This blog post was written on 6/2/2020

So, as the battle continues to get Charlie an education provision, and the extreme length of time this has taken to implement things may actually be moving. On Tuesday, after not receiving a reply from the complaint I put in the week before (apparently they have 10 days to respond which will be this Friday, tomorrow) I sent quite a strongly worded email with a 4 page document outlining the principles I feel have been neglected from the SEND Code of Practice.

Low and behold, the caseworker emailed me yesterday offering a school place at a school I had previously visited last May, 2019. The school had previously suggested that they couldn’t meet need, and this is going on an old plan that didn’t have the magic touch of Mrs H. So I will be interested to know whether or not they are still able to meet need should the new plan be unveiled. This school was also put into special measures as “requires improvement” on their last Ofsted visit. My ultimate piece of advice is to always check the latest Ofsted report on the school.

Our local LA have policies in place to prevent a child going to a setting that is currently in special measures, so it will be also interesting to find out what was said at the panel meeting as I’m not too sure it fits into their policy remit to send a child there.

This school is also an hour’s drive away, so over the threshold of the LA’s recommendation of 45 minutes drive away, Charlie doesn’t access the transport provided as the anxiety levels are too high for him to travel with a stranger, therefore it is on me to transport him every day. Although the school offers residential placements, it is not appropriate for Charlie as he would not cope with the separation anxieties that come with sleeping away from home. I challenge anyone to attempt to make Charlie sleep elsewhere, it won’t happen the child is too attached to me haha!

The school also only goes up to age 13, year group 9 so after that we have to start this whole process all over again. Which I’m definitely not thrilled about. However, by then I’m hoping I will have had 5 more years of experience, knowledge and attending various information courses in order to make sure I can fight that battle too.

There are definitely more cons than pros for this school, however, as promised I will go and view the school in order to challenge the points I need.

I will keep you posted!!

Georgina x