School has suggested to keep DS back a year

[Tambaboy]

Hi all, sorry but this is going to be long.

DS is in y4 with an 30 hours EHCP. He has ASD and it's currently going through ADHD (inattentive) assessment. He is well below average academically but high average intelligence. He is very young for his age.
His current school has been supporting him nicely and they work very well with our independent SALT and OT.

It's transition time in our LA and we have been looking for schools for DS to go into y5. LEA offered ASD unit attached to mainstream but after a visit we didn't think it was suitable. The other 3 special school in LEA are not suitable either.
Our SENCO recommended a small independent school renowned for being really good with children with SEN but after a taster day DS wasn't offered a place as his reading levels were too low. We were gutted as we loved the school and there was a strong chance the LEA would have funded it.


Our LA is tiny, so we've seen all the schools available. No suitable independent special ones within travelling distance. We went to see a very small independent special school 40 miles away that was very happy to take DS. Unfortunately the travelling times in the morning would be about 1h 20minutes and DS wouldn't cope with that.

DS' school is expanding and will go up to y6 but it's a year too late for DS so he would have to leave at the end of y4. But they are now suggesting he repeats y4 and he'd be able to stay up to y6 this way. They reckon his levels would have gone up enough for him to be admitted at the local independent school after that.

They think it's the best option for DS as they don't think he'll cope very well at any of the mainstream schools.The HT has even contacted LEA senior SEN officer and they said they would agree to it if that's what we wanted.


DH thinks is a good idea, DS wants to try a new school and I don't know what to do! We haven't got many options unfortunately.

What would you do? Any suggestions?

[birdlover1977]

Honestly, if I was given the chance for my DS (7) with Autism and severe attention difficulties to repeat a year then I would say YES PLEASE!! I think it is a very good idea because it will give him longer to 'catch up' academically and the differences in his levels and the rest of the younger class would be less significant. Also he may be able to relate to the younger children better. But only you know your DS best so only you can make that decision.
My oldest child with no SEN was born late August. He started school just turned 4, luckily at the time he was in a very small private school and they suggested that he repeat Reception class because he was very young for his age. This was the BEST decision we ever made for him and the change in him was amazing. He was so much more confident, able and much happier. Unfortunately though he had to leave primary at the end of year 5 and go into a state funded secondary Year 7 - so he missed Year 6 completely. This was quite an adjustment at first but he did cope and even managed to leave secondary with 8 very good GCSE passes.

Good Luck with making your decision. Trust your gut instinct - that's all we have really. No-one's experience will be the same as yours and we can never know if we are making the 'right' choices or not. I wish you all the best x

[Tambaboy]

Thank you bird for your perspective. Ds is adamant he wants to go to a new school so whatever we decide is not going to be ideal.