viewing two sn schools this week any advice on what to much appreciated?????

[bubble78]

thats it really we are viewing a school for autism tommorrow and a sn school on tuesday just wondered if anyone can tell us what to ask or look for ??

[lori21]

The parents I have spoken to who have chosen our school have always talked about how it was 'the feel' of the place that helped them choose. Things like the relationships the adults have with the children and the way the adults talk about what they do with the children. Also the size of the school, size of the groups, the different approaches they do with the children (e.g. PECS, TEACCH, symbols, Makaton)

From a teacher of children with severe learning difficulties point of view (sorry don't know what kind of school you are looking at) I would be looking for the school to be using a wide variety of communication methods to find ones that best suit the child, opportunities for the children to work individually, in small groups, and to encounter being in a large group, close links with Speech and Language Therapist, lots of opportunities for outside play and going into the community on trips. I'm sure there is more but am a bit brain dead.

Good luck with your visits and my advice would be to go with the school that you feel that your lo would be happiest in

[gess]

We looked at 2 SLD/PMLD schools. The head at one told us to look for children like our ds1. We saw a couple and they were clearly a bit of a problem for the school. When the head asked if we saw any children like our ds1 and we said "yes boy....X" he said "oh very low functioning then" and looked disappointed!

We went to the next SLD/PMLD school and it was crawling with ds1's, who all looked happy and were doing things like eating in cafes (!!) sitting in assemblies (!!) and generally achieving. We took ds1 to visit the school and he loved it, and they were immediately welcoming.

It was an easy decision tbh.

[MrsWho]

Look at the older end of the school (are they 2-19 or primary/secondary separate?) and see how the older versions of your child are doing.
And if appropriate (don't know how able your child is sorry) what sort of programme are they doing eg. at my school the higher ability groups are doing entry level qualifications/work experience/duke of edinborough award alongside independant living but the lower ability groups are doing life skills and self care.

[bubble78]

thanks for getting back to me.
my ds is 4 and austistic he has no speech and hardly any understanding but is one of the happiest and loveable little boys i have ever met( i am going to say that as his mother i know but it is true)..

we are taking him with us to both of the schools so it will be good to see how the teachers react to him and how he does to them also good advice on looking for other kids like ds and how they are doing

thank you xx

[MrsWho]

Well I was thinking from a older child POV but good luck anyway.

Don't forget to tell us how you get one

[MrsWho]

get on even

[mamazon]

I just came on to post this exact same thread!

I am really scared i have to admit. there is only 1 Sn school in the entire borough whihc is the one i am going to visit. its PMLD and im not totally convinced its the right place for DS who is HFA but we will see.

good luck. and yes please let us know how it goes as i for one will be very interested to know.

[lori21]

mamazon - have you looked into schools in the boroughs around you or have any the mainstream schools got appropriate specialist units / facilities. Hopefully the school you look at will have broader facilities and it will be suitable but don't accept a placement unless you are happy that your lo will make good progress and be happy there. There are organisations that can help if you are unhappy with the placements offered(the names have completely gone out of my head but I'm sure the other MNers will know if you ask!) Are you in contact with any other families with children with HFA who can recommend good schools?

[mamazon]

most of the people i know who has cihldren with ASD all livein Brighton which is where there seems to be some great facilities.
i checked teh whoel West Sussex list and the other schools are all at least a 30-40 minute drive and not necessarily ASD focussed.

we will have a look and take it from there.

he is doing ok where he is in ms but i feel he needs the extra expertise to actually get him to learn rather than just cope iyswim.

[gess]

I can't imagine that a PMLD school would be appropriate for a child with HFA unless there was an outreach unit as part of its setup for example.

Are there any units/bases attached to mainstream schools near you? They can work well for children with HFA/AS.

[mamazon]

the worst local high school in the area has a unit attached. but the school is horrific. the only people that go there are the ones that get thrown out of all the others!

there is nothing i can find in the area at all. I just know this isnt the right place but i figuered that if i start mnaking noises towards teh possibility of an SN school i may get a bit more help from the LEA.

the alternative is boarding which i just woudln't be happy with at sucha a young age.

