Friday 14 July 2017

ADHD, GCSE Options and Sports day. #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:


I don't know if it's because I have been full of cold and I have a short fuse at the moment but there has been moments this week where it feels like I have been banging my head against a brick wall or have wanted too. lol

Monday I woke up with hayfever or so I though....I had sneezed about 500 times by lunchtime....I really don't think it was hayfever...It seems more like a cold. I have gone through 4 boxes of tissues....

We had a parents evening for Ellie earlier in the week which will be a whole other blog post but the long and short of it is her teacher suspects she has ADHD.....I feel like she could too. She ticks a lot of the boxes. The schools referrals take forever so she suggested we ring our GP. We did and the GP decided over a phone consultation she is "like any other girl her age" but might have a slight delay due to her heart, eye and hearing problems....We were told to ring the school nurse which we did....They took all of Ellie's details, asked more questions than the doctor and then said they will look into it but it won't be until September because they don't work over the summer holidays....We spoke again to a different doctor and she said the information will be sent somewhere else and someone will be in touch over the next few weeks....

The whole point of rushing this through was because Ellie has her SATs next year and her teacher thinks she is going to really struggle....I hate the thought of her struggling so any help she can get will be amazing....

Becky choose her GCSE options earlier in the year and she was told they were all fine....Now she has been told that she can't do French and has to do Food prep and nutrition....The reason which was given was because not enough kids chose French to make a class up. I think that is so unfair....

Instead of Religious Studies she has been given Statistics which isn't too bad but she won't do well in it....It was the best of a bad bunch of subjects....There was Art, Construction, Film studies, Hair & Beauty, Media, Music in that section which she had no interest in...

She's not going to try when it comes to Food prep and nutrition. Bye, bye GCSE and with Statistics she doesn't have the passion or understanding when it comes to numbers. Bye, bye to another GCSE....

Now I feel like her whole education is ruined! Over dramatic I know....She chose French, Geography, Health and Social care and Religious Studies because they gelled well together and when she leaves education she wants to do something in the care sector like social work. She was advised to take these subjects by the career person....What a waste of time that was.

Of course I rang the school on Wednesday morning....The man who deals with the GCSE options was supposed to ring us back Wednesday but didn't.....We rang back and he was busy so was supposed to ring us yesterday. As of writing this on Thursday 4pm he hasn't....The longer it is taking the angrier I'm getting.

Becky had her sports day yesterday.....She wasn't going to go. They take the whole school to Gateshead stadium and only the sporty people get to take part in the majority of the day.....Last time she attended a sports day she spent the day just sat watching...She was all for not going but on Wednesday she decided she wanted to. She took a packed lunch and had a great day with her friends....

I think the whole thing is a waste of time and money. It can't be cheap to transport all the kids to the stadium....The money could be spent elsewhere like employ an extra couple of people to deal with the GCSE options....hahaha

We have one week left of school and I can't wait until this time next week....I am sure as soon as the holidays start all my stress will disappear!


19 comments :

  1. Oh, what a week, Kim. I can totally understand your frustration as you're just trying to do your best supporting the girls and no-one's giving you any answers, let alone the right ones. I hope you can get more help for Ellie as that 'process' sounds like it takes ages and in the meantime you're kind of in limbo. And the those options are so frustrating for Becky as I remember how much thought and consideration she gave to the choices and the alternatives aren't even remotely close to what she wanted to do. I hope you get to speak to the school and put her case forward, fingers crossed you can make some changes x Thanks for sharing with #WotW

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    1. It was an awful week. At least Becky's options are sorted now. Turns out the school changed the catagories and lots of people were messed around. She's not doing food prep. She's doing Computer science which will be more use to her. Thank you x

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  2. oh my, I can fully understand your frustration. With Ellie, I'd keep pushing for an appointment, sometimes you just have to keep on at them. The waiting times for appointments are always long and the school holidays make it awkward to see a school nurse. The GP should be able to refer her for help though, it's really frustrating. I so hope she gets the help she needs for her SATS, the school should see to that because the SATS reflect their teaching as much as the child's learning. My daughter always has to sit any type of test or exam away from the main examination hall as she can't cope, but in a small room with maybe one or two others and she's fine. The school have been great in arranging this.
    As for Becky, it's astonishing that they can change her GCSE choices like this, what's the point in giving them the choice in the first place?? If I were you I'd give up on the telephone and go and plant yourself in the school reception and demand that someone speaks to you about your concerns. Sometimes you just have too.
    Good luck with it all xx
    #wotw

