Charter School ED - SEN / ADHD experience

Hi All, Happy New Year!

Im looking for experience of this school specifically from parents of a SEN (ADHD in our case) pupil.

i loved the school at the open day and particularly the sense of SEN inclusion - the SEN suite and the fact that they are currently building an specialist autism centre in the grounds. I spoke at length with the SEN assistant who took my email and said shed get back to me which never happened. Ive emailed a couple of times and had no response. Ive since noticed on the website that they are unable to respond to the 100s of prospective EHCP parents questions they receive, but then again I don't know how you can make such an important decision without being able to ask questions of the school.

Anyway - if anyone can share their experience of this school - particularly with a view to SEN inclusion - Id be really grateful. How responsive are the SEN department to email / phonecalls if you need to discuss anything and are you happy with how they handle any issues that arise? TIA! x

I've had a bad experience at Charter (North) with my SEN child (ADHD). They haven't received SEN support, and the SEN told me they are too busy to help. However, it may be better if you have an EHCP. I'd definitely try to speak to some parents before choosing the school.

Hi

Honestly. It?s not great for anyone (or their parents) with SEN.

They do pay lip service (pupil passports etc) but I?m not sure the pupils? experience is great.

The SEN team seems v under resourced and current lead on mat leave (not that that?s an issue - but it feels as if they are more under resourced than ever now)

My observation as a parent with a child with a diagnosis there is that the school?s main focus is building up its reputation as one of the best state schools in the area with the best results. It?s fine if you have a neurotypical child but not great otherwise. They are creaking under the pressure of so many mental health issues and diagnoses since covid that they simply can?t deliver what is needed right now. I?m not blaming them. It?s just circumstance and maybe this will improve as the school grows.

This is an interesting thread - especially as Charter ED is supposed to have / going to have an autism unit so likely that more parents of pupils with SEN are likely to have selected it in terms of hoping it could provide better support.

The SEN provision at Charter North and East is talked about by many past and current parents. If you have a child with no issues, and plenty of friends they will be fine. As soon as your child has any issues though, your are quickly told to go elsewhere. It is underfunded, under staffed and frankly the trust is really interested in just appearing to be good enough as the local independents, by using less then half the spend per pupil.

Avoid if you can especially if you have a child with SEN. The Hamlet is one of the feeder schools for the charter as well, and their SEN support is horrendous. All those kids end up at the Charters (unless their parents decide to go private or move to be closer to better secondaries) as well and are served no better unfortunately.

I?m interested to know if there are other secondaries locally where the SEN support is better or are all schools under the same pressure of much more need and no more money or staff?

Schools that I have had positive feedback from parents re ADHD and other SEN support have been St Thomas the Apostle in Nunhead, also Haberdashers and Deptford Green in New Cross. Additionally, Forest Hill Boys and Harris Girls. First two from parents with children with ADHD. Deptford Green has an autism support unit and has a good reputation for SEN support.

I don't have a child at the Charter but I was sufficiently concerned by my experiences at an open day last year to start looking elsewhere. I asked about the "nurture unit" and the Head replied that it was only for children who were "cognitively impaired". Not only is this wrong, it's completely insensitive. There was lots of talk about the "warm strict" approach and the need to keep the children under control. I also got the impression that the SEN department were overwhelmed.

I do have a child at the Hamlet and I am pleased to say that after a rocky start, the school has really worked hard to help my son develop his social skills and self-confidence. But like everywhere, you have to be an unrelenting advocate for your child.

Many years ago when my daughter was seeking out a primary school for her daughter, she visited the best performing school in her area and asked about SEN children. Head mentioned that they had one child with autism but nobody knew about his/her diagnosis as they did not stand out!. Daughter has worked for many years with children and young people with special needs and was aware of differing attitudes in schools. Her daughter did not have special needs and went to a primary school which was around number 4 on the best schools list.

My granddaughter is now 23 and it is a shame that all these years on, schools are more concerned with exam results and outwards appearances than the welfare of their pupils. My youngest daughter is a teacher in an exclusion unit for 14- 16 year old and half of her pupils have SEN and were failing in their secondary schools for lack of provision.

Lack of support/funding in primary schools which then moves on into secondary schools. Too little funding to help children properly!

Digbina Wrote:

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> I don't have a child at the Charter but I was

> sufficiently concerned by my experiences at an

> open day last year to start looking elsewhere. I

> asked about the "nurture unit" and the Head

> replied that it was only for children who were

> "cognitively impaired". Not only is this wrong,

> it's completely insensitive. There was lots of

> talk about the "warm strict" approach and the need

> to keep the children under control. I also got

> the impression that the SEN department were

> overwhelmed.

>

Cognitively impaired?! Blimey.

As for keeping children under control, I emailed Charter ED to let them know that two young girls (year 7) were approaching people on Sainsbury's car park asking for money - which strikes me as a safeguarding issue when the school is in loco parentis - and never got a reply.

As a parent and a SEN specialist I feel the need to speak up for schools. They are not represented here. All schools are under the most incredible pressure for SEN and I am seeing professionals going the extra mile every single day.

