Main stream or special school - which way to go?

My daughter is due to start school next September and currently attends a mainstream pre-school to our local infant school. I've just been to look round a local speacial school and am now soooooooooooo confused. Which is going to be best for her? The million dollar question i know, but guidance would be appreciated!!

  • Hi my son started main stream nursery in Sept, he has a one to one.  The change in him is amazing.  He does not talk and does not mix with others but is very bright and very able for the work which his one to one incoroperates to his play.  I dread to think of next September, he will start P1.  But I am going to send him to mainstream primary, he has every right to be there.  I will see how that goes first.

  • Hi, my 10 year old son started special school in september. He is diagnosed high functioning autism, he was fine at school until year 5, he was then granted a statement. It was a difficult decision, but asfter looking at the specialist school there was no contest. The thought of secondary school terrified me, he would have been bullied. He started his new school in september with the most amazing results. He is happy, he cannot wait to go to school, prompts his own getting ready. He is a different child. We went to his first parent evening on wednesday to be told he was very bright, after his main stream school said he had profound learning difficulty. My son's new school has unlocked his potential. Goodluck

  • If she likes playing with the other kids then mainstream would probably be best for starters, so she can be used to playing with the 'normals'. Usually normal kids aren't so bad when you're that kind of age when it comes to things like bullying or exclusion so I'd say look at somewhere with teachers willing to listen to advice on keeping her interested and invovled in group work or lessons as well as some form of SEN unit available, just in case she struggles later on :)

  • Communication is the big issue! She's not talking. She is though perfectly happy to be in a classroom with other kids - but struggles to concentrate or join in with group activities.

  • Erm, depends on her behaviour, what she needs help with and whether she can cope in a mainstream environment. If you can't find a special school you could always try to find a mainstream school with a good SEN (special education needs) department, preferably one that specialises in ASD, but again it all depends on how well she can cope around others in a 'normal' environment.