Post by Ranting parent on May 10, 2016 22:18:42 GMT
So, I did consider that perhaps this should be under the venting forum, but I am quite capable of ranting elsewhere – and indeed have done so. I am ranting here because actually, I would quite like to know what other people think about this.
I have got a diagnosis of ADHD only recently because of expressed concerns about my son. I always knew that his issues in this domain were inherited from me because I had exactly the same experiences when I was his age. I got a diagnosis at least in part because I wanted to be able to be clear in my mind about what was best for him on what was best for me and needed to have some closure on myquestions before considering how to support him.
in the process, I have learnt a lot about ADHD and gone from being somewhat apologetic about my lack of confidence in this area to feeling that, probably unsurprisingly, I understand a lot more than school – particularly as it intersects with my professional training.
my son already has a statement for severe dyslexia and identified needs around the usual – concentration, distraction, organisation et cetera et cetera plus poor self-esteem secondary to an experience of doing badly at school, even though he is cognitively able.
he is only year seven, but his school have exams in the first year. I talked to school quite a lot, given his problems and I attended an EHCP conversion meeting a few weeks ago. They did not discuss appropriate exam provision, nor indeed mention exams. The first I knew of them was a month ago. Obviously, I was convinced that someone had told me or somehow I should have known this information but I do know they didn't discuss it in the EHCP meeting and that none of his teachers had any clue about exam provision at parents evening, nor his key worker. It took me repeatedly nagging them to get them to decide that yes, he would have extra time and yes, he could type as exams and yes, actually, having talked to him, he could have a scribe.
Just to be clear, I don't give a flying fuck (am I allowed to swear I here?) about his schools Sats results- that is their problem, not mine. What worries me is that my son will feel terrible if and when he does badly in his exams. He always feels awful when he does badly in tests and it sends him spiralling down into the trough of low self-esteem and self loathing. School are well aware of this and have suggested CBT – which apparently would only cost me £500 so that's alright then (if they can't get the funding of course I will find the money from somewhere but it still pisses me off on principle).
anyway, where was I? Oh yes, despite school agreeing, eventually with my prompting, that it might be quite a good idea to get an ADHD assessment for my son, given that all his teachers talk about his distractibility and poor concentration et cetera et cetera, It turns out that they thought it was a good plan for my son to be dictating his exams to a scribe in a room full of other children dictating their exams to scribes.
when my son told me this, I went fucking mental. I cannot work in a hot desk in office because, shock horror, I can't concentrate!! I cannot imagine whySchool think that an 11-year-old boy with identified concentration and distraction issues could focus on his exams in the presence of all that auditory and visual stimulation. For fucks sake, what were they thinking?
my only consolation in all of this is that I am currently not happy with school anyway and the CDC will be carrying out an inspection of special needs provision shortly. I do not know how I get involved, but there are very few children with statements at the school so I am hoping that they may wish to talk to me and I will tell them what I think. If anyone happens to know how to get involved with the CQC inspection is, please do let me know.
anyway, school are fuckwits. I just needed to get that off my chest before I wrote the measured calm, I am just curious about your exam provision email. Drivelling idiots.
I have got a diagnosis of ADHD only recently because of expressed concerns about my son. I always knew that his issues in this domain were inherited from me because I had exactly the same experiences when I was his age. I got a diagnosis at least in part because I wanted to be able to be clear in my mind about what was best for him on what was best for me and needed to have some closure on myquestions before considering how to support him.
in the process, I have learnt a lot about ADHD and gone from being somewhat apologetic about my lack of confidence in this area to feeling that, probably unsurprisingly, I understand a lot more than school – particularly as it intersects with my professional training.
my son already has a statement for severe dyslexia and identified needs around the usual – concentration, distraction, organisation et cetera et cetera plus poor self-esteem secondary to an experience of doing badly at school, even though he is cognitively able.
he is only year seven, but his school have exams in the first year. I talked to school quite a lot, given his problems and I attended an EHCP conversion meeting a few weeks ago. They did not discuss appropriate exam provision, nor indeed mention exams. The first I knew of them was a month ago. Obviously, I was convinced that someone had told me or somehow I should have known this information but I do know they didn't discuss it in the EHCP meeting and that none of his teachers had any clue about exam provision at parents evening, nor his key worker. It took me repeatedly nagging them to get them to decide that yes, he would have extra time and yes, he could type as exams and yes, actually, having talked to him, he could have a scribe.
Just to be clear, I don't give a flying fuck (am I allowed to swear I here?) about his schools Sats results- that is their problem, not mine. What worries me is that my son will feel terrible if and when he does badly in his exams. He always feels awful when he does badly in tests and it sends him spiralling down into the trough of low self-esteem and self loathing. School are well aware of this and have suggested CBT – which apparently would only cost me £500 so that's alright then (if they can't get the funding of course I will find the money from somewhere but it still pisses me off on principle).
anyway, where was I? Oh yes, despite school agreeing, eventually with my prompting, that it might be quite a good idea to get an ADHD assessment for my son, given that all his teachers talk about his distractibility and poor concentration et cetera et cetera, It turns out that they thought it was a good plan for my son to be dictating his exams to a scribe in a room full of other children dictating their exams to scribes.
when my son told me this, I went fucking mental. I cannot work in a hot desk in office because, shock horror, I can't concentrate!! I cannot imagine whySchool think that an 11-year-old boy with identified concentration and distraction issues could focus on his exams in the presence of all that auditory and visual stimulation. For fucks sake, what were they thinking?
my only consolation in all of this is that I am currently not happy with school anyway and the CDC will be carrying out an inspection of special needs provision shortly. I do not know how I get involved, but there are very few children with statements at the school so I am hoping that they may wish to talk to me and I will tell them what I think. If anyone happens to know how to get involved with the CQC inspection is, please do let me know.
anyway, school are fuckwits. I just needed to get that off my chest before I wrote the measured calm, I am just curious about your exam provision email. Drivelling idiots.