Guest Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 (edited) I am, officially, sitting down to write my reports except I am actually on here trying to put it off. I have decided to start with the child that I will find it most difficult to write a report for in the hope that then the only way is up. This child has...22 statements marked off on the profile. He has virtually no language apart from a few nouns and his processing of language is below that of a two-year-old. He has no awareness of others and will happily cough and belch in other children's faces without a flicker of embarrassment or, perhaps more worryingly, amusement and the other day he ran up on to the playground, pulled down his shorts and poohed on the playground. He only copes by copying what other children do and I would say that I have managed to do virtually nothing for him this year apart from teach him a bit of Makaton and made him fairly settled and got the other children to be supportive of him. The parents will not acknowledge that there is a problem apart from his speech being a bit delayed - ha! He was offered a place at a speech and language unit but the parents would not take it - something that to my mind is neglect and I can't do a damn thing about it. I then get lots of outside agencies coming in and saying,'You need to do this, that and the other with/for him'. This is all very well but he currently does not have a statement as he slipped through the net before starting school (don't even get me started on that one) so I have to try and do all of these things without letting the other 28 children suffer. Any ideas of how to write a report for him? I can't quite work out if I'm angry, frustrated or seeing the funny side . Edited May 31, 2007 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tinkerbell Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Be honest Moose that is all you can do .Look for the positives and then be straight. I wrote a really positive report last year for an autistic boy who bit and scratched and spat..he had one to one support.My HT made me add the negative bits because it wasn't a fair report otherwise,also the next teacher needs to know the weak areas. Perhaps leave this one till last?? I have e-mailed you with the report I mentioned if it is any use Tinkerbellx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 this is a really difficult one if you don't feel you have been able to do much for him as you obviously need to find the positives and identify where he has made progress. I always find it useful to look to documents that break down the earlier stages of progress e.g. BTTM, the worcestershire nursery profile has statements prior to the stepping stones, I also have access to IEP writer - these types of document can help you to realise where the child has progressed and offer statements you can use. also often useful to focus on things child enjoys if not able to identify areas of progress. when all else fails i would write about things child has experienced with adult support (even if they have not achieved yet), strategies that have been put in place to support or in few cases areas where support is still needed. phrases like 'child has made progress in/with ... but has benefitted from 1-1 adult support' 'child needed a lot of support to ... but has begun to make progress' '...has taken part in 1-1 activities to support ...' 'enjoys working with the construction toys' 'is interested in the computer' 'needs support and encouragement to...' Hopefully all these sound fairly positive to a parent but any practitioner would know exactly what you're saying the child can't do or needs help with. I could also pm you a copy of a nursery profile I wrote up for a nursery child with no speech and very immature social development, if it would help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luluj Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Hi Moose, First of all my head was reeling after reading what you have had to cope with and 'No' I won't get started about the outside agencies business. Sorry, but they sometimes they don't have a clue what it's like to be in the real world! As for the parents... It beggars belief. You must feel so,so frustrated,angry and powerless in what seems to be such a grave situation for this child. What I do read is the things that you have manged to achieve over his time with you. All I can suggest is that you use these to show the progression he has made however minimal. We know how long it can take to get statements in place let alone without parental support. You have done a great job to achieve this progress under such circumstances. How about leaving this report till last?That way you will be able to see all the progress that I am sure your other children have made. luluj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Hi Moose well you know alot about him, that seems as good a basis of a report as any other to me and that I think is what I would write. I think I would tackle it bit by bit as I usually prefer to write my reports like that any way, all PSE etc. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 HIya - did you mean 22 or 2 statements? If you meant 2 I have a similar child who I am happy to send his report to you for you to have a look at - it was hard to find what to say!!! PM me or leave your email x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 (edited) I did mean 22. 2! Bloody hell! Thank you everyone for your help and support so far. Edited May 31, 2007 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 I did mean 22. 2! Bloody hell! Thank you everyone for your help and support so far. Have sent you it! Got another 3 similar if you want them too! (Oh dear gonna have moderators in next year methinks! (but I don't care, I'm leaving!)x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmileyPR Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Same comments as others, especially nsunshine. Add to that, "X is learning to... ", which means that he is starting to do so, but with adult support. My Head of Primary always says that one can present weakness statements in a positive way. It doesn't sound so shocking for the parents, yet you are informing what is really happening. Boy, puzzles, your children are in Reception? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 From experience I feel that if you have parents that do not acknowledge that there is a problem you need to put that he has difficulty with some things. Otherwise when he gets to the next class/school and the teacher comes to address things the parents will say 'well he was fine in his last class we got a really good report'. We have had problems in the past when the children have gone on to reception (our previous head did not believe in any SEN support as she felt it stigmatised the children) and the parents have said well they were fine at nursery but this was only because we were not allowed to discuss our concerns with the parents. I have put things like "Jimmy enjoys listening to stories but has difficulty maintaining concentration and sometimes disrupts the other children". We have an open day at the same time as when we give out the reports so I go through the report with the parents as they receive it Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuffspot Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 You MUST refer to his problems in some way for a number of reasons 1.