[bubble78]

well ladies here is how the viewing of the schools went

first was the school for autism only-:
we got there went into the building to reception where we where met by the head master. he was a nice chap he said hi to my ds and us we then went about the visit he showed us all the classes and hall etc...
now on this trip round the school not one teacher spoke to us even in reception class none of the children even looked at us it was like we had walked into a world of robots (now i do know they have a structured way of teaching but i would have at least they could have said hello to ds)
the whole building was dark and dismal no paintings by the kids anywhwere or such like.
now on leaving we where saying good bye and my ds had taking a liking to the head who bent down and waved goodbye at ds my ds went over to him to give him a hug and the head said and i quote " i didnt want that" in a not very nice tone then he said "oh but thank you now off you go" and ushered ds away.
maybe i am just being over sensitive as this is my baby ds and i want every one to love him look at my profile he is a cutie honest.

so that was that schooland now onto the local sn school-:

we where met in reception by the nicest receptionist and the deputy head who where lovely and instantly made a fuss of ds we then went to the heads office who was equally as welcoming then we went through to reception class again so nice staff all took time to talk to us they all made a fuss of ds (who was loving the attention) even the children that could came over to say hello one little boy shook our hands but then he pointed at the door and waved goodbye
anyway they then said ds could stay in there while we looked round so we did

we went round the school all staff and children equally as friendly pictures of the children and art work they had done everywhere it was a very bright and happy school..
the head then took us outside to another building in there was a small shallow pool and slightly bigger deeper pool 4ft deep actually they take the kids in there once a week with one to one teachers and they are employing a swimming teacher next september.
we went back to get ds who was having the time of his life in the playground with the other kiddies he had had a snack with them and done a painting when it cam time to go he didnt want to leave.....


so i think you can guess which school my ds will be going to
sorry it was such a long post

[CristinaTheAstonishing]

The second school sounds very nice. I hope your little DS will settle in nicely there and that the great big school decision is out of the way. You'll be so relieved once you have that little bit less to worry about.

[bubble78]

yes once they comfirm a place and it all sorted i can relax and feel happy about the choice aswell
also with baby due end of july i can concentrate on getting ready for that too we have done nothing yet not even thought about names

[CristinaTheAstonishing]

It was such a huge relief for us once DS's school situation was sorted. We didn't want the school he goes to now (the best mainstream school in the borough, over the road from us too!) and fought for a deaf school miles away. We didn't get it, even after Tribunal, but it did turn out for the best. He's so settled there now, I look back at all those months of sleepless nights over the decision and am thankful it's over. Another 4 years till secondary school, but we can think about that later. Well done and good luck with your new baby.

[bubble78]

and i dont need to worry about the secondery school bit either as they stay till there 16 then they have another building attatched wher its college so they go to 19 in that one they learn life skills on a tuesday they go to asda shopping and on a wednesday they then then cook themselves a meall with stuff they bought it really is a nice school plus only 55 kids so not massive

[tobysmumkent]

Message withdrawn

[lori21]

so glad everything went well at the second school. I'm sure your lo will do really well.

[sphil]

Mamazon - are you in Sussex? Have just moved from there so know a bit about the schools. We've moved to Somerset partly because we've got fmily here but mainly so that Ds2 can go to school nearby rather than 40 mins away.

Bubble - your DS coped so well with his school visit! I'm about to do school induction with DS2 and hope he takes to it as well as your DS obviously did.

[gess]

ah glad the decision was made for you- the same happened to us The school sounds lovely.

[bubble78]

yes gess it was an easy decision like you said in the end..

just hope he gets a place now so fingers crossed

[MrsWho]

Great news Bubble

[mamazon]

fab news Bubble.

yes im in Crawley Sphil. from what i can make out there is a PMLD in the borough or an EBD about 15-20 miles away....thast it.

[sphil]

I was in East Sussex so not really same area - sorry. But we were in same boat - only appropriate school 40 mins away. Have heard good things about Brighton schools/services, but like you, we wouldn't have been in right area, so would have been at bottom of waiting list.

[flyingmum]

Mamazon

I work in a mainstream secondary in W.Sussex south of Crawley (I live just north of Crawley) and we have had some successful HFA kids at our school. The support is pretty reasonable although it is a big and busy school. My chap (Aspie, dyspraxic, etc) goes to a school in Surrey which as his taxi service hails from Crawley you could get to as day pupil. I met a mum there once who came up from Midhurst so if you can persuade and fight your LEA it may be an option. It is non-maintained but not private which makes it significantly cheaper than say Southlands or Grately or the like. A pupil who was in my tutor group - her brother has HFA plus ADHD and other stuff and he is now doing really well at Sackville School in East Grinstead. Don't be tempted to look at Oriel - have heard the behaviour there is pretty bad but that is just hearsay. If you need more info just let me know. Oh yes - just thought - Oathall in Haywards Heath (only 20 mins from Crawley) has also got quite a contingent of HFA and although like us is big does have a farm on site and probablly has more SEN kids than us.

All the best