Came home from school instead of going to Rugby AGAIN

Matthew arrived home at 3.40pm the bus lady walked him to the door as she could see my car on the drive. I immediately bundled him in the car and took him back. On getting there the Head-teacher comes to gate to unlock and let him in. She asks "did you send in the letter" [setting out what he's doing every night] I reply "yes" (thank God) she then turns to Matthew and asks if he handed it in, he says Yes. She shrugs and smiles no comment or apology.
Matthew says the teacher doesn't shout out names this year, then why am I bothering with filling in the sheet every week? Doh!

Bilingual Schooling Rant

I do question whether Bilingual Schools are coping well enough with SEN children. As I have mentioned before his last class teacher recommended we transfered Matthew to an English school. Why? Well for a start where his English reading and spelling has improved greatly, it is myself who has been working with him relentlessly for short bursts most nights in ENGLISH, his welsh reading is slipping back all the time which just proves to me that the teaching methods within the school are not appropriate interventions. It is the extra at home help that is the thing that is moving him on, otherwise we would see his Welsh reading and writing advance at the same rate.
He has a lot of help at the moment which we could not transfer to another school as he has not got a statement. With all the help he has surely we will should see advancements here.

The SENCO also being the headmistress really suprises and dismays me, but as she is the key to his support I cannot come out and express my disenchantment with this arrangement. I'm sure she does what she considers is enough but it is a specialist role and she simply hasn't the time to give it her full attention. Matthew's SEN file is very poorly kept, photocopies stuffed into a paper file, I have viewed it and there are no write up as to what she feels about him or any observations on a regular basis it is just a side role she is managing. She even told us that dyslexia was not a disability! this just shows how much she knows about SEN, we had to agree to disagree on that point.

Spelling test seem too Easy

More spellings came home tonight, look, took moon book , etc. Went through them once with Matthew they are words learnt before with Reading/Learning Support teacher and he knows them.
There are several spelling groups in the class, and these words are just not helping any advancement. I wonder whether they can see what I see. I just feel he is in the bottom set and there he will remain.
He still gets the Speech and Language LSA for 2 x30mins a week although he was discharged from the S&L therapist as not requiring any more help with word finding. When he returned from his last lesson he was told to play on the computer as the class teacher had already explained the Maths lesson to the other children. When I asked what the teacher was doing for the rest of the lesson Matthew told me she was marking books ??!!! Maths is his strongest subject yet if this continues he will be falling behind here.

Spelling

Matthew forgot to bring home his spelling words on Monday, so on Tuesday I called his friend's mother and got the list, which we started to learn that night. Matthew however said that it was the wrong list and he had easier words on his list. I didn't know anyone who had the other list so Wednesday we learnt the list we had. Thurs Matthew came home with the correct list, he had asked his teacher for a copy (that's a triumph in itself!). So Thurs night we learnt the easier list.
Friday Matthew came home after taking the 2 spelling tests, 10/10 for his easy list he spent 1 night learning and 8/10 for the harder list he spent 2 previous nights learning.
I'm very happy with his ability, he certainly capable of learning his spellings now.

Still waiting for the fluency in reading to arrive!

Saw his new teacher

I saw Matthew's new class teacher last night, she showed me his books so far. She commemted that she really hadn't got to know the children fully as yet. She was pleased and supportive of him. With his 1:1 help he is producing a lot more work, finishing his work, but without her he is still not finshing things. His writing is looking a lot neater and there was far more of it, there was also a sketch of a shoe which I was surprised that Matthew had drawn it was so good.
Matthew came home last night saying that he had finished his work again and had not required much help from his helper, so I am encouraging him to try to write more when she is not around as this would really impress his teacher.
She should have more to tell us at parents evening on 24th Oct (another month). I'm planning on seeing her once a month throughout the year.

Llangrannog Activity Centre

Matthew went on his activity weekend this weekend, the one that the Head threatend to exclude him from. He had a lovely time, wore the same socks, pants, trainers and trousers all weekend!! The Head reported that all the school staff and centre staff adored him as he is so sweet and helpful with everything and everyone. Seems I was caused all the stress and anxiety for no reason.

Mental Tasks Update

We started off with 2 exercises from hell, to introduce us to the mental tasks. One was driving the car,while Matthew was focusing on things out the window, in the back of the car of course (children are not allowed in the front with the air bags these days). Try driving, instructing, and shouting out questions to a 9 yr old, trying to look in the mirror and keep the car on the road at the same time. Dad had to come along in the evening sessons, we struggled through.
Then there was the vertical and horizontal circles II while on the ball. I'm saying keep circling, then shout out a questions, -list are better for this we have found, but every time I shout "keep circling" I get "I'm doing it, I'm doing it" and he instantly forgets what his list was. We have some somwhat easier ones next (thank goodness) -bring back standing on 1 leg and the wobble board pleeeeeeeeeeez.

Paedatrician's Appointment

Well we waited 10 months for this appointment and what a waste of time that was. We were told by the Ed Psych that we could discuss Dyspraxia and ADD with the Doctor. But as Matthew was refered for Autistic Spectrum Disorder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that's all he wanted to look at.
Asperger's was mentioned. In the past I have thought Matthew has some strange traits that were typical of ASD, but that's all there is. No compulsive behaviours, no problems coming out of routines, gives plenty of eye contact, hugs & kisses. He just occasionally missed a vital piece of imformation and got confused, is a little immature for his age, but nothing terrible.

I must also comment on how poorly the consultaton was organised. I was asked questions which I could have answered in a questionaire, which could have been filled in before hand. I could not remember dates off the top of my head under pressure e.g "Ma'am when did you child walk? 12 14, 16 months etc. He was very pushy and rude kept looking at his watch, his mobile phone went off several times. I suggest a descrete clock behind the patient so he could simply glance up without causing pressure. He had very few of Matthew's notes, the 2nd Ed Psych assess was missing, the observation notes were missing, the S&L reports were not there.

The only good thing was we have been referred on to an Occupational Therapist who can diagnose Dyspraxia, and as he has been re-refered the waiting list (in theory) should be short.

On to Mental Tasks

Yippee we've moved onto mentals tasks today. All back in the green, it was decided the red we had last time was a hiccup, as he was turning before the test finished.

Back to school

Matthew had a lovely 1st day back, he is sitting next to his teacher with nobody in the next seat (to stop distractions?). He had his 1:1 (1hr)help straight away (still a teacher's assistant, but better than nothing) and wrote 3/4 of a page about himself. I received home a letter which should have been posted out to me before the holidays, containing the Maths problems he had wrong in his SATS test, for me to work through with him and a recommendation of a workbook to buy (typical). I went through the Maths problems and when they are read to him he has no problems understanding what is required. He is supposed to have extra time in school tests and I strongly suspect it is not given. They don't even explain about the yearly tests to us parents or tell us when they are taking place- what's going on at that school is anybodies guess.
Looking forward to next week we have his Dore assessment Tues and 1st appointment with Paediatrician Thurs pm. We are hoping he will confirm the ADHD inattentive, (with a touch of hyperactivity.