Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page and for reading this.

 

Please will you sponser Tamzin to help raise money for the West Norfolk National Autistic Society. We as a family are taking part in the event called the train walk organised by NAS West Norfolk on Saturday 22nd May 2010 at Sandringham Estate.

 

The West Norfolk Branch get a great amount of support from the National Autistic Society itself but unfortunatly do not get any funding from them.  So to be able to provide activities for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders / Aspergers and their families they have to raise funds throughout the year themselves.

Tamzin has greatly benifited from this and from the activities so in turn we as a family would like to help raise money for this to continue.

The West Norfolk branch has giving very good support and advice to us to as parents throughout this past year of Tamzin being diagnosed with Autism and to them I am truly thankful.  This has ranged from a variety of advice, support and information and in particular with coping with a change of primary school that Tamzin had been attending since September 2006 which was based in Outwell, Cambrideshire.

Some now may or may not be aware of why Tamzin left this school, which was a 7 months agnoising decision.  One though that should never had to of been sought.

I am now able to talk about this freely as this all resulted in me taking Beaupre Community Primary school to a First Tier Disability Discrimination Tribunal in March 2010.

Tamzin from January 2009 to July 2009 was one angry, confused little girl.  We was experiencing a whole range of aggressive behaviour, which resulted in not only Tamzin trying to hurt herself, trashing her bedroom, kicking and punching the car, but the last few months hitting, bitting and kicking Richard and I.  To any of you who know Tamzin personally knew this was not her and totally out of character.  This was very hard to deal with and pushed our family nearly to breaking point.

Obviously we was very concerned and worried about this change.  Every day would be a battle to get Tamzin to school.  This would then start all over again on a Sunday once she knew she would be back at school the following day.

Upon having meetings with the school's headteacher we would be met with "this is normal childlike behaviour.  Upon having meetings with the special educational needs co-ordinator (senco) we would be met with " it was attention seeking and to ignore it".  Tamzin's once safe predictable world was turned upside down and our's with it.

We luckily had fantastic support at that time with a parental support advisor and Educational Psychologist and Speech Therpist.  Through the Educational Psychologist's referall a lovely specialist support assistant from the autistic spectrum disorders team went and accessed Tamzin early July to see that Tamzin was clearly showing signs of anixiety in school and was having shared teaching assistants.  Even though these was both always denied from the school.

We was aware Tamzin's supposed 3 teaching assistants were not always there helping Tamzin but actually took off to other classes leaving Tamzin on her own during class time with no support.  This was always denied but we knew full well was happening, as after all our child can speak.

It came to light at the tribunal that in fact Tamzin would very often have a range from 5-7 different shared assisstants throughout one day every day. Along with everything else that happened we now know why our daughter's world went upside down.

When it was all broken down further and specilists would go in to school to see Tamzin one thing that was picked up was her visual timetable was not being used. This to Tamzin was vital as she needs order and preparation for change which is a direct result of her condition.  The excuses that this was not in use ranged from "pupil hid it as a joke, fell off the wall, fell of the table, fell of the wipeboard, was packed in a stacking box and was lost.  It took us taking in what we use at home to be photocopied for this to be up and running again the end of June 2009.

Tamzin was due to move class in September 2009 and it had been highly recommended by all specilists involved for Tamzin to have extra transition arrangements.  Needless to say this did not happen.  We recieved a letter from the headteacher clearly stating Tamzin was also not allowed a photo of the new class teacher to accustom her with this change.  On the day of the tribunal this accordingly was the secretary's fault as the letter was mis-typed?

Tamzin was also due to go on the school trip to a world music festival at another school in July 2010.  Correct provision's was refused to be put into place.  Along with that Tamzin would be placed in a group of 7 other children although she has 20 hours a week support through her statement of educational needs.  She was not allowed one to one.  I was refused to be allowed to go even though I had stated I would travel by car so as not to take space on the bus and would pay all costs involved so at least Tamzin could try and experience the event as this was Tamzin's biggest fear with sensory difficulties. This was refused.  Subsquently Tamzin stayed at home through the 3 options that was giving from the school which then resulted in an un-authorised absecence.

As Tamzin did then not attend the music trip through a direct result of her condition she was then not permitted to attend the school prom being held that evening through the Beaupre Fundraising Group.  This was not there decision but in fact the headteacher's.  An email was sent that morning and upon speaking to the headteacher somewhile after the school trip when she finally returned my call her decision was "she was not changing her ways for a year 2 pupil and she suggusts does Tamzin always get her own way at home and rules and dominates our lives".  The point could not even be seen or understood as to what she was doing wrong and the effect this was having on Tamzin.  Our little girl was devasted.

That was the final icing on the cake so to speak.  Upon putting a complaint in to the chair of governor's of the school, I recieved a response somewhat 5 months later.  Which at that point refused to comment because of the impending tribunal, that he was extremly busy looking after the needs of the other pupils at the school and he hoped that was the end of the matter.

I was apprently not allowed to call a panel hearing, so to this day I am still unaware if the rest of the governors are aware of the sitaution.

I put a formal complaint into the Local Education Authority and to Ofsted.  Both of these did not want to know and claimed that because I was complaining as Tamzin as an individual and not as the whole school they couldn't act upon my complaint.

If the correct proceedures had of been followed in the first place then maybe it would not of had to result in my application to the disability tribunal.  If the correct provisions was put into place for Tamzin and her statement of educational needs followed then she also would not of had to undergo that horrendous ordeal and also a change of school.

Tamzin should never of had to go through what she did as she was failed miserable.  On winning the tribunal on 2 counts of discrimination and 2 counts with less favorable treatment giving then hopefully that will put a stop to this ever happening to any other pupil at that school again. As the tribunal was never for any finiancial gain in the least but for justice and provention.

I have complained since to the Local Education Authority and to Ofsted as to why correct procedures was not followed and am awaiting a response.

It took long enough and alot of heartache getting the diagnosis which was over a two year process as Tamzin's conditions was complex because of her speech, language, understanding and short term memory loss. This was an emotional rollercoaster road for us and for all my family.  We are so fortunate to have such good support and understanding from my family as some families unfortunatly do not even have that.  To my family to we are truly thankful for all the support you have giving.  It is still a learning process for us all and we have been very fortunate to be offered and undertook two valueable training/learning courses that both Richard and I learnt alot from.

So therefore we would be very grateful if you could sponser us to enable us to raise money for people affected by Autism and to continue for the children and adults to have these facilities and activities through the West Norfolk branch Autistic Society.

 

PLEASE SEE PHOTOS FOR US TAKING PART LAST YEAR IN THIS EVENT TO........

On 6th June 2009 we took part in the National Autistic Society's train walk at Sandringham Estate and we raised £620. Over £1,500 was raised in total through other members/fundraisers etc taking part.   I would deeply like to thank you all for sponsering us at this event in 09.

 

So please could you sponser Tamzin this year as anything is so appreciated.

 

Thank you xxxxxxx

 

 

Sandringham Estate, Saturday 22nd May, 11am........   Any donation is greatly appreciated.    Thank you...

 

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