Reasonable adjustment can school refuse? — Scope | Disability forum
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Reasonable adjustment can school refuse?

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bingbong
bingbong Community member Posts: 1 Listener
edited November 2021 in Education
My son goes to mainstream secondary school. When he started he saw an occupational therapist as part of his transition who worked with school to help him settle. In their report they recommended my son does not take part in pe as it causes so much distress to my son. 

School have ignored this and been making him take part and it’s causing so much trouble. My son is now refusing to go to school any day he has pe and school are just saying “well it’s part of the curriculum so all children need to do it” and my personal favourite “it wouldn’t be fair on the other students if he got to pick and choose what lessons he does, lots of children don’t like pe”.

On the days he’s made to do it he gets in such a state he ends up not working in his other lessons or so disregulated when he gets home that all he can manage is to go straight to bed until morning.
 
I can’t get an appointment with ipsea and not sure where else to go for advice. He doesn’t have an ehcp because both primary and secondary school said there was no point as he doesn’t need help with learning just socially and emotionally and sometimes instructions repeated and they’ve made other adjustments for him 

Can school ignore the OT recommendation? And can I ask for no PE as a reasonable adjustment? 
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Comments

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
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    Hi and welcome to the community 

    I'm not sure if an ot recommendation can be enforced in school 

    In employment it only has to be considered not implemented but as long as it is reasonable and can be accommodated it should be in place 

    I would suggest you escalate to the school governors and maybe your local mp 
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  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,621 Disability Gamechanger
    edited November 2021
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    School governors is the way to go on this one, ask the head teacher for the name of the chairman and where to write to and tell them why you want to, it might just focus their minds, the excuses they are giving are frankly nonsense. When you write to the chair of governors pass on the name of the OT who made the suggestion.

    eta @bingbong welcome to the forum.
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

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  • Reg
    Reg Community member Posts: 109 Pioneering
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    Hello 

    Welcome to the community.

    I am afraid I do not know the answer to your question but my experience of PE in school was mixed as I was told to either sit and watch or go to the library or told to join in. None of the options were very appealing as I either felt excluded or included but unable.

    I think someone eventually decided I was a health and safety risk so the library was the solution. 

    Just a thought but if your child's school has a counsellor could they help  explain the impact on your child and PE so that you can find a resolution that works for your child and the school ? 

    Hope you are able to resolve things 
    Reg

    I am a Scope volunteer.
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  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,978 Disability Gamechanger
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    Hi @bingbong

    I am sorry to hear you and your son have been experiencing difficulties with the school, especially in physical education. I can hear your frustrations that the school should follow the accommodations recommended by the occupational therapist. Unfortunately, schools only must follow accommodations listed in EHCP's. However, given the difficulties your son is experiencing, I am wondering if you have managed to talk to the SENCO yet? It might be worth a go, especially if you can highlight the occupational therapist's recommendation, how not applying this accommodation is making your son feel, and that you are willing to work with the school to reduce the difficulties your son is experiencing but would like to feel heard! If there's anything at all that we can do to support you further, please don't hesitate to let us know  :)
    Community Volunteer Adviser with professional knowledge of education, special educational needs and disabilities and EHCP's. Pronouns: She/her. 

    Please note: if I use the online community outside of its hours of administration, I am doing so in a personal capacity only.
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