One day I am thinking about the joy of childhood and tooth fairies, the next I'm coaxing a seemingly depressed and distressed son to school! He said he still felt ill (I'm not convinced). He got his uniform on and dragged his heels all the way there. He scooted so went ahead, but was waiting for me inside the school grounds as I arrived with my daughter, moments later. He had tears in his eyes, and the weight of the world on his shoulders. He accompanied me in with my daughter, who skipped off to class singing, then tucked himself tight into my elbow, as we headed towards the office. I felt like I had a reception child again, you know that stage a couple of weeks after they start school, and think 'sod this' and cry and cling to you, and have to be peeled off by the teacher as you run off with tears in your own eyes, not daring to look back. I told the office he still wasn't quite up to coming back today and we both headed off back home. We chatted along the way, but I could barely hear what he was saying coz he was mumbling and whispering. He was basically saying that his class teacher is horrible. Not just to him, but to everyone. That she doesn't care about anyone and that she shouts all the time. That children fall over and have obviously hurt themselves, but that she just tells them to stop crying, and get up and get on with it. He said he is never allowed to go to the loo when he needs to, that if he coughs she sends him out of the room. I think he was exaggerating a bit, well I hope he was! Anyway, by the time we arrived back home, I too, was thoroughly miserable and despondent. I called the school and asked the SEN lady, and classroom assistant for his year group, to give me a call. I told my son that I thought I should talk about all he had said, with his teacher, I was kind of calling his bluff, but he said "yes Mum, I really think you should'. She called back, and I disappeared out of the room, but I am sure he heard parts of our conversation. I explained what had happened. I have been waiting for nearly 2 months for the report from the educational psychologist whom he saw. I told the school that I hadn't had anything back, and she informed me that they had the report at school, and that she had wanted to talk with me to arrange an appointment to discuss putting my son on the SEN register. The appointment is booked for the 22nd. I have had a bit of a look on the internet to see what being on the register means, and as far as I can tell, this is going to be a good thing. I wish I had the bloody report! I can't understand why this has all taken so long. On the phone, she talked alot about my sons inability to concentrate. I'd find it hard to concentrate though if I didn't have the foggiest idea how to write English, and found it a total struggle to read anything. It's so frustrating because he is actually very bright.
We are both here now, sitting in the lounge surrounded by paper and print outs. We are trying to finish the school project about the Axe Estuary Wetlands. I'm gonna swear twice in one blog, BLOODY project!!!!