We were not at the conversation re ?cognitive impairment?, an inclusive school may well have such a class and this can helpful as it separates some SEN needs from children with other needs more along the lines of emotional / behaviour problems.

Also please don?t assume a school would not have acted on a safeguarding concern. They just might not have mailed you back to tell you their response as it was not necessary.

There is an avalanche of safeguarding at the moment and I am not seeing schools dropping the ball on issues like this. I know the thread was asking around a particular school but I hope a SEN perspective from inside schools is a useful addition to the discussion.

I?m rather late to the conversation but my child has had excellent support at Kingsdale. Her difficulties have only become evident in the last year and she has no diagnosis yet but the school immediately stepped up and put various elements of support in place.

Agree reg the schools being understaff and lacking resources; in particular the SEN departments,

I got a child at Dulwich Hamlet and eventually got the support I needed for my child. There are some good teachers and the current SEN person has been very helpful; but not school is perfect and I do feel they are over stretched. You also need to push for your child.

I was put off by Kingsdale exclusion unit where they send kids who don?t behave/are having trouble as they learn very little there and get further behind. I also heard

Majority of mainstream schools just want the best children with not issues who can bring the best results and keep the school reputation.

I know I'm really late to answer this, but I have a child with ADHD and autism at Charter ED, with an EHCP. It has obviously been a really difficult time in the last few years (pandemic, home/hybrid schooling, under-resourced in the SEN department).

I think there are some real issues with communication, so my child's experience varies from class to class depending on how well the subject teacher communicates with parents and with the SEN department. I'd say that there are some truly awful teachers who don't know how to teach neurodiverse children, but that most are OK and some are fantastic.

The SEN department is good, but overstretched. Support is variable, again depending on who is delivering it. Some outside resources (SALT in particular) currently aren't available - but that is nothing to do with the school and is across the borough.

As another parent said, it's all down to you to advocate for you child and make sure that they are getting the adjustments that they need. The school will make adjustments, but not unless you are asking for them repeatedly. The response time to making any changes is slow, and that is very frustrating. Time passes and learning time is lost while nothing changes for weeks/months.

Overall, it's an OK school. I think Kingsdale is probably better from what other parents say, but there is no way to guarantee a place there as it operates on a lottery system.

Renata Hamvas Wrote:

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> Schools that I have had positive feedback from

> parents re ADHD and other SEN support have been St

> Thomas the Apostle in Nunhead, also Haberdashers

> and Deptford Green in New Cross. Additionally,

> Forest Hill Boys and Harris Girls. First two from

> parents with children with ADHD. Deptford Green

> has an autism support unit and has a good

> reputation for SEN support.

I must admit I find it disappointing that all that is offered are alternative schools that fair better in this department. I guess I would have liked to hear what a Labour councillor would like to propose/see at a supportive school? I understand that you serve Lambeth, and these are Southwark schools....but disappointing all the same.

I understand completely that schools are underfunded and overwhelmed, however, there are some cost-free adaptations/reasonable adjustments that all schools could to carry out that could impact the situation for SEN children and families. Parents would not have to contact schools so frequently if the was a robust supportive setup in the first instance.

Hi Bodsier, I am a Southwark Councillor! I represent Peckham Rye Ward, this encompasses South Nunhead, a bit of East Dulwich and a bit of Honor Oak, south of Peckham Rye Park and east of Forest Hill Rd. No Southwark secondary schools are under LA control, They are all academies/free or faith schools. Most children who have the most common SENs ie ADHD/dyslexia/dyspraxia don't have a statement of SEN and therefore the schools don't get additional funding to support them. What I have reported her is purely the feedback I have had from parents with children with SEN who have attended and had good experience of support for their child in local schools, in some cases they have picked those schools due to how children with SEN are supported at those schools from what they have heard from other parents. I know parents with children at Charter ED but have not had any feedback about their SEN support.

This is the larger issue. The whole system of education divorced from LA control is shambolic. The schools do their level best at times to help with what they can, but more often than not they don?t have the budgets to do it and certainly their performance indicators, league tables, don?t incentivise taking, keeping, or expending any resources or labour for children with additional needs.

Even if you have a child with an EHCP, there is no real accountability for anything to be actually delivered. Local Councils are ostensibly taking the money (from ring-fenced but small budgets) and giving it to schools to deliver this support or therapies. The amounts and services are negligible or laughable and sub par compared to what you can get or achieve in the private sector. The schools scramble to find the money and/or resent having to take money out of their budgets to make up the difference.

I?ve despaired of having any positive outcomes from local state or faith schools despite having their glowing reputations built on (in some cases like Dulwich Hamlet and Dulwich Village and Charter North) 10 years outdated Ofsted ratings of Outstanding or Good. It is a load of crock.

Most of the best teachers and leaders are long since retired or forced out by the terrible workloads and academisaation process. The rest is smoke and mirrors and only stands up to some scrutiny because East Dulwich, Dulwich Village, West Dulwich are perceived as middle class, white, professional families compared to what surrounds us.

The racism, classism, and ableism in local schools is very apparent if you look closer or spend any time in these schools.

