I attended a College meeting today to discuss the lack of provision for my son, who formally had a Statement, but now has an LDA (Learning Disability Assessment.)
Despite having a detailed LDA and attending pre-start meetings to ensure smooth transition and adequate support for my sons needs at College, little has been implemented to the point where he didn’t even have a computer until December last, by which time he was 4 months into the course yet had already been ‘dropped down’ a level, from level 3 Diploma to level 2 Diploma, because it was perceived he could not cope.
He required a laptop (On loan) with two specific soft-ware programs that had been identified as needed to enable him to access education, plus the use of a Dictaphone to record the lectures, but was told by the level 3 tutor he wasn’t allowed to use the Dictaphone in class and had no way of recording his work due to the lack of Auxiliary aids prescribed.
My son has High functioning ASD, Severe Dyslexia and fine motor difficulties, yet has already managed to attain decent grades in his GCSE’s (5 A-C grades including Math) at School and a level 2 extended certificate at a Merit level, following the use of the above mentioned support in the past.
Yet when this was essentially refused him in his new College course environment he couldn’t access the course and was summarily dropped down firstly by a diploma level and then again to a certificate level, still with no support. Repeated requests to the College for review meetings to discuss our concerns and address the situation were just ignored.
Only after I put in a request to see the principle was an appointment suddenly made available. By this time we are 9 months into the course!
The meeting I attended today was extremely patronizing. My son was praised for attaining a level 2 Certificate at Distinction in his current studies and asked to come back for another year to do a level 2 Diploma in September.
I’m not sure the College really appreciate where my sons complaint lies. He already has a level 2 extended certificate. No one in our household is at all surprized he’s managed to attain what he has (A distinction) because it’s not at the level commensurate with his ability. He wanted a Diploma at level 3 or 2, but was prevented from obtaining it because he didn’t have the right tools!
Now he will have to do an extra year, to obtain a Diploma at level 2 before he can even consider level 3.
I’ve spoken to a number of parents and students recently who have had exactly the same experience and frankly , It Sucks!
Why are Colleges being so closed about those on the spectrum or indeed anyone with special needs? The knee jerk reaction is to drop them down a level rather than provide them with the tools for independent learning or access to education!
My son didn’t want a reader or scribe sitting next to him, he just wanted access to learning independently and at a level commensurate with his intelligence and ability. All of which is considered a reasonable adjustment to ensure a disabled pupil is not at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with a non-disabled pupil, under the equality Act 2010 and yet, denied him.
It’s left my son completely demoralized. In fact, I doubt he will return to education any time soon.
For my son, it’s clearly too late and he’s now become a NEET. Given the patronizing tone of the meeting today, I’m not sure whether much would be obtained by making a formal complaint to the College, and yet part of me realizes that if someone doesn’t Stand up and shout, it leaves hoards of students still in the trap of demoralising education, slower than necessary progress and with the potential threat of joining the long line of NEETS lining up behind my son, looming ever larger!
If You Judge a Fish by Its Ability to Climb a Tree, It Will Live Its Whole Life Believing that It is Stupid. Now’s the time to ditch the prejudice!
It’s time for the colleges to change their poor practices, Stop the demoralization of those with SEN, to ditch the prejudice and to support every student to reach their true potential.
