Helpful Tips
Correspondence If your child is identified as having special educational needs you will receive regular letters and reports regarding this. It is a good idea to keep all this information together so that you can monitor your childs progress.
- Set up a folder/ file to keep all the letters and reports you receive.
- Note the date when you receive any information.
- When making or receiving phone calls note the date and time and who you have spoken to.
- When making or receiving phone calls make a note of what was discussed.
- If you make a request to the school or LA over the phone always try to follow this up in writing so there is no confusion.
- Keep a copy of any letters etc that you send to the school/LA.
- Ask for the minutes of any meetings to be sent to you in writing.
Attending Meetings
- You have a right to take along a friend or representative to any meeting with school, LA or Governors.
- Always check who will be attending the meeting.
- You may ask for a person to attend a meeting if you feel they can contribute.
- You may also ask that someone does not attend if you have good reason.
- Always write down what you want to say or ask before the meeting as it is easy to forget once you are in the meeting.
- It is helpful to school or the LA if you let them know what you want to discuss before the meeting.
- Always make sure someone is taking notes and ask them to send you a copy afterwards (you may wish to take a friend with you to take notes of your own).
- Always ask the person leading the meeting (this person is normally known as the chairperson) to summarise what has been agreed at the end of the meeting so everyone is clear.
- When you receive the notes/minutes from the meeting check them carefully. If there is anything you are not happy about then you should write to the Chairperson of the meeting.
Questions you may wish to ask your child's teacher
- What can your child do?
- What can't your child do that they want him/her to do?
- Is there anything they want him/her to stop doing?
- What activities does he/she enjoy in school?
- How does he/she get on with other children?
- What methods/equipment/arrangements have they tried to help your child?
- What has worked and what hasn't worked?
- How do they check his/her progress?
- Has he/she made any improvements?
- Has he/she got worse at anything?
- Have they kept records of this?
- Can you have copies of these records
- Is there anything you can do to help your child?
- How do they intend to keep you informed of what is happening?
- How often will they do this?
Things you could do at home
- Keep a record of how your child is at home.
- Ask relatives if they have noticed any improvements.
- Ask relatives if they have noticed that anything has got worse.
- Is there anything that he/she can do at home that he/she doesn't do at school?
- Is there anything that he/she does at school that he/she will not do at home?
- Keep notes on things you have tried that help your child so you can pass them on to school to try.
- Always praise your child when they do something well even if it is just a small improvement.
- Try not to go on too much about what they can't do.
- Ask brothers and sisters not to make fun when they can't do something.
Making A Compliment
- If you would like to compliment or thank a teacher for something they have done which you are pleased about then you should write to the Headteacher of the school.
- If you would like to compliment or thank a member of staff within the LA then you should write to the Directoriate Adult & Child Services for your authority (see useful contacts page).
Making A Complaint
- If you want to make a complaint about a teacher or member of school staff you should firstly write to the Headteacher. If you are not happy with the response from the Headteacher or if you wish to make a complaint about the Headteacher you should write to the Chair of the Governing Body for the school (see useful contacts page). The Governing Body have a duty to respond to your complaint within 10 working days.
- If you want to complain about a member of staff within the LA you should firstly write to the Directoriate Adult & Child Services. If you are not happy with the response you receive you can then send your complaint to...............................
- If you want to complain about the way the LA has done something or the length of time they have taken to do something you can write to the Secretary of State or the Local Government Ombudsman (see useful contacts page).
This site is still being developed, if there is anything you would like adding to the site please contact your local Parent Partnership Officer to let them know.
