St Richard Reynolds Secondary Quandary

[anetmum]

Desperate for some info if anyone can offer their advice. DS2 was offered a place at RR, 3rd on our list in the knowledge that DS1 being at Orleans will ensure an offer as sibling to the 1st choice Orleans. They must have made a mistake, however, DS2 has dyslexia, and we await a stat assessment in april. Orleans have dyslexia/SEN unit but accessed only with a statement , StRR will be a much smaller school which may well suit him better.... but we had not researched the school, very little online info, no info re SEN... I have noted from threads that the intake will use the prefabs this year prior to building works... I am just after views on this school before I speak with admissions and demand DS2 joins his brother at Orleans Park, don't want to make a hasty decision ...Thanks

[ChippyMinton]

There are posters around who know the ins and outs of LBRuT, hopefully one of them will be along soon to advise on RR.

If Orleans give sibling priority, it sounds as though a mistake has been made though. Hopefully a call to the admissions team will sort it out.

[anetmum]

Thx for replies, I'm sure admissions will sort it, DS1 is year 8 and application made showing sibling details etc. Feel the need to question St RR because an independent Ed Psych recently advised us that he will get lost in a large secondary and best suited to Moor House school Surrey, but going through motions of statutory assessment/ statement/ school provision at present and therefore needing to explore all avenues.....

[Copthallresident]

Hi

St RRs will have a specialist SEN unit, and obviously at first it will be small with just 150 (if they fill up) pupils and they will get a lot of focus and attention so it may be a good solution to your needs. They plan to refurbish the existing buildings behind the main building for the initial cohort, not exactly prefabs but they are a bit delapidated. So far only the Head and governors are in place, so there is a limit to what has been finalised, he has a good track record from Christs. I would have thought your best bet would be to try to get a meeting with him to seek reassurance.

It does sound as though you should have been given sibling priority for Orleans though, do you think that they gave you St RR because your DS would get support from the SEN unit whereas without a statement Orleans would not? Presumably if you do get a statement then you will be able to access Orleans. I do know that Orleans is very popular with statemented children in neighbouring boroughs too so there must be a lot of pressure on places. Hopefully you can clarify things with LBRUT this morning.

I'm dyslexic with two dyslexic DDs so I know very well how important the right support is.