School Opposing What I Want For My Child 16+

[Meg888]

Sorry it's a long one.... My daughter (almost 16, year 11) has dyspraxia, ADD and mild learning difficulties. She's been in mainstream school all her school life. In hindsight, mainstream secondry school has been a mistake. She's had an awful time with bullying and is barely able to pass any exams despite having a full Statement and so called support in school.

I have researched all options for her come September, and I have found a special needs school which takes post 16 students. It's a brilliant facility, it has a mix of disabilities there and there are a lot of children with 'hidden disabilities' similar to my daughter. They are a charity so it's very difficult to get into and funding is required from the local council for my daughter to attend. The school has met my daughter and are keen for her to go, as they have done a basic assesment and say they have everything in their remit to help her.

However, my daughter's school are opposing the idea of her going there, they have admitted they know very little about the place, but they think it's the oddest idea to take a student from mainstream & put into spec needs. It is not; I've researched 5 facilities in our area and have met a lot of students who have opted to do this for 6th form. The school I have made a preference for, has in house physio/occ/speech & language therapy - all of which my daughter needs, but has had little or no access to since birth. They write timetables according to the students ability; they teach them practical & life skills and build confidance and maturity. Meanwhile, if a student is capable they can also work towards GCSE's, and continue this later into college life.

For some reason her school is pushing that she attends the learning facility at the local feeder college - this college does not offer half of what the facility I've found does, and nor is it 5 days a week and students do not work to GCSE levels. My daughter needs a lot of guidance and help to do some pretty basic stuff, I'm not happy about her being at home 1 or 2 days midweek while I'm at work. They've made out like I'm some pushy parent who hasn't got a clue what my daughter needs, or even care what she wants. She's admitted she'd like to go to college because that's where her friends are, but she does like the idea of this school. I've been told if they oppose it on paper to the panel my chances of getting the funding for her to go will be practically zero. I can't understand why they are so adamant she attends this college, they've barely cared one jot over the last 4.5 yrs, as they have barely acted on any matter that I've taken up with them with regards to support for my daughter, particularly the bullying - but they're locking horns with me on this one, and I'm baffled. Any advice would be appreciated.

[CoffeeLounge]

I totally sympathise with you. Another mainstream school that has not got a clue how to deal with teenagers/young adults like your daughter. As a parent you know what your daughter needs. And from reading your post it seems that confidence building and basic life skills would be the first step after having endured the secondary state system.
Keep pushing for what you believe your daughter needs. You will be used to that already no doubt. But I do understand how frustrating it can be.
My son was severely dyslexic. (The trouble I had to get him Statemented went on for years well into secondary school) I could not wait for him to leave school.
So that he could go and get a job which he did and still has.

[cazzz1975]

its up to you where your daughter goes for her education. once she has finished year 11 she can go to wherever suits her best. dont be intimidated by the school!

[Meg888]

Thanks for your answers. Sadly it's not particularly up to me where she goes; it's up the a panal at the education authority, all I can do is state a preference - my preference is the spec needs 6th form, but I need a lot of back up documentation to prove why it's the only place suitable - I've been told if these so called pro's put their opinion to the panel as they have put it to me (which they will be required to do) I will lose out on the funding, because they are going to state the local college is substantial enough for my daughter. I could understand them desperately opposing it if they got referral funds or something, but they are both state facilities - so I doubt there's any financial gain for either?

[cazzz1975]

dont feel badgered to go with what they have chosen, get some information about your preferred school, ask them how they can facilitate your daughters needs.

have you had a look at this college? what does it offer in comparison. dont agree to anything until you have looked over the college properly.

[cazzz1975]

my second paragraph was about the college they were pushing you to choose.

[Meg888]

I've seen 5 facilities in the area that cater for students with special needs, including the college which the school are proposing. I know the school has everything and more to help my daughter. The SEN dept of the college in question is very good, but their courses due to cutbacks will only be 3 or 4 days max, so my daughter will be sat at home 1 or 2 days while I'm at work. The college cannot offer the therapies this school can, nor can it offer the basic life and practical skills. The courses at the college for girls are centred more on hair/beauty/floristry - basic jobs you don't need qualifications for, but my daughter can barely cut a piece of paper in a straight line never mind hair. She needs instruction every step of the way. Their is also the fact that she will be mixing with mainstream kids from her school who have bullied her over the years. She's very clumsy walking and doesn't have good balance and my preferred option will help with all of this. She's had little or no access to these therapies despite drs & so on complaining since birth. I just feel deflated, I've done a huge amount of work so far researching all the facilities, drawing up graphs & reports as to why I believe this to be the best one, all for them to go against a panel and say they think she'll be fine in college and their opinion will be highly regarded by the panel.

