Rsinsinwar's appeal thread

[DC17C]

Thanks for the comments on IB and SEN, will follow up with both schools on Curriculum and SEN needs. Does the doctor identify SEN or physical issues causing SEN? I am meeting the doctor today.

Thanks

If there are possible coordination or organisational issues like dyspraxia or other specific learning challenges being considered a paediatrician needs to eliminate other causes...Hypermobility disorders and other developmental conditions are often associated with issues with organisational and body coordination issues or it could possibly be related to the other health issues you have mentioned.....

can I please PM you to understand what your Ds's case is and share mine's too. Although the ed psy ruled out dyspraxia. Its muscle inflammation due to his Autoimmune disease as of now as per the GP - going to meet the almighty Hematologist tomorrow for further clarity.

All I feel is, its minimal, or I am hoping to hear it

Yes that will be fine...pm if that is easier...

[Etienne]

Hi Rsinsinwar

I am sending you an email.

If you have any questions, please post them here on the forum.

Regards.

[Rsinsinwar]

Ah Dear Etienne,

Are you real, thank you for much for such a involved and nuanced feedback, I have many fresh queries,

My son’s medical condition will come under SEN? Coz HT has clearly said it’s not, in the same email where he confirms he will be given extra 25% time for his SATs. Does sharing this email make his case weaker? Does fair access protocol apply to him? Can I send u some related evidences for a clearer idea?
What is the difference between a child having SEN or medical condition?
My son missed one month of education due to the move a yr before exam, is it worth mentioning would it hold any weight?
Ds suffers a medical condition causing fatigue and since we have moved closer to the school we are appealing, his travel to primary school has increased and his attendance due to fatigue related fever has gone down by >15% also confirmed by the school in writing. Is this worth writing/ mentioning or we will be argued back that y did u move ? We wouldn’t have if he had scored in safe zone tbh. We are already frowned upon by some coz we moved in oct Just before filling CAF
Can we argue based on public transport to offered school? Ignoring coach / self driven time? Coz those are much shorter than the public transport which involves walk, wait, 2 bus journeys

[Etienne]

Are you real, thank you for much for such a involved and nuanced feedback, I have many fresh queries

You're welcome!

My son’s medical condition will come under SEN?

I think different issues have been conflated, causing a bit of confusion.

The medical condition, as far as I can see, is not SEN, but might well be a disability.
If the school are saying it's not SEN, but they are allowing extra time, they must be treating it (or some other impairment) as a disability, and are now taking measures to try and ensure he is not put at a disadvantage.

The EP isn't very clear, but does suggest some interventions that are normally associated with special needs.
"I suggest working to a programme of intervention delivered or devised and managed by a dyslexia/specific learning difficulties specialist on the development of the following skills ....."

(This is quite useful. If the issue of comprehension should arise at the appeal, you can point to the fact that the EP has recommended some steps that could help your son to achieve even more highly than he already is!)

Does sharing this email make his case weaker?

I don't think so - but I've only seen two bits of the evidence.

Does fair access protocol apply to him? Can I send u some related evidences for a clearer idea?

I doubt this would be of any help because under FAP you wouldn't get to choose the school to be allocated. It's the LA that would choose - and I can't see that they would allocate a selective school for which he hasn't qualified.

What is the difference between a child having SEN or medical condition?

The issue is whether there is a form of disability necessitating special arrangements (such as extra time) for tests.

A disability is a learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), a medical condition (such as your son's), or any sort of impairment that is long-term, more than minor or trivial, and affects day to day living (which would include school work and tests).

I don't think you should be worrying about definitions of SEN/medical condition/disability. You just take the part of an innocent, confused parent from abroad who has been coping with a host of family problems, while struggling to understand the education system in this country!

My son missed one month of education due to the move a yr before exam, is it worth mentioning would it hold any weight?

Not if we're going back to Y4.
You are at serious risk of overdoing extenuating circumstances!

Ds suffers a medical condition causing fatigue and since we have moved closer to the school we are appealing, his travel to primary school has increased and his attendance due to fatigue related fever has gone down by >15% also confirmed by the school in writing.

Is this already in the appendices for the appeal?
I haven't seen all the evidence, so I'm working in the dark!

Can we argue based on public transport to offered school? Ignoring coach / self driven time? Coz those are much shorter than the public transport which involves walk, wait, 2 bus journeys

If you write anything else in your already long list of extenuating circumstances, you will finish up with a totally unbalanced appeal. This is the least important section of your appeal!


What is the deadline for you to submit your appeal letter?
If there's time I will take another look at it.

[Rsinsinwar]

Thanks Etienne,

I am not modifying the appeal anymore. It’s final , Monday submission.

My questions were just to understand other elements, as u suggest, I stay put and leave the rest for IAP to enquire.

