• Replies 7 replies
  • Subscribers 65 subscribers
  • Views 4961 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

What/how to choose? Mainstream/ASD Unit/Special School

Octsmum

Oh dear.  We are looking for advice and opinions on the different types of school setting available to our son.  Our 7 yr old with high functioning autism has transferred from his mainstream infant school to the juniors and is not happy with the change.  The jump from infants to juniors is significant in terms of the way they work and he is taking his time to settle.  Personally, I feel it is all about him being allowed to take his time, but his behaviour has led the school and the educational psychologist working for the LEA to feel that he would be better off in a mainstream school with an ASD unit. 

The school has been great, and they have a track record for being very inclusive in their approach - there are other children with ASDs further along the school.  I feel more than a little disappointed that they are considering admitting defeat so soon - only a few weeks into the schoool year.

I have seen another post with a fabulous response listing the pros and cons of each type of setting, and we have already thought of most of the points listed there.  We are less worried about our son's academic progress than about him feeling that it is possible for him to move within NT circles comfortably and with minimal/no anxiety.  Our feelings have been complicated by reports that there are adults with autism who would not advise parents to send their ASD kids to special schools.  I am guessing/hoping that their experiences are out of date, since professionals' understanding of autism and how best to educate children with autism has improved.

We would welcome opinions on this subject from parents/carers and particularly from anyone with autism who has had experience of the various types of school setting.

Thanks!

Parents

  • Thanks Sam

    This is horribly difficult and we have no intention of hurrying our decision.  I feel like I spend all day chewing it over in my mind and I'm in danger of making myself bonkers!

    Our son is still only 7 and has no particular interest in school.  He would happily play around all day long and as far as we know he has no particular expectations from school.  He is not terribly good at communicating how he feels about things, but I plan to at least try and instigate the conversation.  We know that he is a bright boy - when he is interested in a subject he retains silly amounts of information about it, but that does not extend to the general class curriculum!  He just tells the staff that he is not doing what they are asking and they spend their time finding ways to coax him into doing it - usually involving some kind of learning treat when he has completed his work.

    We are not worried about his academic progress at primary level, but we do want him to get to a point where he will just get on with some work (!) and I don't know if there is a physical reason at the school why he finds that difficult or if he is just not interested enough to care.  Our priority is for him to be able to work around others - to be more comfortable in the usual social situations.  After all, he is going to be in school for while yet!

    I also wonder if it is necessary for him to "learn to be an autistic person".  While he has been informed that he has autism, we don't know if that means anything to him - if he sees himself or other people as being different.  The mainstream school staff definitely don't have the expertise for that...

    I've been trying to list the pros and cons for each setting, and there are currently not many pros on my list for mainstream school - still processing....

Reply

  • Thanks Sam

    This is horribly difficult and we have no intention of hurrying our decision.  I feel like I spend all day chewing it over in my mind and I'm in danger of making myself bonkers!

    Our son is still only 7 and has no particular interest in school.  He would happily play around all day long and as far as we know he has no particular expectations from school.  He is not terribly good at communicating how he feels about things, but I plan to at least try and instigate the conversation.  We know that he is a bright boy - when he is interested in a subject he retains silly amounts of information about it, but that does not extend to the general class curriculum!  He just tells the staff that he is not doing what they are asking and they spend their time finding ways to coax him into doing it - usually involving some kind of learning treat when he has completed his work.

    We are not worried about his academic progress at primary level, but we do want him to get to a point where he will just get on with some work (!) and I don't know if there is a physical reason at the school why he finds that difficult or if he is just not interested enough to care.  Our priority is for him to be able to work around others - to be more comfortable in the usual social situations.  After all, he is going to be in school for while yet!

    I also wonder if it is necessary for him to "learn to be an autistic person".  While he has been informed that he has autism, we don't know if that means anything to him - if he sees himself or other people as being different.  The mainstream school staff definitely don't have the expertise for that...

    I've been trying to list the pros and cons for each setting, and there are currently not many pros on my list for mainstream school - still processing....

Children
No Data