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    1. We have been referred to someone else and we should hear back within a couple of weeks. Phew. I can't see us getting very far in the school holidays because they will have to speak to Ellie's teacher who's obviously not in work. We'll get there eventually.
      Ugh! The whole GCSE options thing has just been a farce. They changed the catagories without telling anyone. There was a lot of parents complaining. For Becky to do French she would have to drop Health and social care now so french was scrapped & she's doing computer science instead. I'm glad it's the holidays soon x

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  3. Oh Kim what a week. I agree it sounds really frustrating on all fronts. Firstly it sounds like the GCSE options was a complete shambles and she shouldn't be made to take subjects she has no interest in because of something pit of her control. And absolutely keep pushing for Ellie. You are mum you know best and I totally know how you feel. I'm waiting on a peadiatrician appointment for my daughter and from the looks of it ots going to be a while. Best of luck with it all i hope ypu get it all resolved soon xx

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    1. The GSCE options were just a joke. I was fuming. It was Monday before they got back in touch and it's all been sorted now. Phew.
      Good luck with getting an appointment for your girl....Thank you x

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  4. How frustrating. Times like this I'd want answers straight away. I hope things get moving for Ellie. The GCSE issue sounds so unnecessary. She's going to be studying these subjects for two years. She needs to like them. My eldest is half way through hers. She spends hours on homework. I'm not sure how she would stay motivated if she hadn't wanted to take the options. I really hope Becky can sort it out. #wotw

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    1. We're waiting for someone to get in touch about Ellie...
      The GCSE thing was ridiculous! She is now doing computer Science instead of the forced Food prep...It will be more useful to her and she likes computer things.
      Thank you x

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  5. I can feel your frustration from here and I don't blame you. As others have said, keep banging the table otherwise nothing will get done - with either issue. I'd go up to the school and tell them you want a face to face meeting then I'd park my self at the Dr's and tell them you want a referral. Good luck with it all and hope your cold gets better soon x

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    1. The GCSE's are sorted. It took till Monday for him to ring back. There was a lot of angry parents to deal with. Eek!
      The doctors have given us a referral. We just have to wait for someone to get in touch. They have 2 weeks and I'll be back on the phone. Thank you x

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  6. Oh Kim, what a week! Frustrated is probably the word of my year so far sadly. How unfair to swap French for Statistics, it's not even near enough. If the GP is being dismissive, could you try getting an appointment for another GP and keep pushing for a referral? My sympathies re hay fever as well, it's being one hell of a ride for me too in the last couple of months, nothing seems to help. Wishing you all the best!

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    1. Oh no! I hope the rest of the year is better for you!
      Everything is sorted now. Well as much as it can be. Food prep has been dropped for COmputer science and we have been referred. We're waiting for an appointment. Thank you x

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  7. What a week and I can totally understand your frustrations. What a shame about Becky and her GCSE options, I don't understand why she can't take the subjects she enjoys and wants to do well at. And like you said, there really very little correlation to the alternatives offered!
    I hope you also get some help for Ellie, but it sounds like it may need you to pushing hard for this. I dgdmtwappmagatd there services not working across the summer holidays!
    Sounds like you really need to be making yourself known and camp out at school and at Docs to get your voice heard.
    Xx
    #wotw

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    1. I was so annoyed and it felt like I was getting no where fast.
      It is all sorted now. Mostly. Becky is doing computer science instead of food prep and we're hoping to hear about an appointment for Ellie soon. Phew x

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  8. I'm gobsmacked that they can just change her GCSE choices like this, it's wholly unfair on her having to take on a subject that she hasn't chosen, makes a mockery of the whole 'options' process.

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    1. They did and they unbeknown to the parents they changed the catagories. The man had spend all day Wednesday and Friday speaking to angry parents. It has all been sorted now. Phew!

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  9. It's frustrating when you're trying to help your child and things don't seem to fit into place. I hope you get some answers before the summer hols, which will likely have started by the time you read this comment! #wotw

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    1. I don't think we will get any answers before Friday but someone is getting in touch over the next couple of weeks which thinking about it won't be much used because they will have to speak to Ellie's teacher which is obviously will be on holiday too. I suppose we can at least deal with the issues she has at home first. It's going to be a long road. x

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  10. What a week you had Kim and how frustrating all of these things sound. I hope that you can manage to move forward with getting Ellie assessed for ADHD and that Becky enjoys her GCSE options more than anticipated. Glad to hear she went on the sports day and enjoyed the day with her friends. Hope this week has been a better one x

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