Bromley/Beckenham primary for aspergers??

[clemmie68]

We are having to relocate due to dh work.
DS year 5. Planning for ds to go to Langley Park from year 7 given their reputation for supporting boys with ASC. Which primaries tend to feed in to Langley? as ideally I would like ds to meet some of his year. Need to try and find a ASC friendly primary school for him for year 6. Can anyone help?
He struggles with change but if the school is nurturing he will be fine. He is extremely musical, normal range academically.

We are looking at living near Elmers End, Eden Park but open to advice.

Does it matter if we have a Croydon postcode, can we still go for a school in Bromley?

Causing a huge panic in our household as ds is lovely but we have to plan and manage change like a military operation and then its usually fine.....

[pannetone]

Ring up Bromley council admissions and check the distance Langley Park boys came out to last year - I think it is only about a mile. Your postcode won't matter - just the distance. Does your DS have a statement? Langley only takes ASD boys with a statement for the Sunil centre (which is the name of the auitistic provision - though I am told it's not a separate unit as such). In any event there are very few places each year. We couldn't look at LP for our HFA son as he doesn't have a statement and we are not in the catchment, so I don't know what the provision is like if you're not part of the Sunil provision, though you would hope it would mean that the school as a whole is autism aware.

Afraid I can't help you with primary - not my patch. You could post on MN local.

[clemmie68]

thank you


yes the catchment is about 1 mile (I have checked)

We would have to try to get in on distance

he does not have a statement (yet) we are just diagnosed

what are services like for ASC in the area? are any other secondaries highly regarded for AS?

[Levi174517]

Firstly Bromley schools are open application with no priority given to borough residents so in theory you shouldn't be penalised for living in Croydon.

In practice Langley Park School for Boys is very popular and always over subscribed so you'd be very lucky to be offered a place. Last year their catchment area was a mile.

If your son has a statement of special educational needs you might be able to prove that he needs to be educated at Langley.

I don't know the primary schools in that area enough to comment on which might be suitable. Burgess Autistic Trust are a charity offering support to children and adults with an ASD and their families
they might be able to help. They are very approachable. They might be able to advise you.

I do know that Marion Vian school is in that area and has an excellent reputation locally. But it might be that MV gets its reputation for pushing children to achieve which may not be the environment your DS needs or would thrive in. You can only visit the school and see for yourself.

If you're transferring to a school in Bromley keep all paperwork. They ask for council tax and utilities bills for old and new properties; proofs of sale and purchase or rental; and proof of child benefit sent to your new address.

Good luck!

[Levi174517]

Firstly Bromley schools are open application with no priority given to borough residents so in theory you shouldn't be penalised for living in Croydon.

In practice Langley Park School for Boys is very popular and always over subscribed so you'd be very lucky to be offered a place. Last year their catchment area was a mile.

If your son has a statement of special educational needs you might be able to prove that he needs to be educated at Langley.

I don't know the primary schools in that area enough to comment on which might be suitable. Burgess Autistic Trust are a charity offering support to children and adults with an ASD and their families
they might be able to help. They are very approachable. They might be able to advise you.

I do know that Marion Vian school is in that area and has an excellent reputation locally. But it might be that MV gets its reputation for pushing children to achieve which may not be the environment your DS needs or would thrive in. You can only visit the school and see for yourself.

If you're transferring to a school in Bromley keep all paperwork. They ask for council tax and utilities bills for old and new properties; proofs of sale and purchase or rental; and proof of child benefit sent to your new address.

Good luck!

[Levi174517]

Sorry posted twice. My mistake

[clemmie68]

thank you that is very helpful

[maddiemostmerry]

I would suggest you look at Hawes Down Junior school although I don't have a child there. It has a unit for children with severe and complex needs attached. People i have known with asd children there have been very pleased with it.

I have not heard good things about Marian Vian for children with asd.

Be sure to buy in catchment for langley. The asd provision is excellent although your son would not fall under the unit without a statement. Music at the school is fantastic and highly inclusive.

[clemmie68]

thank you, Hawes looks like a lovely school.

I am going to call the LA tomorrow

Is it a friendly place to live?

[Levi174517]

Hello

I'll try to leave only one message this time.

If you're thinking about secondary schools I'd c

[Levi174517]

NOOOOOO. MY HUGE SAUSAGE FINGERS!!!!!

Secondary schools you might want to investigate are Bishop Justus. I know families with children with ASD and the kids are thriving there. BJ is a Church of England school.

The school I would go for is Ravensbourne school. My reasons are that the lesson times are longer so Ravensbourne have one fewer lesson per day. My DC aren't good at transitions so having one less would be an advantage for them.

I'd be avoiding Harris Academies. I don't think business and education mix and I'd never put a child who doesn't easily fit into slot A into a school ran as a business. But that's just my personal opinion.

Bromley is a good place to live. Lots of green open spaces and quick links into London bridge and Victoria.

[Borka]

Unicorn Primary School has a good general reputation & would feed into Langley Park, but I don't know anything about asd provision.

Avoid Churchfields - probably not somewhere you'd be looking at anyway.

[clemmie68]

To get into BJ we'd need to be church goers. We go v occasionally so hopeless
I will look at ravens and unicorn does ravensboune have a good rep for special needs?

[Levi174517]

I know someone with a child who has Aspergers and they're happy with Ravensbourne. You might like to post on the local pages and in primary and secondary education.

You could always phone the schools you're interested in and talk to their senco. I'd want to know they have experience of children with ASD.

You could also try the local pages of the other parenting site too.

It's a hard choice. I don't envy you sticks head in the sand and ignores fact DD is now in year 4.

[clemmie68]

It's an absolute nightmare....

Langley appeals as it is so musical (apparently??) and though my ds has great difficulty with academics he's precocious musically and at chess ...and it's cool init if you are any kid let alone a sen kid if you can do something that's of a national standard so we will go for LP and hope

I just hope it's all going to be ok. We've not long been diagnosed it's a roller coaster (spelling???)

My dd is year 3 :-))

[zen1]

B J is an excellent school and a music academy. They have a certain number of places which are awarded under religious criteria and also community spaces which do not take account of any religion / worship. It is definitely worth applying if you take a look and like it. I know several children with ASD who are doing well there. DS1 is starting there in September. We applied under the community criteria and still got in despite living 3 miles away.

[clemmie68]

Ok I will call bj today.

Thank you

[boudiscina]

@Borka I appreciate this is a really old thread... but wondering why you'd say avoid Churchfields?