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Sunday 10 April 2011

Exam stress

Last week J had exams. These involved a lot of nagging from me about actually doing some work & not assuming he can bluff his way through. He said afterwards I was right & he was glad he'd learnt some science.

Two weeks before the exams the Special Needs co-ordinator phoned me & said if he was to have extra time & laptop in exams like he usually has we would need another psychologist's report. This was actually the first time I've got to speak to her despite requesting it several times. I pointed out that I couldn't get a report in 2 weeks. She said she didn't think J could get extra support then as if the psychologist said he didn't need it he'd have got used to it & how would he cope in his external exams? I said the psychologist would only say he didn't need it if he didn't need it & then he'd be ok as he didn't need it & in the mean time could he have it. She said she didn't know & he was doing fine anyway & meeting his targets. I sort of flipped & went into mummy lion protecting her cub mode & said it wasn't about meeting targets it was about achieving potential & just cos J's bright shouldn't mean he doesn't get the support he needs & it might have been nice if she'd responded when I first contacted the school to discuss his needs & she said yes I was right so I said could he have the laptop & extra time & she said she didn't know.

What I did then was contact the teacher who's in charge of the Gifted & Talented stuff & is also a deputy head & he got it sorted & J got his extra time & laptop. I'm probably not the SENCO's flavour of the month but like I said, mummy lion...

What we have to do now is pay through the nose for another psychologist's report.

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