Do you have a dyspraxic child in an independent school?

[NoNameForThisOne]

Did they pass an assessment?

Ds3 zones out in class, needs things to be said to him more than once.
His handwriting is a lot better and he is good at reading and maths.
PE is not good. He is about to leave pre-prep and we need to find the next school.

Even if they are not academically selective they select the children they want. And all of them do an assessment.

Be great to know how you found the private sector or even if you moved to state and how you found the difference?

Thanks

[GaribaldiGirl]

I have 2 sons at a single sex prep school, both dyspraxic. school give eldest child a bit of learning support (twice a week) which really helps. he had to pass a written test to get in at 6 years, but he obviously did ok. his reading is good, his writing is weak.
my biggest caution is to watch out for the sport issue - boys prep schools seem to be completely obsessed with ball sports. the a team are the kings, the d team are seen as losers. my sons, like many dyspraxic children, have very poor ball skills. my eldest son is in the bottom team for everything and feels a failure, not helped by finding the academic side more challenging too. am planning to move him to a mixed school with less emphasis on rugby as soon as possible.

[MsDrinkwater]

Thank you Garibaldigirl you are spot on! I have 3 dyspraxic ds and all have not enjoyed ball games. I have recently opened a school in north london for children with learning differences and I am amazed at how many parents ask about sport. We do PE, motor skills and dance but so far have not gone down the ball games route. Why is it so important? - Is it because parents think that if they can play football they will always have someone to play with? We don't do selection by the way.

[Pipsqueak99]

Puts hand up
Me, I have a dyspraxic son in an independent school.
Academically is is way ahead but his motor skills have always been behind. He struggles with ball skills, holding a pen and pencil (so his handwriting skills are behind), dressing and undressing, seems to have no idea where his feet are at any one time, constantly fidgets, and is what you might call a very clumsy child. My DS likes yours tends to zone ot too and needs instructions repeating.

I searched and searched for the right school for him as i didn't feel any of the state schools could meet his needs. Although he is academically way ahead I deliberately didn't go for the most academic school as I didn't think they would "get" his clumsiness and fidgeting issues.

He had his first sports day last week in this new school and I could have cried. They were so supportive and helpful and understanding of his needs. He was able to join in with everything and the help he got was subtly done so that he didn't feel different. The school itself has a very inclusive policy to embrace every childs difference. The school has suggested he has an EP review so that they can have an objective assessment of him and put together an IEP to best meet all his needs.

So I think it is down to the actual school itself be it independent or not. The only thing to be said for almost every independent school though is that they do have smaller classes so that children needing any extra attention or help can get it more easily.
I'm sure the right school is out there. It might just take an awful lot of leg work to find it :).

[3rdnparty]

Pipsqueak that sounds fantastic for little pip, ds school sports day is v stressful... how did you go about finding the school f you don't mind me asking ? I have been ploughing through websites and good schools guide but really can't work out what to look for ....thanks