The complaint

The Office was contacted separately by two sets of parents about the same issue in the same primary school. As such it was decided to examine both complaints together.

Both sets of parents contacted the Office about practices in a primary school where their children were withdrawn because of how their education was handled. Both children were diagnosed with learning and behavioural difficulties with one child having emotional difficulties such as anxiety and self-confidence issues. Both sets of parents were particularly concerned with how end-of-term and classroom reporting and feedback appeared to be highlighting negative aspects of their educational progress. This negative reporting was happening despite the school being made aware of the children’s conditions through OT and Psychologist reports. The parents also felt the recommendations in these reports were not being implemented sufficiently.

OCO examination

This Office contacted the school as part of a preliminary examination of the complaints. The Office stressed that the examination was looking at overall policies within the school and not concerned with individual practices or decisions made by particular teachers. It transpired that the school had been reasonably pro-active in creating educational plans for both children and at attempting to implement report recommendations. However, the difficulties were arising when the children’s educational progress was being reported on in negative terms and when they felt they were being asked to keep up with their peers in certain areas where their diagnosis indicated that they would have difficulties.

Outcome

The Office made recommendations to the school regarding the possibility of adapting reporting templates to include sections that could relate a child’s progress to targets set in their education plans, rather than rating them against their peers.

The Office suggested that planning and reporting on a child with learning difficulties’ education should be as inclusive as possible, including liaising with parents. The Office also highlighted the need for positive reporting and feedback to children. The school responded positively to these recommendations. Although both children were no longer at the school, both sets of parents were happy with this outcome, and were content that other children in the future may not experience the difficulties their children experienced.

Posted in: Investigations Education