Secondary education for high-functioning autistic student.

Hi there.

Our son, Noah, is 14 and unfortunately, hasn’t been able to attend school since September 2023.

Noah joined a mainstream comprehensive in Year Seven, shortly after we received his diagnosis.  Noah has ASD, ADHD, ARFID, PTSD, anxiety, and low mood.  He was initially diagnosed following some significant episodes of self-harm.  Noah is socially vulnerable and has sensory processing difficulties.  Whilst he’s academically able - he was meeting or exceeding all academic targets before we had to take him out of school - he simply can’t cope in a mainstream school.  Before withdrawing him from school in September 2023, Noah disclosed he’d been bullied since Year Seven.  The bullying was so significant that following his disclosures, the school reported it to the police.  We were devastated and had no idea whatsoever that he was experiencing any of the things he disclosed.  

Since 2022, our Local Authority have repeatedly failed to develop an EHCP which reflects his additional needs and academic abilities.  He needs a placement where he can access the full GCSE curriculum but where the difficulties he experiences as a result of his autism can also be met.  We have only found one such school in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire but up until now, the Council have refused to consult because it’s not a Section 41 school.  The Council have offered a placement at one provision which is highly unsuitable.  The placement doesn’t offer GCSEs other than foundation maths and foundation English, and the students all present with aggressive, sometimes violent, challenging behaviour.  Noah simply wouldn’t be able to cope.

The Council have now finally agreed to approach the school (after two years of fighting for that to happen) but the school is refusing to assess him because they have no places available.  There are lots of provisions in Derbyshire for children with learning difficulties - which is absolutely the right thing - but only one which could meet the needs of a high-functioning student like Noah.  Is there any way that we could challenge the school’s decision not to even assess him for a place?   

Thank you for taking the time to read this post and for any advice you could share with us.

pip