I have a daughter aged 11 due to start secondary in September. She was diagnosed in August last year but already had an ADHD diagnosis. After a fight with the council she has a draft EHCP which we are fairly happy with. The Ed Psych suggested she needs access to a mainstream curriculum but also to some small groups. This seems to imply either a private school or a school with an ASD unit. There’s one school in reasonable distance with a unit but we’ve missed the EHCP entry point so I was told they were full when applying in October. We selected a nearer school instead with the view to moving if we found a better area and school - I’m waiting on a response from one school mentioned as having ASD provision but not a unit as such, it’s a top state school so very popular. The nearer school she has a place in is just a normal mainstream secondary with SEN team. They seem nice and keen to support ASD kids but she won’t have access to small groups.
I don’t have time to even look at private options and have another fight with the council. Plus we can’t visit schools to get a feel for them. I’ll revisit this if things don’t work out in state school.
I’m talking to both the allocated school and the ASD unit, in case they can squeeze her in. But I’m wondering whether an ASD unit will make much difference and if that makes up for leaving her friends and travelling further. Plus not moving to the nicer area. All schools happen to be girls schools and I think this will help and meeting other ASD girls will be beneficial.
My daughter is only a year behind academically but struggles most with emotions, anxiety and social communication. She is very social, noisy and active but fails to connect with her peers and seems much less mature. With support I hope she will catch up and have a fairly independent life ahead with her confidence intact, I need to make sure she gets this support.
