Has anyone else had a raw deal from the sheffield education system.
through no fault of his own ,my son has had no schooling for about 16 months now.
He had to leave his old school as he was mugged several times
by some of the people who were in his own support class. (my son having moderate learning difficulties was a constant target for these people).
one of the teachers explained that he could no longer go to that class because of these people.
so eventually after involving the police etc , we moved from that area.
having been promised help by s.t.e.p.s-who are part of the l.e.a
and said they would send a report to the new school.
we later found out this was never done.
I have been through tribunals with solicitors and all sorts to get him in a school but nothing.
All he has had since feb 2003 is one day a week at connexions.
and only recently got one day a week at a place in town called word place.

If it was the other way round and it was me who didnt find him a school and not them, then they would take me to court-ironic dont you think.

any how with no assistance from the sheffield education
he has now been offered a place at college.-for september.
thats only thanks to the volunteers who work at connexions.


im very pleased about this college place for him but i am worried
how he will catch up .

I cannot post fully my disgust at your current situation due to the fact that swearing is not allowed.
I don't know of 'your' situation with work and whatever but have you thought of contacting home schooling organisations to help him catch up?
It may suppliment anything the college now does.

Personally I would consult your soliticor on taking the education authority to courts for the same money they would have taken you to court for and make them do something.
Your child is obvisouly more in need of help support and education than other children and i find it disgusting that with all the local waffle to help children they let this happen.

All power to you, sorry I cannot be of more help.

Moon Maiden

I have had experiences both good and bad but none as bad as your situation. I really do feel for you.

My daughter was bullied terribly at her junior school. The school took no notice at all so in the end I removed her. I asked the education department to help me find her a place at another school but they didn't. Their excuse was that her year group had an exceptionally high birth rate and there were no places at all left anywhere. Despite numerous meetings with the head and the governors, they did nothing. They offered to get S.T.E.P.S in to give her "strategies to cope" rather than deal with the bullies. After 3 weeks of no school she still wasn't sorted. There were only a few weeks left of the school year and I just started a new job so I relented and let her go back. She then left that school to go to senior school and has been fine there.

My son has involvement from S.T.E.P.S as he has mild learning problems too. They have been absolutely fantastic, as has the school. He's been on the SEN register for 2 years and has now got his own AlphaSmart computer to help him with his work. S.T.E.P.S have been wonderful and really supportive to both him and me. The school have bent over backwards to get him the help he needs and I cannot praise them enough. They have even pushed through for him to get an assessment at Ryegate super quick.

So two totally different experiences for me.

My advice would be to just keep on at them. Education is so very important. Threaten to go to the papers and expose their crap system.

Have you tried contacting the Parent Partnership? They are based at/next door to the Children’s Information Service on Leopold Street. They may be able to put you in touch with other parents who are/have been in a similar position. Sometimes people in the same boat can offer the best help.

Have you tried your local councillor/MP? Maybe they can add some weight to the argument.

Good luck and don't give up!

thanks for overwhelming response to my sons predicament.
he went to broad elms special school in the juniors .
then he went to ecclesfield comp and was promised help but all he had was sat in a room doing wheres wally books and baby things.
i complained and was promised he would get help in the actual classes with the others - did not happen.
he was constantly bullied and when i complained nothing happenned.
i suggested another school perhaps a special school
so he had to be assessed by mike galivan head of steps.
we arrived for the appointment and they said it was cancelled because mike had another appointment.
the next appointment we had was altered.
the next one after that was for 11am and the welfare officer told me i couldn't come only my son.
so they promised to fetch him out of class for the appointment
but when my son got home he told me that when no one came he was told that the appointment was changed to1 30 pm.
no one fetched him so he went to the assessment room himself only to be told it was at 11 am and you werent here so mike went.
he had the assessment and was just short of needing a special school.
but was told that stocksbridge would be best for him with lots of help.
and there was a special bus that took all kids from highgreen there every day.
mike promised to send a report to the new school but never did.
then came the muggings.
he was mugged and bullied by the people who were near where we lived and went to his school as well.
we eventually moved to stocksbridge.
had a solicitor who went to tribunal with us but that was it.
i tried bradfield, wisewood, all schools they just kept saying they were full.
with no help from pupil support.
forever contacting l e a.

went to see helen jackson mp at surgery, she didnt turn up
and the chap who took her place said it would be pointless for helen to write to education about this as they will just pass her from pillar to post as they did with you.

all he gave me was a youth worker number.
i was going to write to the sheffield star action desk but at that time the lea kept promising a place for him with a proper teacher at this scheme thing a few days a week.
but nothing came of it.
i once had help from a childrens society at palgrave road ,we made reports out and she couldnt go to the appointment with me so her colleague came instead.
the reports never got read as she said,"i cant go against the education system i have to work with these people."

so you see every avenue ive turned to for help has just let me down.
the solicitor only went so far because i was getting legal aid.
my son has virtually taught himself on the pc more than the comprehensive school did.
its a shame because broadelms helped him so much. and it all went out of the window when he started ecclesfield.
I also have helped him at home with english but im not much cop at maths.



all through this time all he kept saying was "i want to go to school" when can i go.
anyway he cant wait to go to college.
he got this place because despite all his problems,
he is very talented esp art- technology
but obviously needs to do english and maths to do exams.


well bye for now.

and thanks

Do you mind me asking how old your son is?

Not sure if this would be any help but since you mentioned that your son has learning disablities, have a look at this,

www.ruskin-mill.org.uk/rmet/rmet_menu1.htm

They will be opening a centre in Sheffield at the end of this year or begining of next.

cheers Bonny.

fetish fairy- he is 15 now-16 in august but hes been without a school since he was just 14.

part of my point is all this time has been wasted,
and hes been bunged from no schooling straight in to college-sept.
he has never been offered any home tuition or substitute
schooling or anything.
and its not for the want of trying.

anyway ruskin mill opens later this year , they may or may not be able to help him on his days off college.

thanks again bonny.

tara, if you wish, I can help your son with the English he needs. I have a degree in English, and would be able to help his confidence in areas such as reading, writing, grammar, speaking and analising texts. Of course I wouldn't charge you anything, as I am not a qualified teacher. I have however had experience providing extra schooling in english for children with learning difficulties. They are often very bright, and simply lack the confidence in themselves neccessary to improve their English skills.
Let me know if you're interested. :)

cheers little witch
get back to you on that.
its deffinately his lack of confidence thats held him back.
before he started that dreadfull comp school he was doing brilliantly.
after the muggings he hid in doors etc.

some good news though, hes gone off camping for 3 days with connexions the place he goes to once a week.
that should be good for his social skills dont you think.

my son had same problem he was off school for over twelve months couldnt get him into another school 1 even said they wouldnt take him as his attendance was low which wasnt surprising as he hadnt been in a school for about 13 months at that time eventually i found a school myself for him by phoning them direct he was first turned down then went to appeal he is now in school and doing great
so keep trying they even tried to take me to court but i won that one