SEN and late transfer
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SEN and late transfer
Anybody who followed my postings last year about DD’s medical condition might be interested to learn the following.
Applying for late transfer (ie 12+) for DD we had to answer various questions on the application form and because we ticked the ‘disabled’ box (she is covered by the Disability Discrimination Act 2001), it has automatically triggered an assessment of whether DD should be given extra time in the exam and/or other considerations.
At 11+ this information doesn’t come from parents but from schools – at least in counties such as Bucks where children are entered for the exam unless you specifically opt out – so parents are much more reliant on schools providing the relevant information.
For anyone who has a DC with dyslexia, epilepsy, learning difficulties, tourette’s or any other condition which they feel might warrant their being given extra time or other special considerations in the 11+, I would urge them not to make the mistake we made last year and assume the school will have done this, but to double-check for themselves.
Applying for late transfer (ie 12+) for DD we had to answer various questions on the application form and because we ticked the ‘disabled’ box (she is covered by the Disability Discrimination Act 2001), it has automatically triggered an assessment of whether DD should be given extra time in the exam and/or other considerations.
At 11+ this information doesn’t come from parents but from schools – at least in counties such as Bucks where children are entered for the exam unless you specifically opt out – so parents are much more reliant on schools providing the relevant information.
For anyone who has a DC with dyslexia, epilepsy, learning difficulties, tourette’s or any other condition which they feel might warrant their being given extra time or other special considerations in the 11+, I would urge them not to make the mistake we made last year and assume the school will have done this, but to double-check for themselves.
I don't know how relevant this is or whether I'm just putting two and two together and making three, but when I was going through our CAF last year there was a box for Special Needs (I think it was quoted as that). Now I didn't tick that box as I don't consider my dd as having special needs. I have my middle daughter who has severe learning difficulties and she is classed as special needs so THOUGHT I knew what it meant.
Anyhow, as some of you may remember my dd didn't make the cut on Allocations' Day and we had to go to Appeal. One of the points in our case was DD's hearing (or lack of it - lol). Subsequently and before our case was heard DD was offered a place at our first choice school off the waiting list.
Because of a lot of administrative errors I ended up speaking to the school directly well before the AEO did and one of the questions put to me (when I mentioned DD's hearing) was is she special needs? I was quite flabbergasted to be asked that (thinking along the lines of older dd remember!) and it was pointed out to me she is classed as that and could they list her as such (I suspect to gain from any money in the offing for it though
). This meant I could have ticked the box on the CAF form and she would have gotten in above the others.
It wasn't until a while later it dawned on me if the above is true, I jeopardised my dd's chances of gaining a place by not being fully aware of her status!!!
I would have been horribly heartbroken if things hadn't turned out right in the end, but because it was never an issue in her primary school, it was never given a second thought.
If your child has ANYTHING which distinguises them from their peers check if you can claim special needs - it could bring an entirely different outcome to your situation.
Anyhow, as some of you may remember my dd didn't make the cut on Allocations' Day and we had to go to Appeal. One of the points in our case was DD's hearing (or lack of it - lol). Subsequently and before our case was heard DD was offered a place at our first choice school off the waiting list.
Because of a lot of administrative errors I ended up speaking to the school directly well before the AEO did and one of the questions put to me (when I mentioned DD's hearing) was is she special needs? I was quite flabbergasted to be asked that (thinking along the lines of older dd remember!) and it was pointed out to me she is classed as that and could they list her as such (I suspect to gain from any money in the offing for it though
). This meant I could have ticked the box on the CAF form and she would have gotten in above the others.It wasn't until a while later it dawned on me if the above is true, I jeopardised my dd's chances of gaining a place by not being fully aware of her status!!!
I would have been horribly heartbroken if things hadn't turned out right in the end, but because it was never an issue in her primary school, it was never given a second thought.
If your child has ANYTHING which distinguises them from their peers check if you can claim special needs - it could bring an entirely different outcome to your situation.
Exactly, snowdrops. We do feel a bit guilty that we hadn’t impressed upon the school the severity of DD’s medical condition – we wrongly believed that they fully understood the effect and implications of it when clearly they didn’t.Because it was never an issue in her primary school, it was never given a second thought.
We won’t be making that mistake again, and I’m hoping that my post will go some way to ensuring other parents don’t make the same assumptions that we did.
Bravo to both Rob & Snowy,I couldn't agree more !
We too fell into the 'trap' of not thinking we needed to supply more special needs/disability info,subsequently no extra time was offered,& we had a grilling at our appeals over why we hadn't 'ticked the box'
Luckily we had a very positive outcome & Ds couldn't be more thrilled with his school,but I certainly wouldn't wish the fight we had on any other family.
Thankyou for raising this issue Rob.
Sallyj.
We too fell into the 'trap' of not thinking we needed to supply more special needs/disability info,subsequently no extra time was offered,& we had a grilling at our appeals over why we hadn't 'ticked the box'
Luckily we had a very positive outcome & Ds couldn't be more thrilled with his school,but I certainly wouldn't wish the fight we had on any other family.
Thankyou for raising this issue Rob.
Sallyj.