General Chat

I can't add any more to what has already been said. I would be spitting feathers if I was in that situation too.

When my son was at High School, he was asked to bring in grocery contributions to make up Christmas hampers for poor single parent families in the area!
Helloooo - I was a single parent family but not once did I get offered a hamper, why should I manage to find money to pay for groceries when those people were on the same benefits as me, but probably spent some of their money on fags etc while I never smoked or drank!
After the first time, when I twigged what was going on, I stopped sending anything in.
Crazy...

Lizx

Is it a case of we don't want the sn children to go because we have not enough people to look after them, but we need them because people will take pity on them and that way we will get more money from sponsership than we would if only the ablebodied children collected.

Hi again gossip girl.... yes I would agree with you... but I do know from experience that many times the statemented child/ren get left behind, while their designated staff get sent on the trip to provide a higher staff:pupil ratio for those who are going on the trip.... it is syphoning resources away from those who have been allocated them.... I've been personally involved in it, and it is unacceptable!

Also... if that is the case, these parents have already spoken to teacher, head and school governer.... and this dooes not appear to have been pointed out to them... in my experience parents/guardians are generally very accepting if a full and proper explanation is given.... and alternative arrangements made for those children with special needs to have a trip or two of their own more appropriate to their needs... if the support is provided in their classroom, then they must have it included in their statement of special educational needs for trips out.... you do not get the funding for classroom support otherwise!

And included in EVERY statement that I have ever read has been a bit about the importance and relevance of field trips to educational development... without fail.

So I really do hope this head does not talk about a lack of staffing resources... that is a load of balderdash, if the mainstream kids have been enabled to have not one, but two trips.....

Love

Daff xxx

Going back to the actual sponsored walk. If it is the case that all the children have to walk as it is in school time, there is nothing that can actually make them get sponsorship. So let them enjoy the break from lessons in the fresh air but don't raise any money.

Ann
Glos

Our step grandson is in the special needs section of a school in Dover.Its a unit on its own but within the grounds of the primary school. They get their own outings geared to their needs and what they can handle But they do mix with the other children sometimes like school Christmas plays etc, Some of the more able children join the "big" school in activities and play and they treated by the other kids with a lot of love and fuss.

Some of the special needs kiddies are wheelchair bound and are limited in what they do both physically and mentally ,and some like our grandson have more understanding and with help can be part of main school in some areas

Grandson has speech problems and autistic tendencies .hes nearly 8 ,has few words and is still having problems with toileting. he poos himself all the time!! BUT all the children ,regardless, go on the outings with loads of support from their teachers/carers.

I think our SIL & daughter would object if he wasnt getting the same "perks" as the ablebodied kids and their fundraising wasnt helping the special needs kiddies as well.

Shirley

I know how you feel Daff, that's why I've only posted twice, well 3 times now lol.

I have a son who is statemented and attends a special needs school. The staff there are brilliant and it should be the same at Boo's school not the discrimination that these children are facing or the message that, as you've said, the other children are receiving.

lol Julie........ it's not my thread, and I don't want it whooshed!! Which it would be if I said what I really wanted to do to the silly person....


boiling entrails, buckets of oil, and other things... this person is messing with children's self esteem and feelings of belonging... they have enough to contend with, being a bit *different* as it is.

I do so hate social injustice.... and this sort of attitude by those who should know better instils the wrong sort of morales into the heads of vulnerable children. What sort of message is being sent out here?.... to ALL the children in the school!
This person needs horsewhipping.. amongst other things.


I am calming down now... a little.

Love

Daff xxx

Jax,
My daughter was in a special needs class once and I know I wouldn't have joined in any fundraising activity if my daughter wasn't going to benefit.

Janet xx

I think there may be other issues here as to why they haven't gone on a school trip - which may be down to staff ratio's - if a statmented child has one to one with a teacher or classrom assistant then that teacher or classroom assistant must be on the school trip also. I think that this may be the underlying issue.

Oooh Daff you're being too kind lol

*mutters*

I'd like to send this Head on an educational trip all their own.... propelled from the toe of my boot.



Steel capped toe.

Love

Daff xxxxx

This discrimination just shouldn't be allowed to happen.

How dare the Head exclude some children from the school trip. Shouldn't be called a School trip if not all the children are allowed to join in.

All children should be able to learn a lot from these trips if properly organised. Especially in Social and Emotional parts of development.

What sort of message is the Head sending to the rest of the School.
i.e. "Let's not mix with the Special Needs children if we can help it"

Disgusting! is the mildest thought that comes to mind.

Seperating children from their friends is so wrong. Also a missed educational opportunity for all of the children in the school.

I was under the impression that the idea of having children with special needs children in a main stream school was INCLUSION. After all that is the way things should be in the outside world.

This head seems to have other ideas, and if so is he/she the right person to have as a headteacher.

Please do protest about this to MP, Education Board etc.
This is unacceptable behaviour.
by the "powers that be" inside the school.
Things like this should be included in the OFSTED report.

I agree with everyone who said that School Day trips are (or certainly should be) educational opportunities.
Things that are observed on the trip can be carried back to the class room for further learning.

I hope that you get this sorted out to your own satisfaction.
And that this head learns something from this experience.

Tess

Unfortunately i'm not upto date with SEN policy

hopefully Jax will read this later and post on the uk governors board, the parents need to be able to go into school with the correct ammunition

lol Gossip Girl..... you (the universal you here, lol) generally do a wonderful and often thankless job... I was once the fundraiser on the schoolboard, as the schools token rep, lol.... I worked with special needs youngsters. Our poor Governer went through the mill many a time..... think back to The Children Act and the early days, a residential MLD school where staff had been allowed to hit youngsters, just for starters.... they gave the poor man hell before they accepted the changes... or moved on!

Love

Daff xxx

I would obtain the special needs policy from your school, you are intitled to see it. Phone the local education authority first thein monday morning then take it from there.

Good luck

Star

I am for my sins a school governor,
The site is really good - if I have a problem with my school issues - then I post on there, and have always received great advice

Hi gossip girl... thank you for that.... I think Jax an Boo are baking at the moment, but I will keep that link as well... I am just so mad over this!!

Love

Daff xxx

Joan
The school can not make you pay for any trip, it must be made clear that they are asking for a donation towards the trip, but the trip may not go ahead if enough children do not pay.

Hi
Please could you post this on the uk governors forum
www.ukgovernors.org.uk

their are inclusion issues here, and i'm not uptodate with SEN inclusion policy,
please post on the above board where you will get advice about where your school stands legally in this mattter

Its disgusting, Boo and friends need to be included like other children, outside activity is for all , everyone said what i think, with Daff on this sounds like a few rats in there stop helping stand your ground,
my son as objected to, grandson is six- school trip
cost 7 pounds, under privilege children free, only 3 in class can pay,my son one of them there is around 28/30 children in class hardly fare i say not against genuine cases most of there parents in pub most nights my son just keeps afloat