Parent of 5: Part 2 – UK
My stories
My School Story
Story 2.
My second child was sensitive, quiet and curious.
At 5, he wrote backwards and no one could tell me why. He had to practice more.
Stories made his head hurt and he became sad.
At 7, he was diagnosed with Irlens Syndrome and had to provide the SENco with information about what it was.
The last two years of primary school, after the pandemic, my happy child returned to school and was crushed.
His teacher, red faced would bellow at him and would keep him in at break time for fidgeting, dropping a pencil, moving when he should have been still.
We were told that the teacher never shouts.
20 other children confirmed that she did.
We asked for an ADHD assessment and they said no.
My child sat in class, cutting themselves with a blade of a pencil sharpener.
He said he was stupid and fat.
We deregistered and he spent the last month of year 6 playing in our garden and singing.
Secondary school saw the punishments continue.
They would not budge until he had an ADHD diagnosis.
So, we fought back with knowledge on our side and we didn't surrender.
My husband ended up in a crisis centre, we had literally fought with all our might....but we were successful.
Things changed.
The aggressive and accusatory SENco left.
He no longer gets sent to isolation for fidgeting or for needing to move.
But we continue to watch in distrust.
My second child was sensitive, quiet and curious.
At 5, he wrote backwards and no one could tell me why. He had to practice more.
Stories made his head hurt and he became sad.
At 7, he was diagnosed with Irlens Syndrome and had to provide the SENco with information about what it was.
The last two years of primary school, after the pandemic, my happy child returned to school and was crushed.
His teacher, red faced would bellow at him and would keep him in at break time for fidgeting, dropping a pencil, moving when he should have been still.
We were told that the teacher never shouts.
20 other children confirmed that she did.
We asked for an ADHD assessment and they said no.
My child sat in class, cutting themselves with a blade of a pencil sharpener.
He said he was stupid and fat.
We deregistered and he spent the last month of year 6 playing in our garden and singing.
Secondary school saw the punishments continue.
They would not budge until he had an ADHD diagnosis.
So, we fought back with knowledge on our side and we didn't surrender.
My husband ended up in a crisis centre, we had literally fought with all our might....but we were successful.
Things changed.
The aggressive and accusatory SENco left.
He no longer gets sent to isolation for fidgeting or for needing to move.
But we continue to watch in distrust.
My Home Ed Story
A month of home education after being bullied by a teacher was the best thing we could have ever done.
My child was safe, but more importantly, they knew we had listened and believed them.
My child was safe, but more importantly, they knew we had listened and believed them.
How I think schools could be better.
A place of education should reflect the diversity of all children.
At present, it reflects a tiny percentage.
At present, it reflects a tiny percentage.