How to find the right school for Specific Learning Difficulties?

[bartonbabe]

My DS is 12 although still in yr6 having repeated reception year in his small independent school. His learning difficulties (principally related to language processing but also dyspraxia, ADHD, autistic traits) mean he needs to leave as he cannot access the full GCSE curriculum the school require him to follow. We are still in the process of getting a statement for SEN (not an ECHP as this has been going on for sooo long) and the proposed statement is woefully inadequate.
My question is how to find a good school for him. We have approached a number but when they see EP, SALT and OT reports they won't even let us visit. The problem is he has a spikey profile and has severe needs in some areas but is age appropriate in others. We are now pursuing the local maintained special school but I am concerned this may not be for the best.
Both I and DH are drained by this and caring for very elderly infirm parents. I just wondered if any one had any thoughts how best to identify other possible schools. I have struggled with various web sites which make it difficult to identify if it is more a medical model rather than an educational one. How have others approached this? Any advice would be very welcome.

[mummytime]

Crested might be able to help if you are looking at independent schools. Alternatively you can just apply for a place from your LA and they will have to find him one, but you may then have further battles to get "appropriate" provision.

You could also try to approach a specialist Educational consultant. Or maybe ask from advice from a local charity eg. Helen Arkell Centre if you are in their area or Dyslexia Action or similar.

It all depends on his precise difficulties.

Personally it would have been better unfortunately to have moved him at 11, but sometimes he can still be retained a year in the state system (I know someone who managed to do this with her son).

[bartonbabe]

Thanks mummytime. One of the key points in the statement is that he stays with his current peer group and does not revert back to his chronological group. An Educational consultant has been mentioned elsewhere and I think this is the route we will have to follow so helpful to get that suggestion from another as well.

[yomellamoHelly]

EP should be able to advise.

[bartonbabe]

Thanks yomellamoHelly. The schools advised by EP are the ones now saying they can't deal with the spikey profile, although they decide this without meeting him or indeed us. Very frustrating!

[yomellamoHelly]

Think I would turn it back to the EP (though I would have expected them to have a convo with the schools to ensure their recommendations were feasible in the first place). And consider paying for a second opinion.

[JulieTurner]

hi Bartonbabe,
Two groups I found very useful were IPSEA and SOSSEN. Both are almost impossible to get through to no the telephone, they are run by volunteers, but both very knowledgeable.
They were both a great help to me. My daughter still has a draft statement, it has not been finalised. But she has been moved to the school that she needed. I have started a blog telling our story. Feel free to have a look and share if you know anyone else who is interested
//www.familyvine.me

[RainbowLoom]

Is your existing school able to help? I've had some experience of this, although at a younger age, and was told they would work with us.

Good schools guide does cover a wide range of schools, so worth a look, although you may want to borrow a copy before buying as it is ££!!

Also, has Google helped, googling the area you're looking in and the type of school you're after?

[RainbowLoom]

Just a thought...the schools you have contacted, who won't accept him, can you ask them if they have any other suggestions?

Sorry you sound pretty exhausted. I hope you do find the right school for your boy.

[bartonbabe]

Thank you RainbowLoom. I think we have been a bit unlucky (I could admit to total paranoia here really) but we did follow up with the other schools and asked for their suggestions. We still await their answer despite chasing!

However, there is good news and we do now have the offer of a place at a Special School. In some respects it will be very good, in others it will be lacking a bit but it is a big step forward and a great improvement on the current provision. Also it means we do not have to send him away to a boarding school. None of us are ready for that yet.

I probably should be over the moon but as I'm sure others will appreciate I have felt so battered by this process (we are still waiting to hear what will be in parts 2 and 3) that I am feeling a bit flat. As you say I am rather exhausted at the moment. I'm sure the relief and delight will kick in soon.

This has been a very interesting exercise in some respects and despite offers of support from his current school, when specific requests have been made, it all goes a bit quiet. In some respects Julie we have trodden a similar path and we too only have a draft statement. I do hope your position is resolved soon.

Thanks to all for their input.

[JulieTurner]

We definitely need more support groups around, the best advice is usually from people who have been in the same situation. I was told (not by the LA) that I am unlikely to see a finalised statement. I will probably receive an EHCP, this suits me as I have it in writing that they have agreed to pay for my daughters special school. She started the beginning of January, and they have more knowledge and expertise than you could write in a statement. I've just got to finish my blog now :)
So glad you've got an offer of a school. Hope it works out well and your LA sort things out quickly

[ibbwhyte]

i am exactly in the same position as you and we all need to compare notes with this.

[bartonbabe]

Hi ibbwhyte. Sorry to hear you are also experiencing this. Still no news of statement but we have heard from school and their offer of three taster sessions. DS is now getting very anxious about going. We have had horrid Easter holidays. DS is in process of changing meds (i'm not happy with this but can't work out why so it is happening anyway) and I think got to the stage of having titrated up on the new one too much while still being on old ones (albeit reduced dose). Paediatrician on hols, her deputy on hols, GP on hols, locum GP just said "I can't help". What do you do?

Also complicated by DS having a bad stomach upset and UTI. Poor chap has had no holiday and I feel I can't carry on any more.

Sorry this has turned into a moan. I just wonder if the LAs have any idea what effect their approach has on families. It's not as if day to day life is a bed of roses with a special needs child .

[barnettdon]

Quite complicated situation you are going through. Really disheartened to know that schools have denied to enroll him, do they have any other suggestions?