AnonyMouse_29670 Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 I have a child who joined my class last week. She came in elective mute but, perhaps as a result of the change in schools, she is now talking. Now that she is talking we now know that she is very poor in her abilities. Even though she is 5, she tells people she is 4 because that is as high as she can count. She does not know her colours or any sounds. The other children baby her and her speech and language has been assessed as that of a 2year 11 month olds. On approaching the SENCo I have been told that it is too late to do anything about it and she will have to go up to year 1 as normal. I suppose the real reason that I am posting this is because I feel an enormous sense of frustration. If this had been picked up at the last school or she had come to us earlier we might have been able to have her stay in Reception for another year. Now I just feel like we are failing her. Any (happy!) thoughts would be gratefully received as I am really feeling quite down about this! xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_29873 Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 (edited) Cazmidge - Im not surprised at all that you are posting here - and thank goodness you have. there will be more advice from the real experts but I wanted to say well done to you goodness knows what she has been through previously. It should all be positives now not more bureaucracy- you are this childs Angel -with the help you get her on the right track - I know that we will help make sure she isnt failed again. ( I feel like crying ) - and dont let the system push her further into her shell. No pressure I mean this from the heart how the hell this has been missed !!! But you and your colleagues are in a position to fight for her !!! I cant begin to think of all the hurt that she has obviously already suffered. Please let me know how you get on ? I will check in but cant give you any advice - actually I can because I had a situation when teaching EFL in Spain. But encourage, encourage, encourage, in everything you cannot praise this child enough !!! If you want to know my story PM me ! sincere best wishes Edited June 21, 2010 by waveawand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_29873 Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 High alert for Nona and (Marion if you are still here !!)onto this one !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_30147 Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 hi, just wondered if the child came in with a statement and any hours of support? SENCO aside just wondered how understanding and aware the head teacher is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_29670 Posted June 22, 2010 Author Share Posted June 22, 2010 hi suebear the chid came in with no statement and no support. i think i will approach the SENCo again and just explain that i am not feeling good, at all, about his child proceeded into year 1 as normal. i am also going to see the head. there must be a better solution then just ignoring the obvious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 What a sad situation! It's very frustrating when these things come to light, often later than we would all hope for, and no-one seems to step up to start getting the child the help they so desperately need. Our LA ran training courses last year for all EY settings to encourage them to identify potential problems earlier and ran through the procedures for making referrals. Cazmidge, do you have an EY team that you could contact for advise if your SENCO doesn't take your concerns on board? Are the parents approachable? If so. they could ask their GP to make a referral - although here, I'm told, it's a quicker process if education rather than health make the referral. Good Luck, keep us posted. Nona Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_29670 Posted June 22, 2010 Author Share Posted June 22, 2010 Thanks for that Nona. I have talked to mum quickly but no, she is not that approachable. The child missed her developmental checks with a health visitor because the mum refused her entry! Madness! I have been to the SENCo again this morning and told her that I am not feeling good about what was decided yesterday. She has said there is nothing more that we can do as we have already missed the boat in starting the process that would allow her to repeat. I am going to the head next but not feeling optismistic. What a shockingly bad system! xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_15046 Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 Could you enlist the support of the teacher she'll be moving on to? I would imagine having to support this child would increase their workload significantly so they may be willing to approach the head with concerns alongside you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4544 Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 Do the parents recognise there is a problem? If not it may be a problem to actually go further as you can't make referrals to relevant agencies without their consent. Speaking from experience I would be against keeping the child in reception (for social reasons) unless you work in a LA where a child can continue in a lower class until they leave school or you think this child may need Special School. I would be looking for a statement with parents agreement and 1-1 support so she can remain with her peer group. Without knowing how Y1 is organised it's difficult to assess whether spending part of the day accessing reception experiences will help or be necessary. The SENCO should be taking your concerns seriously however but as a SENCO I can appreciate her difficulty (I've run out of allotted EP time so not matter who arrives we will have to "muddle through"). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 Do you have a local 'Children's Centre' that you can enlist the help of? We have one attached to our school and if ever I have problems I go through them to work on the parents! Perhaps the parents have problems and don't know how to do things or what to do. Think its going to be small steps here. