Well, we have now been back to school and work for a month, and I can't believe how quick the time has gone.
For the last couple of weeks we have been looking at secondary schools for Alex. I have to say, I am really getting stressed out over the whole process, to the extent that I am not sleeping very well at night and in the day I am like a pan of simmering milk that every now and then goes on the boil - mostly for no reason at all.
It was so easy when we looking for my oldest. The school she is at suits her needs very well and she is excelling there. Alex's needs are a different kettle of fish.
Today we had his annual statement review at school. He seems to be benefiting from the additional support he's been receiving over the last year, and we really can see an improvement in many areas. So I feel very proud of my little boy today.
We have to decide on the secondary school that we want him to attend in the next week or so so that the local authority can liaise with our choices to see which school is going to be best to accommodate him. We have 6 schools in out borough that he could go to, we've so far looked at 2 of them and pretty much discounted both of them. We have another booked for next Tuesday, which has a good SEN dept. I'm even considering looking at schools in the next county too. I would really like for him to go to the same school that his friends will be going too as I know he will be really upset if he gets separated from them but at present I don't really have a lot of confidence in it.
Decisions, decisions Sometimes being a parent can be so darn hard :(
Have a great weekend, enjoy the heatwave in the UK.
Sue x x x
I shouldn't say this as a teacher. There is a game you have to play when you have children who need additional support! Send your child to a school where there are very few children in need of support. Send your child to a school with the lowest percentage of children from poorer. The wealthier the intake of the children, then the 'easier' they will be to manage and the staff can focus on teaching and learning and not crowd control. If a school has a good SEN dept. then it's likely they have a large proportion of SEN children who MIGHT have other problems too, such as socio/economic.
ReplyDeleteHere are the questions you need to ask.
How many of your SEN students make 2 levels progress at the end of KS4?
What proportion of your SEN students go onto further education, training or jobs? (huge percentage become NEETS as schools give up on them)
A good school! or outstanding means ALL students make good progress. However! A school can be deemed good or outstanding IF they make or beat national standards and all the SEN students can still under achieve. They can and will hide this.So, a school with 75% A-C grades can still have students leaving who can't read, can't tell the time and are unemployable. The can have students with a range of complex needs who they hide in those figures too as they have teacher who can't cope with certain disabilities such as ADHD or forms of autism. Also, schools that are good or outstanding only have to be that on the 2/3 days of school inspections.........they are very good at the 'game' and parents have to be better to even play it, let alone beat it. Love Froogs
That should say 3 levels of progress at the end of KS3
ReplyDeleteI must say that I agree with Frugal Queen.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad we dont have kids ( just dogs)
ReplyDeletethe responsibility is just WAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY too much
x
Such a big decision but good advice above !
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteDid you make a decision and get things rolling? I know it's hard to know just what to do.
:-)
XXX