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To change schools or not to change and when to change

🌸NiKKi🌸

My little boy is 4, he was 4 at the start of this year and has been in nursery since last year, the nursery is just a regular nursery which leads onto the primary school where my other children attend. My little boy started here before his diagnosis of autism and sever global development delay. When he started the nursery he was doing a couple of hours and coming home, they said he was unsettled unless he could be free to run around outside, however now he’s started to climb up the railings (7-8ft green school railings) and there is also a 4ft fence into the next yard that he climbs over very easily. So he’s never done a full day, he won’t sit to eat his lunch, he won’t sit in the carpet, he just wants to run around on his own and climb. I’m so tired of being called at 11am or 1pm or even 2pm to go and collect him then having to go back for my other children at 3:15. The school told me earlier this year about applying for an EHCP, so that is well underway now. However in the last meeting 1 week ago they told me (the head teacher and my child’s teacher) that I should look for another school which would cater for my child’s needs and that would Bring out the very best in him, he’s ready to go into reception this September and I already applied for his place months ago with the council and he was accepted, but now they are saying the reception class is not safe for him as he can get out of the classroom and into the rest of the school, so it’s been discussed that he will stay in the nursery room next year. I’m quite down about it all and I don’t know what to do for the best. 

Parents

  • From what you've said, I think a SEN school would be a more appropriate setting for him. Mainstream schools can only do so much for SEN children, especially those with severe needs (and I mean, such as needing to be watched so as to avoid them climbing things they shouldn't or escaping from classrooms). Once the EHCP has been put in place the school should be able to apply for funding for a teaching assistant just for him, so he has one to one help, but it will probably only be for a certain number of hours per week, not full time. I was very anti-SEN school for my granddaughter, I very much wanted her to stay in mainstream school, but a similar thing was happening with her and her mum was being called to the school on a regular basis, and my granddaughter was temporarily excluded numerous times. She finally started at a SEN school a couple of years ago and she's blossomed. Her behaviour is so much better, she's less stressed and there's less to trigger her (much smaller classes, more one to one attention from the teachers, a much quieter atmosphere and no problems if she needs time out, she can just take herself off to a sensory room or a quiet room to calm down). Her attention has been diverted back to her learning and she's doing really well in all subjects, and excelling in some. She's also, far more importantly, so much happier! The teachers understand autism, understand how to get the best out of her, and they have the specialised knowledge that needed. I really wish we'd gone down that route from the very beginning. 

  • in reply to JustMe

    That’s such a positive story and has made me feel Much better about all of this. I didn’t think he needed a SEN school and was sure if he did the school would mention this to me a long time ago but it’s only in the last week it’s been brought up by the school. I have found 2 schools in my area and hope to speak to these this week and find out a bit more. 

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  • in reply to JustMe

    That’s such a positive story and has made me feel Much better about all of this. I didn’t think he needed a SEN school and was sure if he did the school would mention this to me a long time ago but it’s only in the last week it’s been brought up by the school. I have found 2 schools in my area and hope to speak to these this week and find out a bit more. 

Children