Comments for Allfie's Blog http://www.allfie.org.uk/blog Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:16:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 Comment on Dickens on Inclusion by Ieruer http://www.allfie.org.uk/blog/?p=110#comment-10047 Ieruer Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:16:41 +0000 http://www.allfie.org.uk/blog/?p=110#comment-10047 this is a nightmare in the UK too, as deion's needs are only phayicsl, he's going to a mianstream school,. we had a meeting a few weeks ago and one mum had the aduacity to stand up and say she didn't think it was fair that special kids came to the school as it wasn't a special school and 'THEY' would get more attention than their kids....well...i did stand up and have my say, and certainly let her know how ignorant she was and how because of ignorance like hers...my kid will suffer...it was awful and i doubt she will change her attitude...its like something out of the dark ages out there.good luck with your own fight...not that it should have to be a fight...but you know what i mean... this is a nightmare in the UK too, as deion’s needs are only phayicsl, he’s going to a mianstream school,. we had a meeting a few weeks ago and one mum had the aduacity to stand up and say she didn’t think it was fair that special kids came to the school as it wasn’t a special school and ‘THEY’ would get more attention than their kids….well…i did stand up and have my say, and certainly let her know how ignorant she was and how because of ignorance like hers…my kid will suffer…it was awful and i doubt she will change her attitude…its like something out of the dark ages out there.good luck with your own fight…not that it should have to be a fight…but you know what i mean…

]]> Comment on SEN Green Paper – ‘Support and Aspiration’ by Joe Whittaker http://www.allfie.org.uk/blog/?p=72#comment-3873 Joe Whittaker Fri, 06 May 2011 12:49:55 +0000 http://www.allfie.org.uk/blog/?p=72#comment-3873 This Coalition Government like past Governments does know how to get their legislation through more effectively - they encourage divisions where divisions do not exist. This proposed legislation is relying on such a division between parents. They are perpetuating the illusion of "parental choice" It is used in this Green Paper “The Choice" to parents between mainstream school and special school is a calculated distraction. Parents of disabled children do not have a choice of the school they want for their child, the school will choose them. This applies to all parents of disabled children. If we allow ourselves to be drawn into an argument "Mainstream School" Good "Special School" Bad it becomes a nonsense argument, which does not help anyone. If we get into an argument, which is one parent telling another parent what they should do for their child, this becomes the calculated distraction that can go on forever and stops parents looking at the real issues of this legislation: cuts in teaching staff, cuts in support services, cuts in resources, the breaking up of a national schooling system, restricting the aspirations of ALL disabled children. This is exactly the calculated division this government would like to generate. As a parent of a disabled child you will get what you want, without a struggle, so long as you agree with what you are offered. The focus should be on How Inclusion Works! When it does not it is because there is something wrong with the way the school is organised or the we organise the support or because the school is not listening to the individual learner. By continuing to emphasise how we know inclusion is working and why it is right for all children we have a greater chance of coming to a deeper and common understanding. DON’T LET THIS COALITION GOVERNMENT DIVIDE PARENTS OF DISABLED CHILDREN. This Coalition Government like past Governments does know how to get their legislation through more effectively – they encourage divisions where divisions do not exist.

This proposed legislation is relying on such a division between parents. They are perpetuating the illusion of “parental choice” It is used in this Green Paper “The Choice” to parents between mainstream school and special school is a calculated distraction.

Parents of disabled children do not have a choice of the school they want for their child, the school will choose them. This applies to all parents of disabled children. If we allow ourselves to be drawn into an argument “Mainstream School” Good “Special School” Bad it becomes a nonsense argument, which does not help anyone.

If we get into an argument, which is one parent telling another parent what they should do for their child, this becomes the calculated distraction that can go on forever and stops parents looking at the real issues of this legislation: cuts in teaching staff, cuts in support services, cuts in resources, the breaking up of a national schooling system, restricting the aspirations of ALL disabled children.

This is exactly the calculated division this government would like to generate.

As a parent of a disabled child you will get what you want, without a struggle, so long as you agree with what you are offered.

The focus should be on How Inclusion Works! When it does not it is because there is something wrong with the way the school is organised or the we organise the support or because the school is not listening to the individual learner.

By continuing to emphasise how we know inclusion is working and why it is right for all children we have a greater chance of coming to a deeper and common understanding.

DON’T LET THIS COALITION GOVERNMENT DIVIDE PARENTS OF DISABLED CHILDREN.