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 I know this situation is slightly different, but I had a Lithuanian girl join my YR class in the late autumn a couple of years ago. She was a Y1 but had not ever been to school before as in Lithuania they don't start til 6 or something, and she was a summer birthday anyway. Also she had just arrived in UK and spoke no English. It was decided that it would be best for her to do her Y1 year (or the 2 and half terms left of it) in my class (mainly YR but with 2 Y1s at the same - weak Y1s) as the learning stlye would be more relxed for her, and she could cover the basics phonics wise, etc, while learning the language. This worked really well. Once she was talking - which actually happened much quicker than I thought it was, it was evident what level her activities or experiences needed to be at, so she could be stretched where needed. She then moved up to Y2, whilst the majority of the YRs went up with her as Y1s (as the next class is mixed Y1/2) - so she went up with friends, but then also made new friends of her 'correct' year group. No problems at all with that and it was by far the best start to her school life in UK. I know your situation is different, but as child only just started, for their own needs (such as that he/she is confident enough in your class to be talking already have been an elective mute previously, and also academically needing the basics) maybe remaining in your class, but as a year 1, is an option. Maybe there could be some integration with other Y1s next year to build on relationships ready for following year in Year 2. Good luck though - is a nightmare when parents are like that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_29670 Posted June 22, 2010 Author Share Posted June 22, 2010 Thanks very much to everyone who has posted. I feel much more confident, having read the posts, about how I can move forward with this. I wasn't sure about posting but pleased I did! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 Hi, I feel your frustrations and concerns regarding this situation. I have had a child at my school repeat her reception year this year - she started in my class in september 2008 and just before she started we were informed that she had developmental delay (assessed as a equivalent to a 2yr old). She has other issues as well as developmental delay and earlier this year was diagnosed as being on the autistic specturm. We do think that she is on the spectrum but that other issues are also which we feel impact more on her interactions and progress, however they seem to be forgotten about now she has this diagnosis. After many meetings with other profressionals, most of who agreed with enabling this child to repeat reception as she was not even hitting scale points 1 to 3 in some areas by end of last year, despite having lots of input and 1to 1 support in the moirnings, our EP agreed to her repeating her reception year - it took a lot of meetings and strong discussions and at times I felt that the EP would not support us - I found it incredibly frustrating and upsetting at times. It was a great relief to me as I did not feel that she would cope or progress in a Yr 1 class and I felt that I would not be meeting her needs or caring for her, as did our SENCO and Yr 1 teacher. We applied for a statement earlier this year (we previously secured AEN funding for 12 hours support a week - she also has SALT iinput throughout the week and attends our nurture group and is supposed to receive OT and physio interventions but we have had no input this year) but it was declined, which none of the many professionals involved in the care of this child can believe - she was recently reassessed for SALT and still is at the level of a 2 and a half year old. I have recently done my final assessment of her progress this year and although she has made some progress in some aspects, her progress is still limited and in some cases it is hard to see any definitive progress and I am not feeling comfortable about how she will be with the transition to Yr 1. We have notice a negative change in her behaviour again in class recently and I jsut don't know how I can help her - I find it very upsetting. More experienced teachers within the school and our SENCO feel that she will ultimately end up in a special school and I am unsure - I just wish that I could meet her needs more effectively and consistently but feel tied. We are having a review meeting with ehr parents and our Ed Psych next week and I know that I want to talk about the transition and how best to ensure our next steps are in the best interests of this child, but I know it is tricky and her parents want her to stay in our school - their other children have all been through our school. Anyway, I seem to have rambled quite a bit but I jsut wanted to say that I understand hoe you are feeling and that arranging for a child to repeat the reception year can be done - maybe try and talk with your EYs advisors - mine was helpful last year. Becky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_29670 Posted June 24, 2010 Author Share Posted June 24, 2010 Becky thanks for your message, it does give me lots to think about and is very informative! At the moment the SENCo and I are trying to arrange a time between now and the end of term to get together and fill out a load of forms. We will get them done as I a determined! Thanks again Cazmidge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_29873 Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Becky thanks for your message, it does give me lots to think about and is very informative! At the moment the SENCo and I are trying to arrange a time between now and the end of term to get together and fill out a load of forms. We will get them done as I a determined! Thanks again Cazmidge Hiya Cazmidge - I can hear your guns blazing from here (L'pool) COMON! Im sort of winning my battles - and I know your gonna have a good go at yours, im right behind ya !!bring it on:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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