[SENco-forum] was; Here we go...now How to distribute resources fairly (long)

No, you have it wrong. You, laughingly, seem to believe that the education 
system as it exists at the moment should be there for the benefit of the 
children within the system. The idea that the education system is there to 
educate the children is, I am afraid, a very outmoded notion.

Modern education is concerned, primarily, about producing statistics for 
those in power to argue about. any school that is deemed as successful 
concerns itself with those at the top end, to get them to get the higher 
grades and therefore look good on the points scores and the league tables. 
They are also there for the 'not quite bottom' children who can be dragged 
by the ears into getting an acceptable level. There is a global 
understanding that those who are no hopers will always be no hopers and can 
be virtually ignored.

Those, like the unfortunates we are discussing here, who fall between the 
two stools high achievers and not quite no hopers are, for the most part, 
left to struggle by on their own. Any progress that these children make will 
be in spite of, not because of the education system as a whole. Should any 
parents be lucky enough to find an individual teacher or a school that is 
more enlightened about the plight of the high ability children that are 
handicapped by additional needs in terms of dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism etc. 
then they should regard themselves as very fortunate. The system and the 
investments into the system are not aimed at these 'invisible' children.

Face it. Children like this are creating additional problems for the 
education system and, rather than being encouraged by support or the 
provision of appropriate resources, they, and their parents, should be 
shunned for providing the system with children who do not fit into the round 
hole that is created for children within the system.

Tim Rupp
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <SEN at tringham.net>
To: "Kate Barnes" <kate.senrab at btinternet.com>; "Becta Senco" 
<senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk>
Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2007 5:46 PM
Subject: RE: [SENco-forum] was;Here we go...now How to distribute resources 
fairly (long)

My children in the past received no help for being 'gifted'  or for having 
dyslexia until as parents we pushed like crazy to get some.

The dyslexia makes it hard to spot the giftedness (top 10% IQ by government 
policy) as their CAT scores are depressed to around average -  as is their 
in class written work.  It will be interesting to know how Kate's school 
picks up it G& T with SEN or whether they only come to light if they happen 
to be 'talented' i.e. good at a particular subject.

I had to pay for an EP report for 3 of mine costing me about £700 to find 
their true IQ and the extent of their dyslexia.

In denial the 4th child had to wait until her university picked her up for 
dyslexia although we knew her IQ was 151 from a MENSA test.  This and being 
at a good grammar school meant that she survived to University, whereas my 
other 3 sinking slowly in local comprehensives will not. They, apparently, 
are still better off than some children with worse SEN (?) being 'blessed' 
as they are with a higher IQ and thus denied adequate support to reach their 
full potential.

Where is the fairness in this system of resource allocation?

Sharon

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk]On Behalf Of Kate Barnes
Sent: 29 December 2007 15:55
To: 'senco forum'
Subject: [senco-forum] was;Here we go...now How to diistribute resources
fairly (long)

The issue of distribution of a finite amount of resources is one that most 
SENCos face daily. But don't forget that this is also a dilemma for LAs and 
for government. Its easy just to demand more money - but maybe that should 
go to schools in Africa or Cancer research. The key question is how do we 
divide what we have? I fully accept that parent's must fight for the maximum 
possible for their children, and fight hard for max funding for my school... 
but taking a wider perspective while we are all on holiday....
I have spent time thinking some of this thru over the years and would be 
interested in the forums views on my ramblings so far!
All children would achieve more with extra provision - 1:1 support, use of 
laptop, small group work.
I justify the direction of this support at those with SEN (and more recently 
those who are G&T) by explaining that lessons ("quality first teaching", to 
use the jargon) are aimed and differentiated at the average/below average 
and above average learners. Those who fall outside this group are therefore 
getting less than their share of education.
This fits in with the subjective interpretation of the code of practice 
phrases "school action" etc. For example; a child in my school who is 
catered for as part of the below average group in his class, does not need 
to be at School Action, because their needs are being met. (My LA manages to 
hold to this policy while also having level descriptors for each SEN Stage, 
which SENCos are required to use!!)
So are high IQ dyslexic children getting their share?  - maybe not, but they 
are probably getting more from the system than a child with moderate 
learning difficulties with no support. Such children are often discharged 
from speech therapy because their speech is "in line with their global 
development" and don't qualify for extra time or laptops because their 
scores are low across the board.
Parents of these children see this as giving more support to those with more 
potential, while leaving those "slow learners" to sink, because they 
wouldn't achieve much anyway. But they know, just as the parents of students 
with High IQ/dyslexia that their child would achieve more with more support.
And then of course there are those wretched league tables and government 
initiatives, which encourage us to focus on children who will make 
progress(as measured by SATs). Apparently he latest "making good progress 
pilot" promises £500 cash for each pupil who is below age related 
expectations at start of the key stage but achieves age related levels at 
the end! If this catches on us SENCos might suddenly be invited in from the 
cold - but only for those who have the potential to reach age related 
expectations of course...
Kate

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