]]> Comment on New Academies must comply with SEN Legislation… So what next?? by Malc http://www.allfie.org.uk/blog/?p=22#comment-194 Malc Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:17:28 +0000 http://www.allfie.org.uk/blog/?p=22#comment-194 I have a disabled (ASD) child that joined a secondary school before it was an academy, this was a troublesome change for him to move from Junior, but the provisions were in place to ensure he had full access to education and care. Once the school changed to academy status, a lot of these provisions were wound down or altered in a way that didn't suit my sons disability, he reacted badly to this and the academy staff (overall) have failed to cope with his disability over the years he has been a pupil. The management of this academy has persued several avenues of blame rather than adapting to meet his needs fully, these include pointing the finger at his initial SEN 1to1 teacher (who left after feeling pressured(her words not mine)), alleged failings of outsourced SEN resources, after school placements, allegations of abuse at home, further teacher blame, current SEN teacher blame, social services blames etc etc. My Son is now 14 and the academy, after severely damaging my childs education, self esteem, confidence and overall personality had to admit (despite a culture of failed intimidation) that they were unable to adapt to meet his needs and now another placement is being sought for him that would be provided for by the local authority, OR, what seems more likely is that the academy will pay for it....which i'm sure will look better on paper reports of the schools performance that exclusion or change of school. My experience of the academy having dealt from pre to current status is that it is run very much more like a business than a school and wants to remove any children that present a challenge to increase efficiency rather than make necessary changes to recognise a childs disability. It is worth noting that working very closely with the junior school meant a much smoother and calmer time for my son and the school, whereas being treated like an outsider, an abuser not a carer, a recipient of problem reports but not a contributor to change (until VERY recently when they gave up) has meant a disabled child has gone through his formative years at the academy kicking and screaming (literally) they failed to adapt to meets his needs and even failed their duty of care the ensure he didn't hurt himself or others resulting in trips to hospital and damaged equipment. I am sure as with any school, not all academies are the same. It is the individuals that make an academy. Malcolm I have a disabled (ASD) child that joined a secondary school before it was an academy, this was a troublesome change for him to move from Junior, but the provisions were in place to ensure he had full access to education and care. Once the school changed to academy status, a lot of these provisions were wound down or altered in a way that didn’t suit my sons disability, he reacted badly to this and the academy staff (overall) have failed to cope with his disability over the years he has been a pupil. The management of this academy has persued several avenues of blame rather than adapting to meet his needs fully, these include pointing the finger at his initial SEN 1to1 teacher (who left after feeling pressured(her words not mine)), alleged failings of outsourced SEN resources, after school placements, allegations of abuse at home, further teacher blame, current SEN teacher blame, social services blames etc etc. My Son is now 14 and the academy, after severely damaging my childs education, self esteem, confidence and overall personality had to admit (despite a culture of failed intimidation) that they were unable to adapt to meet his needs and now another placement is being sought for him that would be provided for by the local authority, OR, what seems more likely is that the academy will pay for it….which i’m sure will look better on paper reports of the schools performance that exclusion or change of school.

My experience of the academy having dealt from pre to current status is that it is run very much more like a business than a school and wants to remove any children that present a challenge to increase efficiency rather than make necessary changes to recognise a childs disability.

It is worth noting that working very closely with the junior school meant a much smoother and calmer time for my son and the school, whereas being treated like an outsider, an abuser not a carer, a recipient of problem reports but not a contributor to change (until VERY recently when they gave up) has meant a disabled child has gone through his formative years at the academy kicking and screaming (literally) they failed to adapt to meets his needs and even failed their duty of care the ensure he didn’t hurt himself or others resulting in trips to hospital and damaged equipment.

I am sure as with any school, not all academies are the same. It is the individuals that make an academy.

Malcolm

]]> Comment on What do you think should be included in the Special Education Needs Review? by Claudia Hector http://www.allfie.org.uk/blog/?p=25#comment-129 Claudia Hector Wed, 27 Oct 2010 18:33:46 +0000 http://www.allfie.org.uk/blog/?p=25#comment-129 I understand that you are writing about schools. With regard to Further Education I understand that the government is likely to withdraw the funding currently avaible for people with disabilities. FE courses costs thousands to attend if the government does not pay. People will be expected to find the money via their perosnalised budget but I think there is a real problem with isolation to be considered here. I understand that you are writing about schools. With regard to Further Education I understand that the government is likely to withdraw the funding currently avaible for people with disabilities. FE courses costs thousands to attend if the government does not pay. People will be expected to find the money via their perosnalised budget but I think there is a real problem with isolation to be considered here.

]]> Comment on Who are Free Schools Really For? by Katie Fraser http://www.allfie.org.uk/blog/?p=29#comment-105 Katie Fraser Mon, 18 Oct 2010 14:58:52 +0000 http://www.allfie.org.uk/blog/?p=29#comment-105 Great post and great that you are making a stand on this issue! Keep up the good work! I have a blog too if anyone wants to comment and follow it at http://www.aviewtomyworld.blogspot.com Great post and great that you are making a stand on this issue! Keep up the good work!

I have a blog too if anyone wants to comment and follow it at http://www.aviewtomyworld.blogspot.com

]]> Comment on What do you think should be included in the Special Education Needs Review? by Katie Fraser http://www.allfie.org.uk/blog/?p=25#comment-17 Katie Fraser Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:43:07 +0000 http://www.allfie.org.uk/blog/?p=25#comment-17 I think you need to have something in the review about having quiet areas for children with disabilities in all classrooms and taking regular rest breaks. I think you need to have something in the review about having quiet areas for children with disabilities in all classrooms and taking regular rest breaks.

]]> Comment on Welcome! by Katie Fraser http://www.allfie.org.uk/blog/?p=1#comment-7 Katie Fraser Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:01:43 +0000 http://allfie.org.uk/blog/?p=1#comment-7 Great blog and well done to everyone involved at Brixton, for your efforts on your hard work. I love the idea of your blog! Great blog and well done to everyone involved at Brixton, for your efforts on your hard work. I love the idea of your blog!

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