of SEN I live in a small town in Northamptonshire and there are not resources available which you have mentioned. Me and my wife really don't no what do its driving us mad the authority is saying there is a Special school available but only in Sept what do I do in the mean time because the mainstream school are uncountable of handling him as they have no experience of my childs condition which me and my wife believe is a health danger to are child we have a CIN meeting today and that is what I am going to tell them.

Someone has told me to Homeschool my child up until Sept any advice on this how does it work. Thank you

onlyroz

What extra support have you been offered and why do you think it won't work?

My daughter has challenging behaviour and she has been offered some sort of extra one-to-one sessions, which we are going to give a try.

Cuilean

croyland87 wrote: »

Yes he does have a statement of SEN I live in a small town in Northamptonshire and there are not resources available which you have mentioned.

I've had a look at Northamptonshire Council's education services website and found 28 primary schools which have an SEN unit, one of the small specialist provision classrooms which I mentioned in my earlier post. Go to this page:
http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/EducationandLearning/schoolsdir/Pages/schoolsdirectory.aspx
Choose Primary Schools and select the tick box which says "Only show schools with SEN unit or resourced provision". I'd suggest asking about a respite place at one of these units, even for a short term spell. The council describe these units as:

SEN unit and resourced provision
This is a mainstream school which has extra resources to cater for particular types of special needs. There are two types of provision:

• SEN units provide special provision within a mainstream school where children are taught mainly within separate classes.
• Resourced provision provides places which are reserved at a mainstream school for pupils with a specific type of SEN, taught mainly within mainstream classes, but requiring a base and some specialist facilities around the school.

croyland87 wrote: »

what do I do in the mean time because the mainstream school are uncountable of handling him as they have no experience of my childs condition which me and my wife believe is a health danger to are child we have a CIN meeting today and that is what I am going to tell them.

From the council's point of view, they'll tell you they've done their job by finding your child a place in the special school in September. It'll be as infuriating for your child's current school as it is for you. Your child is putting themselves in danger, and if they are as violent as you say, the other children and adults in the classroom. I can assure you that they will be despairing as much as you.

croyland87 wrote: »

Someone has told me to Homeschool my child up until Sept any advice on this how does it work. Thank you

Homeschooling is not as simple as it may seem, and you should do your research thoroughly. It won't get the council off your back either - you're subject to visits from the council who will check to see if you're providing a quality education for your child. I could tell you stories of a couple of parents who took their child out of school only to be judged as not providing a good quality of education for their child, and were served an order to return their child to school. Having said that, if you're prepared to commit to it, it can be very rewarding. Read the MumsNet guide to home schooling here: http://www.netmums.com/children/home-education


I would also tend to wonder the same things as Onlyroz - why do you not think the offered extra provision is not going to work? You need to try it, even if only to prove to the school that it's not the way forward. As the saying goes, if you don't try, you'll never know. Keep an open mind, and good luck.

croyland87

Cuilean wrote: »

I've had a look at Northamptonshire Council's education services website and found 28 primary schools which have an SEN unit, one of the small specialist provision classrooms which I mentioned in my earlier post. Go to this page:
http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/EducationandLearning/schoolsdir/Pages/schoolsdirectory.aspx
Choose Primary Schools and select the tick box which says "Only show schools with SEN unit or resourced provision". I'd suggest asking about a respite place at one of these units, even for a short term spell. The council describe these units as:

From the council's point of view, they'll tell you they've done their job by finding your child a place in the special school in September. It'll be as infuriating for your child's current school as it is for you. Your child is putting themselves in danger, and if they are as violent as you say, the other children and adults in the classroom. I can assure you that they will be despairing as much as you.





Homeschooling is not as simple as it may seem, and you should do your research thoroughly. It won't get the council off your back either - you're subject to visits from the council who will check to see if you're providing a quality education for your child. I could tell you stories of a couple of parents who took their child out of school only to be judged as not providing a good quality of education for their child, and were served an order to return their child to school. Having said that, if you're prepared to commit to it, it can be very rewarding. Read the MumsNet guide to home schooling here: http://www.netmums.com/children/home-education


I would also tend to wonder the same things as Onlyroz - why do you not think the offered extra provision is not going to work? You need to try it, even if only to prove to the school that it's not the way forward. As the saying goes, if you don't try, you'll never know. Keep an open mind, and good luck.

Me and my wife have got a open mind but the why we are thinking is that are child has a 121 support but she is not experienced in his condition. The school could provide 10 adults to support him but its not going to help if they don't no how to handle him.

peachyprice

What age is your child? Homeschooling a child nearing GCSE's is obviously going to be far more demanding than homeschooling an 8 yo.

croyland87

peachyprice wrote: »

What age is your child? Homeschooling a child nearing GCSE's is obviously going to be far more demanding than homeschooling an 8 yo.

He is 6 years old.

kelpie35

How do you manage with his behaviour at home?

Sammy-Jo_2

I work as a BSE Specialist (behaviour, Social and Emotional) within KS1 and KS2 schools. Can you tell me why your child has a SEN?

silvercar

Is his behaviour different at home?

Home schooling may be an option if his bahaviour is improved at home, if it is just as bad then there is no advantage.