Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello,
First post...
My son is at the end of year 5 and in a mainstream independent boys school that goes up to year 8. He was diagnosed with ASD age 7, which we were not particularly expecting at the time - we were seeing a community paediatrician about his irritable bladder and she mentionned it and referred onto a neuropsychiatry CAMHS service. We have been very lucky that his school, which he has been in since yr1 when we moved to our current home (Oxford), has been very helpful and supportive. We chose the independent school as when we moved into Oxford from elsewhere, we couldn't get a place at a state school that wasn't miles away or in special measures, but I'm pleased we ended up doing it now.
My son is well behaved at school, no challenging behaviours per se but he can get very anxious and scared, and doesn't require much 1:1. He has dyslexia and has a 1:1 1hr spelling focused session per week at the moment but that is all. His main difficulties in terms of school are dyslexia (spelling 2yrs behind), not coping with change, rushing work and not checking, interpreting everything very literally, highly sensitive, emotionally immature. His achievement is okay, overall he is not behind except for in English (spelling and what seems like carelessness seem to be the main issues) and has an above average IQ overall. He has an IEP in school but not an EHCP - realistically his ASD doesn't cause great enough problems at school to warrant that. I think the things which have helped him are it being a small school overall, smaller classes (about 15-18), kind nuturing staff and them being quite flexible.
We need to look for a secondary and/or senior school for him. He could start there in yr7 or yr9 depending on what seems best. Our two potential state comprehensives seem totally unsuitable, they are both HUGE schools with very diverse intake many of whom have much greater social, educational and /or health issues. One has 73% of school with english as an additional language, so I think their resources are stretched. I've visited both and don't think he would cope!
We are basically resigned to keeping him in independent schools as I just can't see him surviving a comprehensive. His neuropsychiatry CAMHS consultant said that a mainstream school that is not highly selective and quite nuturing would be best, and suggested that unless the school is very close then weekly boarding often works very well for her similar patients.
I want to make it clear I recognise that as a family we are incredibly lucky to be able to afford an independent school and many people could never do this.
Just wondered
- How did other people choose a mainstream secondary school for their ASD-offspring ? My other son is younger and neurotypical so no experience at all.
- Anyone had their child at a mainstream boarding school and found it worked?
Really grateful for any advice!
I feel a specialist Education would benefit greatly i know you feel a mainstream setting would be better bit trust me as an Autistic individual who was in Msinstream school.
I was riddiculed, bullied and the Special Educational needs staff in Senco room did not support me. Class Work was too fast passed, really hard and then I ended up in a phyciatric unit over the constant lack of support from staff, teachers and being bullied. I was in this school untill year 11 and then I judt had enough and did something not good which was a due to nkt coping snymore.
I was in 2 phyciatric units, I only had Autism, Anxiety and low.mood and the school caused me to do a bad thing.
I went to a special needs school after my Karen's fault hard for me to get in to the school.
When fost started the special needs school at first I thought it would be a school thst you go to and just sit there and dont learn, but in fact I was helped with confidence, independence, life skills, learning etc. They really helped me.
Overall I feel you can be supported in a slecisl educational needs school or centre to hp you learn better, improve your life and make you overall happy to go to school each day, they csn help you in all manners in life and even talk and keep parents involved in your child's wellbeing, learning etc. They are always ready to help no matter what.
So just choose a specisl needs school that can help your child or children with the needs and disabilities they have.
So before feeling these special needs school are not good trust me they are just choose a special needs school that can help your young person (persons) through every aspect if there life jist like a school in Lo don Edmonton called West Lea.
I have high functioning autistic son - age 14 - he was fine in small village primary but anxiety went sky high in mainstream secondary school - I have just got him an EHCP and he is about to start Swalcliffe Park School which is an amazing school for autisic boys - also Woodeaton and LVS in Oxfordshire - you need to get an EHCP which has taken me almost 1 year - they are building another special school in Oxfordshire too