If you have a child with ASD, ADHD, Dyslexia, MH, Anxiety, physical or developmental disabilities, or any SEND these schools purport to inclusivity, but more often than not they will fail your child and expect you to be grateful for the chance to be ?included?.

All schools should be inclusive, sadly most are not and don?t even know why not because they frankly cannot be bothered to listen or figure out why.

This report explains a lot about Local Government attitudes toward SEND pupils and families. It will be submitted to the SEND review:

https://www.specialneedsjungle.com/las-send-failings-everyones-fault-but-ours-too-easy-get-ehcp/

Cllr Hamvas, I hope you will have a chance to read the blogpost and the report.

If you are a SEND family and need support please refer to:

https://sossen.org.uk/

And

https://www.ipsea.org.uk/

Both are impartial and non government subsidised charities unlike

https://www.southwark.gov.uk/schools-and-education/information-for-parents/southwark-information-advice-and-support-team-sias

There is serious conflicts of interest and lack of expertise at SIAS (well meaning, lovely people but not legal experts).

Renata Hamvas Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi Bodsier, I am a Southwark Councillor! I

> represent Peckham Rye Ward, this encompasses South

> Nunhead, a bit of East Dulwich and a bit of Honor

> Oak, south of Peckham Rye Park and east of Forest

> Hill Rd. No Southwark secondary schools are under

> LA control, They are all academies/free or faith

> schools. Most children who have the most common

> SENs ie ADHD/dyslexia/dyspraxia don't have a

> statement of SEN and therefore the schools don't

> get additional funding to support them. What I

> have reported her is purely the feedback I have

> had from parents with children with SEN who have

> attended and had good experience of support for

> their child in local schools, in some cases they

> have picked those schools due to how children with

> SEN are supported at those schools from what they

> have heard from other parents. I know parents with

> children at Charter ED but have not had any

> feedback about their SEN support.

I wonder if you come to a secondary school such as the charter from overseaa as a refugee do they have any provision for ESOL?

Hello, with apologies for reviving this old thread I’m wondering if anyone has any new or updated information to share? My son has an EHCP (ASD) and is starting Year 7 in 2023. We want a resource base place for him but the LA are apparently unable to provide one! The long-talked-about resource base at Charter East is not yet confirmed and so I’m not sure is we should name the school on his EHCP anyway. Any experiences or opinions welcome!

I've had a SEN child at Charter. I would give it a wide berth while the current head teacher is in place. It's a shame because it started out as a great school for SEN, but the whole place has gone downhill since she has been in post. I rue trusting her with my kid's welfare.

 

A friend who moved back to ED earlier this year with a son who had a EHCP from this previous secondary school. Registered with Southwark Education and wanted a school accessible by public transport . Southwark did not give her any guidance so she approached a school direct and was not given any help. Southwark Education sent around an assessor to the home for her son but she never got any feedback. Son was getting more anxious and withdrawn, not willing to go out of the house (he is neurodiverse) and after 6 months of no schooling went back to her original area in Hampshire. Husband was working in London so was living in ED and his son missed him too much hence the move. Was also being bullied at his former school. Have not heard from her recently so not sure of situation.

SENCOs are very over worked. Daughter who is a teacher applied for a position at an independent education establishment in Sussex. Although she had vast experience working with all special needs children up to 18, she did not have the SENCO qualification and the establishment could not afford to send her on training. in the end they appointed someone who had SENCO qualifications but only 3 years teaching experience . My daughter has 14 years teaching experience. She also has a daughter who appears to be neurodiverse in terms of behaviour/routines/obsessive behaviour but highly intelligent (at 8 has reading age and language of 13) also a son again very bright especially in Maths and Science also computers who looks as though he may have ADHD. So even as a teacher, she finds it difficult to get an appointment with the primary school's SENCO due to the number of children needing assistance.

On 28/01/2022 at 13:17, Digbina said:

I don't have a child at the Charter but I was sufficiently concerned by my experiences at an open day last year to start looking elsewhere. I asked about the "nurture unit" and the Head replied that it was only for children who were "cognitively impaired". Not only is this wrong, it's completely insensitive. There was lots of talk about the "warm strict" approach and the need to keep the children under control. I also got the impression that the SEN department were overwhelmed.

 

I do have a child at the Hamlet and I am pleased to say that after a rocky start, the school has really worked hard to help my son develop his social skills and self-confidence. But like everywhere, you have to be an unrelenting advocate for your child.

"Cognitively impaired"??

Should shock me, but actually explains a lot about that head. Appalling woman, she should not be in charge of kids with ASD.

Slightly different question, but i'm curious as to whether schools get additional funding to support the number of children they have on the register or if funding is only available for those children with a formal plan in place? Thanks

 

academies receive funding according to pupil numbers.

is that what you meant by children on the register?

there are other parts to the funding formula to reflect relative deprivation in the area, pupil premium/pupil premium plus for eligible students, and other factors eg if the school has a specialism in subject(s) the government wants to encourage the uptake of within the population.

Edited February 7 by PeckhamNicola