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Repeating a school year

Georgina B

Hi, I have just joined. My Year 11 daughter was diagnosed ASD in October 2018. Since then her anxiety levels have increased until at the beginning of Year 11 they have increased massively to the point where she no longer attends school and although studying at home she is struggling to focus because of the anxiety around where she will end up.

The school is looking at a possible managed move to a smaller more ASD friendly setting and we do have an EHCP which is currently with school for consult before being finalised.

The school (and possible transfer school) is suggesting we consider her repeating  Year 11 to give her the best chance at GCSE and future success.

She was on track to get levels 4 and above in most subjects before the debilitating anxiety hit.

Does anyone have any experience of this as my daughter is not keen and refuses to accept that missing a year of school combined with no revision is most likely to lead to poor results if she sits the GCSEs this year.

Thanks

  • in reply to Mark

    Thanks Mark,

    I am daily drip feeding the idea to her. Like your son she doesnt go out unless its in the car and so repeating a year or even doing GCSEs might be academic this year.

    Georgina

  • Hi Georgina. Although not the age of your daughter a similar circumstance of extreme anxiety bought about by ASD.

    Our son turns 13 in a couple of months. He has not been to school  for 1 1/2 years. He started secondary grammer school after his 11+ results were high. He loved it for 1 week, until they changed classes. That set his anxiety through the roof.He hasnt been back since. CAMHS classed him as a school refuser and was simply suffering anxiety. They saw him for half an hour (that was when we could get him out of the house)

    Completely ignored çlassic signs such as hand fĺapping, obsession with routine, avoidance and control behaviours etc.

    Anyway, long storey short, he has since been referred to a hospital school. (Which he doesn't attend as we can't get him out of the house) the teacher there visits once a week to gain trust. It's taken probably 3 months where our son is just about comfortable talking to the teacher with the door open;; as long as the door threshold is not passed.

    We are expecting a formal diagnosis from the paedetrician some time this month. This will be based on gathered information from the junior school staff, his current teachers' observations and ours, as no one is prepared to carry out a home visit. 

    We have explained to our son that he has been set back a year and possibly two. We are now resigned to this fact also. It is more important at this stage to integrate him into the smaller school who understand sensory issues and the intricacies of ASD. Predominantly for his social interaction.

    At this stage the only way I can see getting him back into school by the end of the year is with the temporary assistance of medication.  

    In your daughters case and in her present state, attempting G.C.S.E now will surely end in a less favourable result as you have said. I don't know how you will put it to your daughter but I would say it will be one of "those" conversations that will take some time to get the message across so it is fully understood. I'm sure your already prepared for the inevitable melt downs.

    Mark