attendance worries

Thank you both for your comments and suggestions, it is very much appreciated.  I did read somewhere that asd children are more likely to shutdown more than NT's which I have seen in my kids.  They seem to work really hard for a while and then have to recharge, which can take a few days.  Does anyone else experience this.  It may help school understand absences a bit more if others do this as well.

're school attendance.  I once asked the ewo how many days equated to x percentage, and she had no idea.  A fairly simple question I thought.  I rest my case.

You should ask what counts as a registration of attendance on a given day. It may be that leaving, even if the school requests it, counts as non-attendance.

I cannot see anything about this in the Measures for School Attendance and Behaviour document November 2013. Remember this has less to do with your child's best interests, and has more to do with paranoia about children wandering the streets or shoplifting or scaring old ladies.

But one form of truant involves going to morning registration and then leaving the grounds, or leaving at lunchtime. They may be doing several checks, and not being on all the day's registers counts as all day absence.

Whereas the school phoning you to take your child home early isn't recorded by the school.

You might find this useful:

http://edyourself.org/articles/flexischooling.php

http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/behaviour/attendance/a00223239/clarification-on-flexi-schooling

If I understand it correctly, it is a legal right, but a school head may not have to agree to it.

I am thinking of flexi schooling him, but as there has been a reshuffle in the school, I am not sure if they are going to support me.  I did this with my eldest and it worked well, but not sure if I have a legal right to do this.

As you say it does feel that it is just a tick box exercise without any thought beyond that.  If you are at school great.  Doesn't  seem to matter if you are at school yet banging your head against a desk because you are stressed and cannot function,  just so long as you are there.  It beggers belief!

School just doesn't work for some children, ASC being one of those groups.

In law, your son is receiving an education if he is doing online work and therefore they couldn't say too much about it.  I think this stinks of the school being more concerned about attendance records than your son.  Even on the days he goes in, perhaps they are allowed to count it as a half day's attendance even if he left after an hour so they would rather that happen no matter his distress.

Have you spoken to the LA about PRUs, alternative schooling, or setting up the online schooling as a permanent thing?

Can't remember if you've seen this: http://www.schoolrefuserfamilies.co.uk/page17.htm

He completes homework either at school or online.  He was seen by ed psych last Oct who acknowledged he has severe anxiety.  

It just feel that if I force him to go to school when he is anxious it will only make things worse.  On occasions when I have done this the school has phoned me to collect him and I believe that they think I shouldn't have sent him in in such a state, but if I don't I am not supporting his education, yet it is okay for them to make the decisions

If all else fails and it's a possibility for you, you can deregister him and home-educate.  They would have to leave you alone then.

Do you have proof of him going in on days they dispute, such as homework given that day, lessons completed, lunch account debited or anything?

Have you got any correspondence between you and the school/EWO discussing work for him to do at home?  (In our case, I asked twice for it and the school didn't even bother replying).

Or have you got proofs of any GP visits, CAMHS appointments etc.?  Has any professional liaised with the school over your son's problems?

If you have none of the above, I would get an urgent referral to CAMHS via your GP so that you have something on record.  They never, ever believe parents.  We are treated like 2nd class citizens without brains or decent characters.  They always assume we are exaggerating, making it up etc.

You have a lot on your side with a diagnosis and a statement, so you can (if it's the case) make an issue of the school failing to support him as documented they must in his statement.  You can call an early statement review yourself to get the wording on his statement specified better and tightened up if necessary.  (Speak to IPSEA and Parent Partnership for guidance and help).

Do you have any local ASC outreach service?  If not call the NAS helpline for advice.

Also, point out to the school in writing, that your son's issues are because they have failed to make reasonable adjustments for him which they are required to do in law according to the Equality Act 2010 because of his disability and copy the EWO in.

Regarding their powers to take you to court, if you have evidence as above they would surely lose (my personal opinion)!