SEN pupil gets support needed with help from the ISC

Written by Sarah McKimm

Independent schools are often branded the preserve of the rich and talented. But, in fact the sector caters for those of all levels of ability and often provides ideal settings for those with special educational needs.

I am touched to have received thankyou letters and flowers from a grateful parent, head and SENCo of an ISC girls school in South London.

The school had given a full bursary, a few years ago, to a brilliant, potentially high achieving, young woman with Asperger’s syndrome. As she grew into adolescence, however, she also developed a severe eating disorder. The combination of obsessive perfectionism and depression led to a pattern of self-harming behaviours, even at school.

The school was able to provide a small, nurturing, single-sex environment with a low staff:pupil ratio that would not have been available in local state schools. They were convinced that they were the best place for this very vulnerable child. But, while 100% committed to meeting her devastating combination of special educational needs, they were struggling to fund the additional support the pupil needed to stay safe and to access the curriculum.

An application was made for a Statement of SEN with a view to the local authority providing “top-up” funding for a one-to-one supporter. The authority was extremely reluctant to recognise any duty towards the young person, despite her high level of need, as she was in an independent school.

Having met the SENCo and head over coffee at the ISC SEN Conference in November, I was able to be on hand to guide them through the ensuing dispute which has now been settled without recourse to the courts. The authority continues to insist that “we don’t have to do this,” but nonetheless has agreed to fund a full-time one-to-one assistant for the pupil through a Statement of SEN.

Speaking to the SENCo this week, she said that they have managed to recruit a marvellous assistant and the whole situation has “lifted”.

The Head wrote: “ I am quite sure that we would not have achieved this result without you. It is good to know that we have such professionalism supporting us.”

Sarah McKimm
Education Counsel

This entry was posted on Friday, April 11th, 2008 at 10:54 am by Sarah McKimm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.