Autism and neurodiversity resources

Top tips in working with the school

1. Identify the Key People in the school Establish with the school which staff are the best people to contact if you have any information or concerns to share. This may be the class teacher, the SENCo, support staff or the Headteacher.

2. Make contact with staff early and make it positive Contact key people before your child starts school and meet them regularly, as and when needed. Do not wait until your child has a problem. Parents who share relevant information help school staff to prevent problems occurring. Try to stay positive and calm as discussions are easier and more fruitful when staff and parents are in this state.

3. Use an agreed method to communicate with staff Agree with the staff the best method for contacting staff and for them to contact you. This may be by email, by phone, by letter, by text or a combination of these. Before meetings it is helpful to write down a list of things you would like to discuss. You could consider keeping a home/school book that you and the school write in daily.

4. Keep your messages short and focused Keep your written comments, e-mails or voicemail messages short and state your main point(s) clearly. Follow up with information about how and when staff can best reply to your message. If you think a short message will not work, ask for a meeting with staff to discuss your concerns in more detail.

5. Be clear about dates, actions and responsibilities Parent-staff discussions often result in an action plan. You need to clarify who (teacher, child, parent, other professional) will do what (make an assessment, help develop friendships, check the arrangements for the school trip) and when (every day, weekly, monthly). At the end of a meeting or discussion, it is helpful to confirm the list of actions and the date of the next review.

6. Be patient, but be persistent Most school staff will try to acknowledge contact from parents within 48 hours or sooner if the issue is urgent. If you do not get a reply, send a brief follow-up e-mail or call the school office to ask to have a message delivered to the staff member. If you feel there is a lack of response from staff then you can discuss this with the head teacher or principal of the school. Working together with your child’s school 3

7. Ask staff to explain the reasons behind their actions and decisions Allow staff the opportunity to explain the circumstances and reasons for their decisions about your child. If necessary, take time to think over the explanation and your response. If the explanation does not satisfy you, explain your reasons for this. Agree next steps for resolving any issues with the school.

8. Ask a friend, relative or a professional to attend meetings at the school It is often useful to ask another person to come along to meetings at the school as it can be difficult to listen to what is being said as well as to think of the questions you might want to ask. Another person can remind you of what you wanted to get from the meeting.

9. Ahead of meetings with the school familiarise yourself with the SEND Code of Practice 2014 This document provides statutory guidance on the SEND system for children and young people aged 0 to 25. Where the code uses the word ‘must’, it means that this is something the school/LA is required to do by law. Where it uses ‘should’, it means that they must consider the guidance