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exclusion from school trips

jayboo

looking for up to date info,  my autistic grandson has gone to pre-school for 3 afternoons a week for a year, mum wanted mornings told no. The school won't let him stay longer than 2 hours saying he gets upset at story time.  he also gos to a private autistic trained pre-school 2 days a week and has started talking and recognising shapes etc no problems at all but it is very expensive.  state school offered him a full time place September as he is now 4 1/2, but now say he cannot attend sports day, cannot go on school trips and may not be able to again do more than a few hours.  My daughter in law is incensed.  he plays well with his little nieces, sits and eats nicely at the table when i visit. Only problems are usually around sharing trains, understanding unfairness etc. The school says that he has tantrums and they cannot control him.  we have noticed his 1 to 1 spends more time with the other children, School bought him a heavy blanket but he apparently fell asleep under it. We think that they use it when they want an 'easy afternoon'.  Only other alternative is a school in another town but mum and dad both work and cannot take him there.  Auntie who childminds him has offered to go on trips with him etc. but school won't budge.

What is the latest on school equality?

  • Hi Jayboo.

    It's vital for ASD children to be comfortable in a predictable world of home and familiar patterns, where they know what is happening and what is expected of them.

    This is far removed from school, which is the exact opposite - unfamiliar, changing, noisy, bright, intrusive and overwhelmingly invasive.

    It sounds to me as if the school is recognising this in your grandson, and is trying to avoid 'overload' situations. It is perfectly valid for you to ask them for their reasoning. In fact, you can't make a judgement untill you do.

    It is easy to spring to your grandson's defence, but do try to remember what a struggle the little chap has, even on the best of days. It seems to me that the school may be trying, but may not be doing their best if they refuse to let a familiar adult go with him to activities that he may otherwise benefit from. His parents know best whether he will or not.

    On another thread, I was speaking with someone whose (older teenage) child was being threatened with 'Section' to a mental hospital. I told them that if the person goes into a mental hospital under section, it will do them great harm.

    However, if that person had to go into hospital for a serious illness or injury, they wouldn't hesitate to 'allow' the harm because of a greater nedd. Just because you're ASD doesn't mean that you CAN'T be mentaly ill to the point of needing in patient treatment.

    So I ask you the same question, and you can only really answer it between yourselves and the school. Will your grandson suffer any harm if he joins in with these activities, and if he will, will it still be worth it for a 'greater' benefit to him?

    If the school simply don't want his behaviour to 'affect the other children' or 'spoil their day', you can point out what a discriminatory attitude they're taking and that they should be ashamed of themselves to be teaching 'normal' children to treat a disabled child that way. They should be teaching patience, tolerance, understanding and acceptance, by showing them.

    Good luck!