[senco-forum] Access fund for computers

From: kngbrndn at aol.com

Brendan I wish I had seen what you have written before I had my childrens 
statements. I had no idea then that they had to be quantified and specified, 
and what a surprse nobody told me! Re ICT in my daughters statement it says 
*** will have frequent opportunities to access appropriate IT resources in 
order to reinforce exisiting verbal and non verbal skills and allow her to 
access the curriculum. At the annual review school refused to specify how 
much time she was allowed or how often and said it is impossible to know. LA 
bod sat and nodded in agreement!

>From: kngbrndn at aol.com
>To: daphnedriver at yahoo.co.uk, senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
>Subject: Re: [senco-forum] Access fund for computers
>Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2006 15:08:40 -0500
>
>Dapne -- the specification -- "access to relevant ICT" is too vague and 
>guarantees nothing -- it is an unlawful, unquantified, wording. It also 
>delegates responsibilty to arrange provision to another agency -- which is 
>unlawful. See Ian Coats letter to LAs written last November warning LAs 
>(quoting primary law, the CoP and Case Law) that statements must make clear 
>exactly what the child will be provided with. You can find it on IPSEAs 
>website for downloading. Parents should not accept this kind of vague 
>wording as it sidesteps the LAs legal duties -- and does not provide the 
>protection a statemented child is entitled to. Parents can object to vague 
>specification at proposed statement stage, and appeal a finalised statement 
>that is not specific and quantified, within 2 months of issue. Parents can 
>also appeal an amended statement within 2 months of amendment -- even if it 
>was not concerning the disagreed wording (e.g., When Part 4 is amended at 
>primary-secondary transfer -- parents can appeal on Parts 2 and 3 -- even 
>if they agree with the Part 4 change of named school for the next 
>September). BTW all phase transfer statements must be amended by 12 Feb of 
>the year of transfer to name the forthcoming school. Good opportunity to 
>tighten up unlawfuly written vague statements. Brendan
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: daphnedriver at yahoo.co.uk
>To: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
>Sent: Thu, 30 Nov 2006 6.12PM
>Subject: [senco-forum] Access fund for computers
>
>
>Hi Everybody - I lead a team who support the inclusion (full time) of
>SLD/Complex needs pupils in their local mainstream school. Using the Access 
>fund
>I've been able to buy computers to support my pupils - they need switches 
>and
>specialist software not usually found on mainstream networks and need a
>dedicated computer to support their learning and in some cases their
>communication. I have now been told that this fund will no longer be used 
>to
>provide computers but I can buy specialist software and switches with it. 
>The
>reason I have been given is that schools have plenty of laptops!!! and my 
>pupils
>should have one of those.Most of the pupils statements say access to 
>relevant
>ICT. Can anybody help Thanks Daphne
>
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