What is Beds like for sn secondary - thinking of moving!

[magso]

Ds is in year 5 - so coming up to transition to secondary school. He has mod/sevLD ASD ADHD and some CBs. His present brilliant ASD/MLD school only goes up to year6 and our house is too small for us now. The secondary sn schools in our present location are far away and not well rated -so we have wondered about moving!
Beds came up (could afford a bigger house for same money) as I have heard the schools are good. However I know nothing of the sn schools or units. Does anyone have any knowledge (or moving suggestions - dh needs to be near A1) that could help? Ds might manage in a ms with a sn unit if it was not too academic (he cannot read yet but has almost stopped running IYKWIM) - however a small mld secondary with good asd understanding/ behavoural methods might suit all better. Any ideas? TIA Magso

[GalanthusNivalis]

Hi,
I don't know much about SN in Beds but I'll tell you all I know......Bedfordshire is divided up into Beds Borough and Central Beds. Both have three tier schools at the monment - lower, middle and upper. Beds Borough has been having consultations about changing to two tier but it isn't decided yet - if they do go it will be quite disruptive I would think.
There is an ASD provision at Arnold Middle School in Barton-Le-Clay. I imagine there must be other middle schools with provision also. there are a number of special schools in the county I beleive but I'm not sure where.
Hope this is in some way helpful (but I'm not sure it is

[magso]

Oh thank you Galan! I did not even know Beds had a 3 tier system. Does middle start at year 7? Thank you - it has given me a starting point.

[GalanthusNivalis]

Middle school is for years 5 through 8 and then they go onto Upper school for years 9 upwards (upper schools have sixth forms). Your DS would already be in middle school in year 5 if you lived here! I have the school transfer 2010 booklet here (DD1 is transfering to upper school next year). Apparently only a couple of the middle schools were over-subscribed last year so most will probably have places available to start year 6 next September. If you have any area in mind I can tell you about the schools closest to there from my booklet if that helps.