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Help with Daughter doing A Levels

Sunderlandafclad

My Daughter has Aspergers (i am awaiting formal diagnosis myself) and has started living with me after issues she has with her mum, she is currently doing A levels but has been having a number of issues which has been problematic for her in school to the point that school asked me to bring her home again and suggested I make an appointment to talk about her continued options! Are the school obliged to help as she doesnt have a statement of needs or what ever, nothing like that was ever done when she lived with her mum but school accepts she has Aspergers after some contact with local mental health team

I asked my Daughter to list all the issues she has  so i have something solid to digest and take with me when i go to school for a chat! I've suggested a wheelchair to combat the regular issues she has with falling etc but the rest are gonna need some sorting!

Below is a list of her issues, academically she has A* all round but the issues are causing her serious issues in coping with day at school, are schools obliged to accomodate her as they do at uni?..............

Issues with school

     -General issues,

Bright lights, hurts eyes.

Loud sounds, hurt ears and affect concentration.

Busy corridors, get pushed, overwhelmed and very anxious .

Falling-get stood on when busy, no one to help when corridors empty

Nowhere to go if overloaded (lunch rooms, common room, SEN room etc.)

School food not nice, sensory.

Early mornings very difficult , little sleep 

School bus, VERY loud, to go on this bus can nearly make it impossible to work in the morning.

After school, choice is to catch school bus or walk down to wath . Hurts legs, often fall.

Require multiple text books, makes bag very heavy, makes balance worse. 

Wearing headphones on corridor will make teachers to tell me to take them off.

Often too scared to wear headphones in the corridor, may fall over and damage them.

The Bell makes me very anxious, it hurts A LOT.

Teachers late to lesson often. Standing outside classroom hurts legs. Not allowed to sit down in corridor

Falling on stairs at school is bad. I can have lift key, but very strict on bringing it back. Scared to lose it or forget so declined offer of lift key, but fall down. 

Last year, I was taken between lessons by someone and that caused lots of difficulties

Eg. Being forgotten, not working when lesson cancelled/moved. Still fell down.

     - Subject specific issues

                  Maths

Too easy. Completed C1 most of M1

In all C1 past papers, avg of 92.3%. 80% is an A

Rest of class still working on C1

Mechanics same problem. Not quite as far ahead but almost finished

Boring and easy

I could get further Maths without too much effort. Frustrating that I have to work at class pace

Mechanic teacher issue (may be already resolved)

A couple of lessons a week are in computer room which has very painful type of lights that flicker almost indiscernibly 

Chemistry

Too slow pace for me

Teachers unclear when giving homework. Don't understand verbal instructions well

They need to make it clear what the task is, when due etc. not just hand sheet to me

One teacher has accent and teaches mostly by talking

Can't understand accent enough to learn. I'm not good at taking in verbal information at the best of times. Accent makes it difficult

Get confused with that teacher. Unsure why. Go into class understanding and leave confused many times

Science chairs have no back so difficult to keep balance. Must focus on balancing while in class, which distracts

Biology

Not many problems. Chairs. Slight pacing problems, bit too slow, but not really a issue, just a mini annoyance. 

French

Teachers tell me to do hints without any warning, examsple, going out to practise speaking, not giving me any warning results in great anxiety.

Sometimes they move me about to do group work, changing seat makes me so anxious, I am unable to work.

Unclear with what work is must be done, and what is optional, 

Does not know what work is important and thus, causes great anxiety.

if anyone can see patterns or experiences they are having/had with their own children then if you could offfer any advice where I should go next i'd be extremely gratefull! 

Andy f-G

  • Sunderlandafclad said:

    There was no formal application made, she was having a number of issues including self harming that resulted in her being refered to the young persons mental health team who upon various visits was informed she had Aspergers but no Formal test as far as we are aware Other than the drs there saying she did.

    this wasnt done through the school tho.

    andy f-g

    In that case, I would ask CAMHS for a letter stating her diagnosis and if they can't do that ask them to undertake a formal ASC assessment.

  • I seem to remember that when my sons were statemented there was a clause in the documentation from the LEA saying that if a statement was not approved before I child entered Year 10 the LEA would not grant such a statement.  

    Having said that I am aware of other students at my sons school, who do not have statements, who get extra help.  The only difference being that these students do not have dedicated LSA's.  However, they are allowed to leave 5 mins earlier to arrive at their next lesson before the bell goes and hence the stampede.  They get extra time for exams.  they can were ear defenders and allowed to sit in quiet rooms during lunch.   

    Also have you considered flexi - schooling.  My son does this and it works really well.  He goes in to pick up his work and then completes it at home whilst keeping in touch with his tutors via email.  He has been doing this since year 10 and it is a win win for all as he's less stressed and so are his tutors.  

  • There was no formal application made, she was having a number of issues including self harming that resulted in her being refered to the young persons mental health team who upon various visits was informed she had Aspergers but no Formal test as far as we are aware Other than the drs there saying she did.

    this wasnt done through the school tho.

    andy f-g

  • Schools (and all public bodies and employers) must in law make reasonable adjustments for someone with a recognised disability.  Asperger's is a recognised disability but from your post it doesn't appear that she has a formal diagnosis.  Without one she will find access to rights and support much more difficult and it's unlikely legally they are as obliged to provide support.  Having said that, a school is supposed to provide support for a pupil with special needs, even if there is no diagnosis but I don't know how far you can insist.  Maybe have a word with CAB?