[senco-forum] Advice needed urgently. Statemented pupil placement at our school.

Hello everyone, I need you advice as to how best to explain that a requested
placement at our school for a statemented pupil will be to the detriment of
the other pupils.

The request is from parents who feel that no progress has been made in the
previous primary school.  They want the child to join our Year 3 in
September.  We have a fixed number of 60 in the Year group and an additional
entry would make this number 61.  We have very small classrooms which are
really only suitable for 30 children and there really isn't space for work
stations etc. and still have space for the other children to sit on the
carpet etc.  The pupil is entitled to 15 hours of  support, which we would
have to fund as it is a 'high incident' need (ADHD, traits of autism and
sensory modulation difficulties).  Additionally three sessions of OT with a
Teaching assistant is needed per week.  We can not afford this, we are a
small school and already fund individual support for another child without a
statement but with similarly challenging needs.  I have full sympathy for
the parents, but the impact on our other children would be great.  How is it
best to word our response which has to be in on Friday?

Thanks, bailey100