Education review meeting

Yesterday we had a review meeting regarding Charlotte's Individual Education Plan.

I say we, but in truth I couldn't attend as I was working.

These types of meetings are important as they outline Charlotte's future needs for her education.

We have requested a full time placement at Matthew Arnold School for Charlotte to start reception class in September.

The school have accepted her for a place but it remains for the LEA to rubber stamp this and provide Charlotte with an Education Support Assistant (ESA).

Since starting nursery school Charlotte has made excellent progress with her speech and motor skills. In fact she is starting to put little sentences together, the most commonly used at the moment being 'no go away' or last night's classic 'thomas turn it down' - in reference to her brothers poor taste in rap music!

At nursery she joins in with the other children with no problems, she sits for activities as well as playing games, her report actually states Charlotte doesn't like the other children to 'baby' her.

The main issue discussed yesterday was Charlotte's need for an ESA. ESA's are so important for children like Charlotte, they provide help with school work, implementing individual education, social and behavioural programmes as well as supporting pupils in social activities.

In yesterdays meeting we were informed that SENISS (Special Educational Needs Integrated Support Service) has identified a canditate for Charlotte which is good news. Although on the other hand keeping the same person throughout Charlotte's education is another matter. The ESA's can move schools if offered other jobs, this as you can imagine is common. This in turn can cause unrest in the development of the child's education, having to get to know a new ESA and such like. But thats a path we will have to cross in the future if it happens.

In the meantime it looks like Charlotte is all set for a September start at Matthew Arnold which is a relief as she is able to stay with her friends from pre-school and nursery.

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