Special Education Needs
- Kent County Council has at last come clean about the confusion surrounding the Special Units attached to mainstream schools. The good news is that they are all to remain open, although KCc has been telling parents for the past four months that they are to close. For further information, or if you are affected by these issues please go to Units. You will also find a list of the Units with the disability that each covers.
- I regret I am currently unable to offer profesional advice on SEN issues for two main reasons: firstly, the legislation and rules are changing so rapidly, that I am finding it impossible to spend the time to keep up. Secondly, for many parents, the gaining of statements and support when these are resisted is becoming so time consuming, and in some cases confrontational, that I consider I am unable to devote the time necessary to offer a professional service. Sadly, this may say more about the complexity of issues than about myself.
- New policies on inclusion mean that many children who would once have been given Statements of Special Need or offered places at Special Schools no longer qualify. The relevant Special Needs funds have now been delegated to schools which have freedom to use them for other purposes.
- Many schools operate excellent polices to support pupils; others do not give the same priority. Parents often report great difficulty in securing proper support for their children.
- Kent County Council is currently planning to phase out all Specialist Units for statemented children in mainstream schools. For 2010 entry there will be no admission to Units at schools in Ashford, Shepway, Dartford, Gravesham, or Swanley & District (apart from Longfield Academy which is able to make its own decisions). Children already at those units will have their places safeguarded. The current plan is for children in the rest of Kent to see admission to Units blocked from September 2011. Children living in those areas will now be allocated to mainstream schools, their provision being agreed with what are to be called 'Lead Schools' in each district who hopefully will have the specialist provision to support children with a variety of Special Needs across the district; aided by SMILE Centres created on the model successfully operating at Ifield School in Gravesend. These children will then be taught in a more inclusive setting sharing many lessons with mainstream children. I believe there will be significant problems with this model, in cluding the additional pressures on mainstream teachers faced with an increasing range of special needs in their classroom.
- A recent article I wrote is here, along with an older one on general issues.
- KCC has sent out out a generic email response to concerns about the issue. Sadly not only does it not explain the rationale behind the phasing out of Sprecial Units, it doesn't even mention it, although this is the predominant concern of such parents.
- An organisation called "The Fathers Club" supports parents of Autistic Children. It was founded in North West Kent and now also has branches in Maidstone and Folkestone. Contact through the Kent Autistic Trust: jo@kentautistic.com.
- Consult the SEN Code of Practice published by the government for an idealised explanation of how support for children with SEN operates. It sets out processes, parental rights, and what you can expect from your school. The Code of Practice is here.
- Many parents find the process of obtaining a statement, incredibly stressful, and tremendous hard work, but the advice is, if you feel you have a good case, to persist. You will usually need appropriate written supporting evidence, from medical or educational professionals in the field. Many parents simply give up, worn down by the process.
- Before parents can secure a Statement of Special Educational Need, they need to apply for an assessment.
- A few years ago I obtained data showing the extent of the decline in the number of statements awarded by KCC. Unfortunately, some figures are unavailable so, whilst the decline is demonstrable, not all data is comparable. In 2002/3 1,085 parents applied for assessments. In 2005/6 the figure was 1,231, a rise of 11% suggesting little change. However, between 2000/1 and 2005/6 the number of statements granted fell from 1,133 to 493, a fall of 56%. I can supply the full tables on request.
- The Kent Special Needs budget is now 17% of the education budget, so Kent County Council is under pressure to keep this within limits.
- Kent is in the process of reorganising its Special School Provision, so that some children with moderate learning difficulties, who would previously have found places in Special Schools, are now bound for mainstream schools, who sometimes have neither the specialist resources or the capability to support them properly. Such children can also be a strain on other children in the class, so all are unable to learn effectively. However, a recent OFSTED report shows that a mainstream school can be best for most children with SEN if it operates effective policies. You can read this here
- KCC publishes a document “Kent County Council Maintained Special Schools Listed by District – September 2006”, which also gives specialisms before and after the Special School Review.
- If parents are unsuccessful in securing an assessment of need for their child, or a statement, or a statement naming your preferred school, then you have the righ to appeal to the Health, Education and Social Care (HESC) Chamber of the First-Tier Tribunal (previously known as SENDIST) to reconsider your case.
- Kent County Council will sometimes use a barrister to defend difficult cases at Tribunal, which can be very daunting for a parent depending on their own resources. However, in 2007-8, of the 3125 cases heard nationally, the Local Authority conceded in around a third, and the Trbunal reached a decision (unspecified) in another third, so many Tribunals do rule in favour of parents.
- Kent had one of the highest proportions of appeals to SENDIST per head, in the country outside London again (12th highest per head of population) in the School Year 2007-8 (the latest for which data is available). Medway was 13th!
- Please refer to section on Exclusions for behavioural issues.
- A Times Education Supplement survey in 2008 reported that a third of primary staff nationally report that pupils are waiting over 12 months for a Statement of SEN. 20% report waits of over two years. I have no reason to believe that Kent is different.