Published on 12, July, 2020
As a concerned parent navigating the complexities of education for an autistic child, I find myself at a crossroads, contemplating a crucial decision:
mainstream schooling versus special education schools. This choice is not merely about selecting an institution; it's about choosing a path that will significantly shape my child's development, social skills, and self-esteem.
Mainstream schools offer the prospect of integrated learning environments where children, regardless of their neurological differences, are educated together. This setting promises social integration and exposure to a variety of teaching styles and peer interactions, which are beneficial for understanding diverse perspectives and developing social norms.
On the other hand, special education schools provide tailored educational strategies specifically designed for children with autism. These institutions often offer smaller class sizes, specialised staff, and customised curricula that address the unique needs of autistic students, potentially making learning more accessible and less stressful for them.
Given the importance of this decision, I am reaching out to the members of the National Autistic Society for advice and insights. Your experiences and the knowledge gained from them are invaluable to parents like myself, who are striving to make informed decisions.
1. Mainstream Schools:
- What were the benefits for your autistic child attending a mainstream school?
- How did mainstream schools support your child both academically and socially?
- What challenges did you encounter, and how were they addressed?
2. Special Schools:
- What specialised approaches did these schools use to support your child’s learning and development?
- Did attending a special school enhance your child’s educational experience compared to a mainstream school?
- What were the potential drawbacks or limitations you observed in special schools?
The goal is not merely academic success but fostering an environment where my child can thrive, feel secure, and be understood. Understanding the benefits that both educational settings offer, and hearing about the real-world outcomes for other children on the autism spectrum, will greatly assist in making a decision that best suits my child’s needs and potentials.
I hope you all to share your insights, experiences, and any research that can illuminate this path. Your contributions will help build a well-rounded perspective that many parents, including myself, seek during these challenging but crucial decision-making times.
Hiya Adeen!
My son is 5 and has just finished reception, he has autism (and autism only currently), he is non verbal and in a SEN provision of the local mainstream school. During the path of diagnosis, I asked the paediatrician whether he should be in mainstream or a special needs schools and she replied "Mainstream, he needs a chance so we can see what he can do". Which I now realise, yes he absolutely did.
1. Mainstream:
As my daughter already attended, I absolutely knew the school did well with SEN children in her year. The year before my son was due to start I spoke to SENCO and said looks heres the situation, "no ehcp, no diagnosis but clearly something is going on" over the years she had met my boy at varies school events. She in no doubt said she would take him mainstream but also our school has a bid for a SEN provision to be built on site. Our school got the provision and my son was first to be accepted into it. My son gets to have access to:
School assembly, before and after school club, reading diary and reading book being brought home, access to classes with the mainstream children that he could manage, gets to attend with his sister and loves milling about with her friends, we do mufti days, sports days (he can now throw a ball and us a bat), parents evening, school trips, world book day. As the SEN children mix with the mainstream, they are very good at including them in playground fun.
The SEN provision itself, has a soft play room, a calming room, a whole kitchen and dining table,(you can order the school dinner or do a packed lunch, or even ask the staff to do something specific like mash food up, or make something) 2 playgrounds of there own, lots of fun outdoor play equipment. My son is an outside child, he loves the rain and being outside in general and although they do specific lessons, during free play he's allowed to be outside which he loves. So after his first year, he's attempting to talk more, he's happy, he's stimulated, attempting to write with the proper grip, he's taking turns, he's trying more things like food and drinks, he's potty trained, he's able to do things like butter his own toast, mix cake batter, crack an egg.- all skills they do at school. He still does not follow instructions but I feel like he's doing better with single words instructions.
I feel like his nursery years were tragic, he was miserable and hated going, but this year has been amazing to bring him out if his shell and stop crying all the time. The SENCO said she actually cannot believe it's the same child as the one she went to see at nursery. I feel like I've learnt alot about him, so now I've adapted in the way I do things with him.
The school will give me resources they use at school to use at home, access to.the websites they use, books, phonics cards, they provide photos of his day and I get a full run down of how his day has been and what he's been up to. If I ask for anything to help support, they will do it. I always ask, what can I do to support him and they will do it. All the staff are fully SEN trained. I will also say, my friends non verbal son is in the mainstream reception class of this school, in a class of 30. For the majority he has coped and done well but has spent most if his time outside the classroom.
So far the only issues I have encountered is with one particular member of staff. She is now no longer there so no more issue.
In my area, we only have 2 special needs schools, a good one and a not so good one. My best friends little boy has just finished at the not so good one, here's what she had to say:
Unfortunately it was not a good experience at all. But due to the behaviour aspect of my son, we had no choice other than a special needs school. He has other medical needs too, which require medication. My son has basically has zero learning in the last 6 years, no effort at all in getting him to learn to read, write or communicate. No formal education at all.There has been no relationship between us and the school, no parent invites to sports day or parents evenings. Staff not trained, it's just a job, no updates about his day or what he has been doing, staff won't let me know anything about behaviours or medical stuff. The school constantly nit picks about the small stuff, like if his nails haven't been cut but wont admit when they make mistakes. Recently they have been constantly complaining about my sons behaviour, he's been kicked off transport twice in the last year. My friend looked into for me as the stress was so immense and found out the school have been lying about him having a 1:1. In our county, no one has 1:1 as there is just not enough money. The school have telling me for years he has a 1:1, they finally admitted he doesn't when my friend queried his "behaviours which shouldn't have occurred if he has a 1:1". I feel like the special schools should have a medical team onsite, more than once they got his medications wrong, never admitted or told me until months later. (If I had got his medication this wrong at home, he would have been taken away). Knowing what I no now I would have tried to get him into the other school from the beginning. The school have just been there to babysit this whole time.
As a parent it is hard, I had the council and my sons nursery breathing down my neck constantly calling me about special needs schools. You need to view schools and ask all the questions. My friend had a senco that promised the world and failed to deliver. But also being a parent is admitting when your child needs more and probably won't manage in mainstream. I've seen parents just leave SEN kids in our school when they need more support.. its not fair on the children.
Good luck with your choice!