[senco-forum] KS2 to 3 transition (was Help for Y6 child working below L3)

My last post on this - honest!

  Sorry, Aly.  You may not mean it like this but it does seem to me that you and Brendan both think that it would all be sorted out for pupils if only teachers worked harder.  Many of us are already working flat out.  We don't like the fact that we cannot meet the needs of all pupils all the time but that is the reality of the situation.  Yes, some situations are a disgrace.  Yes, we must fight to change it all.  Yes, we must try to galvanise parents into challanging the LA  - the only way I know to get any change provision and improve the situation for pupils.  But we have also got to teach day in day out as well.  Oh yes, and have a life too.
  Yours
  Off to make packed lunches and then wrestle with 32 top set Year 11 GCSE poetry time essays before bedtime.

  Amanda
  Secondary SENCO and mainstream English teacher (not always in that order)
  Cornwall
Olanys at aol.com wrote:
  I'm sorry I shouldn't be flippant, but it does make me very angry that the 
only solution for these children is to find something to occupy them when they 
cannot be taught or supported at all. In finding a solution you (plural as 
in SENCOs, not you personally) are only adding to the problem by saying it's 
OK for these children to be unteachable, let's just amuse them and leave 
teachers, TAs, SENCOs etc free to teach those that can be taught!! Acceptance is 
just denial.

Access to education means just that, the law - section 7 of the Education 
Act 1996 -stipulates that every child has a right " to receive efficient 
full-time education suitable: 
1. to his age, ability and aptitude, and 
2. to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular 
attendance at school or otherwise. "

That MEANS full time, not when the teachers aren't too busy. Access to 
independent learning doesn't mean leaving a child to get on with it for an hour or 
2!

A teacher's job - which they are paid for, not out of the SEN budget - is to 
teach...all children, not just the easy ones. A SENCO surely has the 
authority to ensure these children are taught, to their ability, age, aptitude and 
special educational needs, especially if they are part of the senior 
management team?

If not, who does? Where does the buck stop?

Best wishes,
Aly

Chair Auditory Processing Disorder in the UK/APDUK
www.lacewingmultimedia.com/APD.htm 
www.apduk.org

Amanda
Secondary SENCO
Cornwall