[senco-forum] Advice on direction to take with son

Me again June.
I have got to say I agree with Andy's last paragraph.  I was one of
those pushy parents.  I always  felt sorry for the parents who were shy
or intimidated by the system.  I remember being told by one SENCO when I
first noticed a problem in Reception that I was basically transferring
my job to my child and leave well enough alone (I work in the post 16
sector with students with learning difficulties).  I did leave it be and
at the end of the first year was called into the office by that same
SENCO and told they would be putting a programme of support in for my
son when he started back in Yr 1 - I had wasted a year of precious time
by listening and trusting my gut instinct.  I swore it would never
happen again.
Viv 

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Andy
Sent: 13 September 2006 14:04
To: June Marriott
Cc: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: Re: [senco-forum] Advice on direction to take with son

Staying 'down' or being put 'back' a year? You need to ask some
questions.

1) The child has not made progress once. What evidence is there that
repeating the same work  taught in the same way will help? If your son
repeats a year, what extra support will be in place to ensure that
history does not repeat itself?

2) At what point in his educational 'career' will he return to be taught
in his normal age grouping? What conditions or future progress will lead
to that decision being made? If, for example, it is reading skills, what
reading test result or quotient will qualify him to return?

3) If he reaches the end of year five, he will have to sit SATs without
the benefit of Y6 teaching, and move to a secondary school from Y5 into
Y7 with a group of children he does not know. Do you feel that is
desirable? If the receiving secondary school accept that he stays back
in the primary school and does Y6 there ( highly unlikely, I feel), what
year will he be in when he transfers, and what are the implications for
external examinations in Y10 and Y11?

4) If he is immature emotionally and socially, will keeping him with
younger children help?

The most effective option is to become such a pain in the neck to the
school and the authority that your son is given the support he actually
needs, and forget about being labelled a 'pushy' or problem parent.
Those parents who complain the most and loudest still get the greater
share of resources. Get the assessment to someone independent who
understands test jargon and who can read between the lines, before any
decision is made. Challenge, argue, demand.