[cazzz1975]

hmmm, I would be tempted to stick to your guns about this. the Local Authority are a pain when it comes to this, have you tried accessing help from places like the parent partnership? they can help get your voice heard on these things.

sadly funding is the biggest influence on care these days unfortunately

[Meg888]

Yes, Parent Partnership were in attendance at the meet, but she wasn't very supportive and she has been quite vocal in telling me that funding may present a problem, hence the huge amount of work going into getting support from every available source and back up documentation from my daughters health care officials. I need everyone to be onside to be in with a hope and just cannot understand why the school are opposing it so much when there is nothing to be gained by them where she ends up come September. She will also lose her statement if she goes to this college, I've been advised that it will cease, however it wont if she continues education in a sixth form facility.

[diddlydo]

I suggest you make an appointment to speak to the Head of the current school to put your points and get him to answer your questions

[Meg888]

Yes I think I will do that diddly, I have a fairly good report with the head teacher as I've always had to go to him due to my daughters' support teachers being most unhelpful. It's imperative I have their support otherwise I will have pretty much wasted my time.

[Iluvspikey]

Have a meeting with the head, and concentrate on the things they can't offer your daughter if she stayed with them and the college: eg Will the school help her with physio - no, what about occ/speech and language therapy - No. right well what what about GCSE's - oh you don't work to that standard - okay what facilities are there for her every weekday - there isn't - do you write timetables especially for the childs need and abilities - no - then I don't see what you have to offer my daughter, she would get all this and more - plus she would gain confidence being out of an environment that has seen her bullied for most of her school life. Best of luck with your endeavors.

[Meg888]

Thanks so much Spikey, you've just said what I feel in a paragraph, I'm totally long winded about these things and get upset easily when confronted by schooly types, so I tend to either forget or get flabbergasted! I will write that down for when I go to see them :-)

[mrs_overall]

Hi.
Firstly, compulsory education ends at the end of Year 11. Her current school should have no say in what she does after Year 11. Their only involvement with her post year 11 is to provide a report on her attendance and academic progress.
Unfortunately schools receive money for "bums on seats" and the sad fact is that with your daughter having special needs, they would receive an enhanced amount of money for her being there.
It really is none of their business and this needs spelling out to them.

[saxy_jag]

All the above. It would help, too, if you could get statements/reports from any specialists you're in contact with - educational psychologists, social workers, even your GP. Even your MP may be able to have some influence.

I have worked in a special school with a sixth form very similar to the one you describe. They were able to offer so many activities that mainstream schools/colleges couldn't. We had a rock climbing instructor on the staff who used to take groups to a local indoor wall. One lad - something of a bully in a previous school - was particularly good. One day some workmen were in the building and saw him climbing and commented on his skill and confidence. They were TV aerial erectors and he eventually ended up working for them. Can't tell you what a boost it was to his self-esteem and I would encourage you both to fight like hell for this opportunity. It sounds wonderful.

[Meg888]

Thanks everyone for the replies and supportive words. I was extremely disheartened at first, as it's an exhausting process anyway, however I'm now back in fight mode. I've contacted the med professionals involved with my daughter to get med reports. My preferred school option has offered to show her current school around their premises so they can see the work they do, and prove that they certainly do not hinder development as her current school suggested . Because there is a fair amount of funding required to send her to this paricular school, I've been advised that the panel will look for the slightest reason not to pay out, and the current school's opinion will influence that. I'm going to hunt out every report I've had from previous reviews and compare year by year, to prove that mainstream has not been particularly helpful in her progress. They've only ever known my daughter in a structured environment, they've never seen her in the real world, her lack of independance, confidence and vulnerability - it's wrong that they can be so presumptious. So fingers crossed and if she gets in, the whole world will know!!