Anybody got kids with SEN at a grammar school(dyspraxia or anything else)?

[LePetitMarseillais]

How do they cope?

Do you wish they'd gone elsewhere?

Dd just been diagnosed with Dyspraxia and doing the 11+. Wondering if grammar would be the right place for her?Any experience or advice would be gratefully received.

Tia

[camptownraces]

Dyspraxia is a bit of a broad "diagnosis".

Tell us more about what her difficulties consist of (are they motor issues, or are learning difficulties involved?).

Who diagnosed, the condition, and what recommendations were made?

[LePetitMarseillais]

OT diagnosed it.Lowest 5% on dyspraxia test but very able at reading,hand writing fine.Streaks through VR and non VR( bar rotation but pretty much mastered that). Issues are writing a lot( achey hands as hyper mobility too), 2 stage maths word problems(can get flustered,we're working on breaking things down) but maths ability fine,tables etc excellent. PE obviously dire.

[GentlyBenevolent]

Both my girls have dyspraxia, both are at GS. They are doing fine, I don't wish they were anywhere else. In fact their dyspraxia was one of the reasons I was very glad they got in to the GS, it's much smaller than the comp they would have gone to otherwise, and that's a positive thing for them. They are also obviously far less likely to be bullied (as they were at primary school) by non academic but highly physically capable kids who are outraged that someone who can't even negotiate a doorway reliably outperforms them so comprehensively in school work - at the GS they are not in any way exceptional work wise, so there's less reason to resent them and use their issues against them.

[smokepole]

DD2 Diagnosed with Dyspraxia in year 7 of Grammar school,had a very difficult year 7 and 8 . However, with the help of the SENCO and specialist help is know on course in year 11 for 5 or 6 A* so has managed to overcome a lot of the difficulties with hard work and support.

Absolutely grammar school is the right place for "bright" Dyspraxic and Autistic pupils . This depends on whether the school will work with the pupils rather than seeing them as a unwanted nuisance taking up time and resources. Some grammar schools are excellent (Simon Langton Boys in Canterbury for instance as a Specialist unit). Though some grammar schools "freak out" at the thought of having children with special needs despite having pages of printed inclusion documents.

[LePetitMarseillais]

How do you find it if they're supportive?

I have a problem as her brothers are probably going to grammar and when I gently suggested alternatives for her she was outraged.

To be honest her dyspraxia has gone completely undetected by her primary school( they just thought she was a bit lazy( top or second to top groups for everything I think). Her gp and I pushed to get her assessed and she has just got the diagnosis in year 5 so maybe it wouldn't be an issue?

Don't want her to be miserable though.

She scored high I think on the sensory test thing too so I think the structure and quieter environment of a grammar might be beneficial on that score.

If you don't mind me asking where are your GS?

[smokepole]

East Kent Coast. My DD is not the only one with SEN at her school. The grammar she attends has 3% of its pupils with Statements. A lot of grammar schools have less than 0.5% with statements. This is important because it shows that they have got knowledge and experience in dealing with different difficulties and are not "freaked out" . It is important to have the SENCO in your corner though as she was vital for DD when some teachers stated that DD would be better of at another school.

I think you need to do research on what the numbers of pupils are with statements at such schools by looking on the performance tables. I also think by talking to the schools SENCO , you can get an idea if the school are prepared to support your child.

[LePetitMarseillais]

Thank you so much that's really helpful.

Wow a Kent grammar,she has done well.You must be really proud.

Half of me thinks why should we'd look elsewhere just because her brain works slightly differently but happiness is key.Might ring and ask the school for advice.She'll get extra time for the exam which she says she doesn't want.Wondering if she should do it without and if she gets a place regardless it would give an indication as to whether the dyspraxia would be an issue.

[camptownraces]

Don't worry about the PE - lots of us are rubbish at that.

Wherever she's at school, the hypermobility will be a problem for handwriting. School should get her typing as soon as she needs to write more than the odd sentence. This will be the case at any secondary school, and possibly at primary.

Other than this, there may not be an issue. See the school SENCO now, in Year 5, and see if they can support. Extra time may not be needed.

[notquiteruralbliss]

No but DDs go to grammars and have friends with SNs. They seem to cope fine.

[spanieleyes]

Son has left now but attended Grammar with Aspergers and dyspraxia, he wasn't the only one by any means! The school had an "Asperger's Room" basically a quiet room where he and others could go to calm down when things got too much! His dyspraxia wasn't too much of an issue, his handwriting was dire and PE was simply dreadful ( one reportj ust commented " Spanieleyes Junior generally arrives on time" and that was that! But I do think a grammar was probably best for him-despite some issues-as he was with several like minded individuals rather than isolated as he had been at a ( albeit supportive) primary.

[switchitoff]

I think talking to the SENCO and asking what adjustments they would make to accommodate your DD is probably the most important thing. DS2 is at a grammar school with very little experience of SNs, but despite this they have bent over backwards to enable him to reach his potential.

As others have said, the motor difficulties probably won't stand out too much in that type of environment anyway; for DS2 the biggest difficulties are planning, organisation, understanding instructions, constantly losing possessions etc (which obviously becomes more demanding in a secondary school anyway.)

DS2's school have put in place various strategies to help him with all this. As a result his self-confidence is sky-high and I have absolutely no doubt that he is in the right school.

[Minto70]

I notice your post was almost 2 years ago, my child sounds identical & I'm really struggling with anyone to listen or help. How have you got on & where did you go for a diagnosis?