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Non Supportive School SEN Co-ordinator


Guest Caroleebee

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Guest Caroleebee

Hi, I am new to this group with my 16 year old son just recently diagnosed. It was a huge relief that we now know what it is and he is under CAMHs assessment and then hopefully support.

Despite 3 letters of support from clinical psychologists supporting an applicationf or extra time in his upcoming GCSEs, the school will not make an application as they say his grades are 'on target'.

Does anyone have any advice on another route to encourage them to put in the application?

Are there any specific educational tests that will help prove that he is compromised with the general disorder plus also additional stress of the exams?

I feel this is clear discrimination but it is hard when it is the SEN co-ordinator who is the blocker.

Any advise would be appreciated. Thank you.

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Guest Sally44

There is alot more that any school could and should do for a child with a SEN like OCD.

How is he coping in school generally??

I would recommend that you phone the local authority and ask for the contact telephone number for the Educational Psychologist that covers this particular school and speak with them.

Is he on any medication, and are Clinical Psychology going to provide cognitive behavioural therapy?

Ours, and many peoples experience is that "health" [NHS] and Education [school, educational psychologist] tend not to communicate with eachother at all. That is after many many directives and recommendations that they should do that.

That causes the NHS professionals to feel they cannot tell school or education what to do. And education are quite happy for that to continue, because any additional support costs them money.

This is classed as an SEN. It is a mental health disorder. Being on target does not mean anything. It is irrelevant. My son is autistic, but is 'on target', yet he goes to an independent ASD specific school with speech therapist, occupational therapists on site. He has a specialist dyslexia teacher [he has dyslexis too]. He also has respite there 2 nights a week. And this is paid for by the local authority because he has a Statement of SEN and these are all identified as needs he has and only that school has the provision to meet those needs. We also get direct payments for someone to support him once a week to attend a Judo Club. This has taken years and years of fighting for - since he was 4 years old. Due to autism, anxiety, Dyslexia and OCD he was unable to cope in mainstream school. But he was too able for a special school.

Statements are now going to be replaced by Education and Health Care Plans. And they are valid up to the age of 25. So it might be worth you looking into that. The school and local authority will probably tell you he is not eligible. He is. But this is getting a bit off topic. However please do look into it. This is a very good website to have a look at http://www.ipsea.org.uk/what-you-need-to-know/ehc-plans

How does OCD affect your son?

That needs to be addressed with therapy using a multi disciplinary team [NHS and Education - in school and at home] to deliver a consistent and constant approach to OCD. That will require much more than additional time in examinations.

And I would recommend that you push for that input/therapy/support NOW because it is much harder to get as an adult, and when he is an adult you will not be able to get anyone to do anything if he is not willing to seek out that help himself. He will be regarded by the NHS as an adult and all decisions will be down to him and not his parents. That can be disasterous if the person in question does not want to, or is unable to seek that help themselves.

Hope that is of some help.

Edited by Sally44
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Guest Bushbaby

Hi Caroleebee!

The school has a responsibility to do something, even if it is just to inform the Exam Boards of the late diagnosis. The Exam Boards may not give extra time, but they may give special consideration. The problem is that the deadline for extra time has passed and extra time is supposed to be the student's 'normal way of working', but the school could and should contact the Boards of the exams he is sitting and explain the situation. My daughter is studying for A Levels now and she has always had 25% extra time. If she regularly doesn't use it, it is withdrawn. The Boards are quite strict with this & she always uses it.

Have you spoken to the Head or the Exams Officer at the school? Special consideration can still be added to the paperwork & I would suggest you request this.

Unfortunately your son is a victim of late diagnosis. I had the same thing when my daughter was diagnosed with Asperger's just before her GCSE exams and it was too late to access modified language papers. The Exam Boards refused the papers as it wasn't her normal way of working, but fortunately she still had the 25% of extra time, which she still uses now.

I suppose the only blessing is that your son is on target. I hope he does well in his exams, in spite of his OCD, but it will be tough for him and he will need support from home, which I'm certain you will provide. We just have to be there for them and try to be as positive as we can and it's not always easy.

I hope this is helpful. If he goes onto A Levels, make sure you request extra time in September and it will be available.

Best wishes.

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  • 1 month later...

Hi!
I'm a teacher (primary school) and in my experience some schools are not keen at all to apply for outside SEN help. Of course it varies- if it is a good school they willl want to help the child no matter what.

You might want to try getting his teachers to fight your corner for you. Maybe the SENCO has decided against you, but would listen more to his/ her colleagues. You might also want to complain to the head- it's such a silly thing for them to refuse!

Another option is to write to your MP- seems like you will just have to keep "taking it higher"...

I can't think why they wouldn't let him have extra time after three letters! Children often don't get the help they need because of limited resources but how can extra time be limited? Maybe the school has some target that says too many children are recorded as having SEN?

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