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Parents of special needs pupils forced to go private

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:50 pm
by stevew61
'The number of children with SEN going private has increased by 300 per cent since the government started reducing statementing and closing special schools,' said Charlotte Leslie, co-author of the report. 'That cannot be a coincidence.'

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/publicse ... 92,00.html


I have seen and feel the creeping privitiasation of special needs. I am in favour of market forces but not sure it should be the driving force.

To date we have been able to "buy" extra help, but feel very strongly for those that have to make difficult choices.

SEN is also about sharing and learning, Happy SEN New Year. SEN positive.

stevew61

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 11:35 pm
by yoyo123
as an ex senco I couldn't agree more steve. it is a subject dear to my heart...

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:45 pm
by Kaz
Hi everyone,

It's been a while since I last posted however my daughter has started at a private school this week. We felt we had little choice as she was falling further and further behind. Apparently not far enough for the LEA as she has to be at least 3 years behind to be statemented, she was just short and we were not prepared to wait!!!

Kaz

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:11 pm
by stevew61
Kaz wrote:Apparently not far enough for the LEA as she has to be at least 3 years behind to be statemented, she was just short and we were not prepared to wait!!!
Kaz
Thanks Kaz,

We experienced some moving goalposts four years ago and your post has shed some light on what was/is required for a statement. At the time it caused some distress. Pleased to say we are making good progress hope you and yours are too. :wink:

stevew61

PS yoyo123 sencos the "Great" underesourced. :D :D

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:23 pm
by Guest55
I've been a SENCo too - it's a different ball game in a GS of course - but these pupils are often harder to get the right support for. It is assumed that just because they are bright that they can cope ...

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:30 pm
by yoyo123
statements are notoriously difficult to get, even more so since the system changed. It's like playing footballl blinfolded everytime youthink you are near teh goal someone moves it.

The irony is teh better you cope with teh pupil the less llikely you are to get a statement and you can't get one on future need.

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:34 pm
by stevew61
Guest55 wrote:I've been a SENCo too - it's a different ball game in a GS of course - but these pupils are often harder to get the right support for. It is assumed that just because they are bright that they can cope ...
Hi G55,

May I book a provisional appointment to pick your brain in three years time. :D . Please do not win the lottery or leave the country we need your knowledge. :D


stevew61

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:56 pm
by Guest55
My pleasure! You can always PM me even iif I do win the lottery :lol:

My SEN child now in Y9 in GS - got award in Y8 for 'excellence' - captain of sports team - thriving with correct support .... It can be done but it took us four years to get needs recognised [most of KS2]

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:29 am
by Greta2
Interesting article - Wholeheartedly agree with the comments already made… especially about the moving goalposts.

We also got the bit about has to be 3 + years behind in achievement before a statement can be issued but we were lucky enough to have an LEA ed psych allocated who fought this on our behalf and argued that each case had to be considered individually and that a very able child who was only able to produce work significantly below what could be expected of his ability was just as much in need. She assessed him as being able to produce work 3+ years below his ability rather than his curriculum level, as in all tests his performance was good enough to still be average. She also commented in her report that waiting until he fell 3+ years below expected achievement for his age would be a drop of 6+ years below his ability.

I’m sure that the outcome for many children depends as much on the persistence and resources of their parents as the child’s needs and that is just plain not fair.

I should say that once the statement was issued the LEA has been extremely helpful. It was getting it that felt like climbing Everest in a pair of flip flops. I can fully understand why many parents opt for private education. I often wonder whether we should have done – as the 4 years it took to get the statement was a quarter of our son’s education.

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:10 pm
by asdguest
Another interesting article last weekend in The Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... ool305.xml

A sad state of affairs for all.