(worst case scenario!) this could all come back and haunt you in a few years time if the parents ever start legal proceedings against schools for not picking up problems early on. I had a boy, similar to your one a few years ago, my head refused to allow me to make negative comments either at parents evenings or in reports. I wrote my concerns down in a log and passed them to the head regularlly asking for permission to approach parents. Thank goodness I did as now 6 years later and two schools down the line my school is being called into account by the parents and solicitors etc are involved. I just thank god I'm covered and that I did what I could! 2. As your head says, for the next teacher. 3. For the parents. Sometimes seeing things written down is more effective. Bloody hard to write but essential- plus the school has a permanent record then of how he has been and will help with any paperwork trail needed for support etc. I think one of the problems with reports is we, as teachers, feel that by writing about problems or how the child is struggling in areas may reflect on ourselves. I know of teachers who glorify children's achievements, parents think the child and teacher are brill and all hell breaks loose the next year when the teacher is possibly more accurate- and parents feel child failed due to teacher. We have X many children in our classes, we do the best we can for all of them, but even Super Teacher is going to have one or two each year that are little gits, or have differing educational needs, or are just plain lazy little buggers who need a good kick up the arse, or are immature or... the list goes on. But my rant doesn't help... if it was me, I would use the "**** sandwich" method... sandwich a bad bit in between 2 good bits. Always end each part of the report on a target. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 You say that you have tried approaching the parents to explain that there are problems, but that they are not receptive. It sounds like the hear and see what they want, rather than reality. I therefore think that they will approach reading your report in a similar way. As others say you need to ensure that you record the problems, maybe just maybe seeing them in black and white may get them to understand that you really DO think that there is a problem. Good luck in your report writing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 (edited) Gosh Moose, When I read your post I thought you were talking about one of the kids in my class. She sounds very similar to the boy in your class - she even did a poo in the playground in the last week before half term (she'g got 25 statements ticked off). Like you I am having lots of problems with trying to get support - my head is reluctant to label children as special needs when they are this young. However, I have logged it all a record of SEN sheet which the SENCO and head have a copy of. Like your scenario Mum and Dad will not acknowledge that there is a major problem. I finished all my reports on Wed and took them in school and photocopied. Not going in school today (anyone else spent half their holiday in school?) but if your still struggling I can email you a copy next week. Forgot to add - this child is EAL and my SENCO and head tend to put down lots of her problems to poor lang Edited June 1, 2007 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 Language problems!?! I am SENCo and on the SLT and all of these children sound like they need to get help now! Heads are often afraid to admit that the SEN register is going up but you are causing problems for the child and later teachers if nothing is done now. As for the parents not admitting there is something wrong, I know its hard but if the professionals have submitted reports that confirm what you have been saying and they still wont listen maybe it is a child protection issue for neglect and this needs to be mentioned to the right people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 (edited) Gosh Moose,When I read your post I thought you were talking about one of the kids in my class. She sounds very similar to the boy in your class - she even did a poo in the playground in the last week before half term (she'g got 25 statements ticked off). Like you I am having lots of problems with trying to get support - my head is reluctant to label children as special needs when they are this young. However, I have logged it all a record of SEN sheet which the SENCO and head have a copy of. Like your scenario Mum and Dad will not acknowledge that there is a major problem. I finished all my reports on Wed and took them in school and photocopied. Not going in school today (anyone else spent half their holiday in school?) but if your still struggling I can email you a copy next week. Forgot to add - this child is EAL and my SENCO and head tend to put down lots of her problems to poor lang Thanks Ariel - I would like to see a copy of your report if it's not too much trouble but don't worry if it's too difficult: Puzzles and Tinkerbell have been kind enough to let me have a look at reports they have written and I've found them very helpful. Hi Liz. I don't have a problem getting anyone in school to admit that he has a serious problem 1. because it's so blatantly obvious and 2. because I don't let anyone forget it! The speech therapist says she's never met a child with such severe difficulties - he's below the first centile in terms of both his verbal and receptive language skills. He's being seen by lots of people but because of the way the system works he's not going to get a statement until next year. I often feel that Reception teachers really suffer when it comes to children with SEN: we put in all the work but rarely get a 'reward' in terms of a statement being applied during the child's time with us so we have to do all the stuff that an INA will do in future years. Most importantly of course is the fact that the child suffers by not getting the help they need whilst some silly people pontificate on about whether they NEED help when really it's a decision based around money. As for the neglect thing I totally agree (and do use this word around the Ed Psych and the school nurse) but then I think about other children in my class or school (and I'm only in a one-form entry school) and wonder where you'd start: the child who's had headlice for five years, the child who never has his glasses, the children who don't have breakfast, the ones who are conveniently always ill at the same time as their siblings, the one who's set fire to the bedroom (yes - really!), the ones who are dirty...God it makes me want to weep. Edited June 3, 2007 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Moose I am with you totally. Your children sound very very similar to mine! We just do what we can to make their lives at school the best we can and a place they want to come to every day. I've often been asked wouldn't you like to work some where 'easier' or 'nicer' and I always reply where is the challenge in that? or Would I make as much of a difference somewhere else? The children get under your skin and into your heart, unfortunately you also grow to accept the extaordinary as the ordinary. Keep going babe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 Would it be possible for anybody to email me some examples of their reports. I am an NQT in reception and we use report assisst. The only problem is I don't find the statements very personal to the child and feel I am struggling. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 Hi LA80 and welcome. You ought to be getting some support in school from your mentor. Can you use the statements from the profile to help you as this is what you are assessing against? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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