[senco-forum] Special school placement

Help please! I am an infant school Senco. We have a child with complex needs 
who is due to transfer to KS2 in September. Our local junior school would be 
highly inappropriate for him.

After careful discussion at his annual review in May 2006, his parents 
agreed to consider an MLD school. I took them to visit 2 such schools, 
equi-distant from home - they disliked one, and loved the second. They named 
the second on their parental response form for transition.
The LEA have decided that he cannot have a place at their preferred school, 
but could go to the one they dislike. They are pretty angry.

An LEA official have told the parents that there is no point going to a 
tribunal, as the LEA has offered them a MLD place -"it does not count that 
their preference is the other school. They've been offered an MLD place to 
meet his needs."

Another piece of advice they received - from Parent Partnership - was that 
if we held an immediate 'annual' review, they could request their preferred 
school be named on the Statement, and then the LEA would have to comply.

I have spoken to an independent SEN support group, who advised that the LEA 
official is wrong - parents CAN specify the name of a Special School. Also 
that an amended Statement can not change from mainstream to special without 
LEA agreement.

Tomorrow I am taking the parents - with the child this time - to visit the 
school they dislike, hoping they may change their minds! I have previously 
sent children to both schools, and I have heard great things from them, but 
obviously parents want to feel it is right for their child.

Please can anyone advise me on what rights the parents have? What can I do 
next to help them?

Tara

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