May I send u a PDF of Appendices? That you have not yet seen?

[Etienne]

May I send u a PDF of Appendices? That you have not yet seen?

Thanks, but no need if we've run out of time.

[Rsinsinwar]

Dear Etianne,

Thanks for all the help and clarifications. The first final appeal is submitted and the second is due next week.

Could/Should I now start working on the stage one questioning? or its not in my scope?

Ds suffers a medical condition causing fatigue and since we have moved closer to the school we are appealing, his travel to primary school has increased and his attendance due to fatigue related fever has gone down by >15% also confirmed by the school in writing.

Is this already in the appendices for the appeal?
I haven't seen all the evidence, so I'm working in the dark!
There is specific report by Royal London hospital Haematology detailing how fatigue in chronic ITP patients makes their life worse than cancer patients, this I find very relevant , is it necessary to have documented by GP for Ds in specific? He is usually tired after school, and will not be willing for more doctor visits over and above his usual blood tests. My DD is half Ds's age and seems better than him even at the end of the day. Unfortunately, while I have always had an idea of this issue, never knew so much in specific. It all started coming to me when ed psy pointed out painful hand work. Now I gladly request adults to give seat in trains to him even if DD is standing. I wish I had been more aware, now I realise that my Dh who also suffers from chronic ailment understand Ds better than I do, coz I dont suffer such fatigue levels.

What is the deadline for you to submit your appeal letter?
If there's time I will take another look at it.[/quote]


Thanks so much Etienne, Sent all the appendix evidence to the appeal box, barring one or 2, which I am thinking to add to the second appeal. sorry about the big size, didn't know how to make pdf

[Etienne]

There is specific report by Royal London hospital Haematology detailing how fatigue in chronic ITP patients makes their life worse than cancer patients, this I find very relevant , is it necessary to have documented by GP for Ds in specific? He is usually tired after school, and will not be willing for more doctor visits over and above his usual blood tests. My DD is half Ds's age and seems better than him even at the end of the day. Unfortunately, while I have always had an idea of this issue, never knew so much in specific. It all started coming to me when ed psy pointed out painful hand work. Now I gladly request adults to give seat in trains to him even if DD is standing. I wish I had been more aware, now I realise that my Dh who also suffers from chronic ailment understand Ds better than I do, coz I dont suffer such fatigue levels.

Do not inflict any generic information on the panel - medical reports, ofsted reports, school prospectuses, etc.
You already have loads of appendices. The panel have limited time in which to deal with your case. If you add anything else, it can only serve to irritate them.
You've already referred to this issue in your written submission. If the panel want to know more about it, they will ask - and you are sufficiently knowledgeable to be able to answer.

Thanks so much Etienne, Sent all the appendix evidence to the appeal box, barring one or 2, which I am thinking to add to the second appeal.

The Appeals Box is unmonitored, so I'm afraid I missed it.
Every time you use the Appeals Box you should receive an auto-response warning "If you are sending background information to your own case, and are hoping for some sort of reply, it is necessary to post a specific question on the Appeals forum.
Please mention when posting that background information is available in the Appeals Box for the information of moderators (as we do not routinely monitor the Appeals Box for new mail)".

Could/Should I now start working on the stage one questioning? or its not in my scope?

Do you have two separate appointments for each appeal (a group hearing and an individual hearing)? Or just one appointment per appeal?


For the moment, the most useful thing to do would be to time your speech, and make sure that you keep it short. It will take far too long to read out every single word and go through all the evidence.
If you were to say -
"I appreciate that I've already given you a lot of material, so I'll just highlight some of the main points",
and then read out the following sections:
A1, A2, A3, A4
C1, C2
D1, D2, D5
- how long does it take?


Secondly, it would be a good idea to prepare a short summing up for the very end of the hearing.
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appea ... school#c32" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rsinsinwar]

Dear Etienne,

Came back from our first appeal, exact 16 min long and 3 questions from Head and panel.

1. Do you think the current primary school did not do any statementing?
2. Does the current commute to primary school not causing fatigue?
3. Is there any ongoing treatment for Ds? Why?
4. How will travel work out - we said, we will move ,


We are surprised with the crisp experience despite us fumbling and rambling in the 13 minutes speech.

No other parents around, just us. Was this normal?

[Etienne]

We are surprised with the crisp experience despite us fumbling and rambling in the 13 minutes speech.

I did try to caution you that they would have limited time in which to deal with your case.

No other parents around, just us. Was this normal?

You didn't answer my questions of 1st May, but it looks as if you had a single appointment.
I would have warned you that I think this is the worst possible way of organising appeals, because it is difficult to see how they can deal properly with both stages 1 & 2 in 20 minute time slots (if this is what happened).
Unfortunately the Code does permit them to do this.