• Replies 5 replies
  • Subscribers 65 subscribers
  • Views 1053 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

Starting secondary school

KateWales103

Hello everyone, haven't really posted before but been doing a lot of reading.

Our 11 year old, J, started secondary school 3 weeks ago. He is halfway through a hopeful diagnosis of *something* on the spectrum, Aspergers-like we suspect. He has enjoyed some stuff - loves Maths, Drama, Tech, IT and says Science is 'OK' but anything else regularly stresses him out to the point where he either falls asleep at his desk (one coping mechanism!) or turns his frustrations inward and hurts himself, scratching at his neck, hitting himself in the head or arms... all behaviours which developed in his last year of primary with an atrocious class teacher who shouted at him the whole time.

He's gone to bed very upset this evening and I suppose I am wondering what to do to help him. On the plus side we have a great relationship with the school's ALNCO (additional learning needs coordinator - not sure if it was just a Wales thing to rename SENCOs or UK wide!) but with the best will on both sides not sure how to help him. They have allowed him to skip PE, as it's rugby at the moment, and go to the 'nurture unit' -- has anyone else got experience with a reduced timetable at secondary - wondering if we can pull him out of other classes which stress him so he can focus on the stuff that doesn't??

Fearing that if we can't come up with a way for him to cope with school, home schooling might be the only option and we both work full time and don't earn enough to take a cut in wages :(

Parents

  • Sophie, thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a long and thoughtful comment. I've been trying to find the time to get back on here and reply!

    There really sound like lots of similarities in our situations and it helps just to know you're not the only ones going through this stuff, doesn't it? 

    My husband had our first face-to-face meeting with J's SENCO team this week which was really positive. Like you suggested they are reluctant for him to drop anything other than PE at the moment because he's young and may miss out on bits of subjects that he likes. 

    We have come up with a list of subjects where he could do with support from a Learning Support Assistant and a list of those where he feels OK without one and as much as possible they are going to try and make someone available on that basis.

    I just had a nice email from the depuity SENCO about his week and the positive points :)

    It's great to hear that your son has made it through Year 7 and on to Year 8 it gives us hope!

    Kate :)

Reply

  • Sophie, thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a long and thoughtful comment. I've been trying to find the time to get back on here and reply!

    There really sound like lots of similarities in our situations and it helps just to know you're not the only ones going through this stuff, doesn't it? 

    My husband had our first face-to-face meeting with J's SENCO team this week which was really positive. Like you suggested they are reluctant for him to drop anything other than PE at the moment because he's young and may miss out on bits of subjects that he likes. 

    We have come up with a list of subjects where he could do with support from a Learning Support Assistant and a list of those where he feels OK without one and as much as possible they are going to try and make someone available on that basis.

    I just had a nice email from the depuity SENCO about his week and the positive points :)

    It's great to hear that your son has made it through Year 7 and on to Year 8 it gives us hope!

    Kate :)

Children
No Data