DS form class in comp

I would seek advice from someone else about the suggestion you don’t let your son know about the pathway. I think it’s morally questionable (I also have a 11yo boy)

This!!! Ridiculous

It won't necessarily be obvious, depending on how it's organised. I had a form that was targetted for support - there were several SEN kids and an LSA who went to all their lessons, but they were balanced by a good bunch of bright kids, so it was still a mixed-ability group. The main difference from another class that might have had only one or two SEN kids was that they had LSA support every lesson rather than just some.

Leave him in the class with extra support.
He'll still see his friends at breaks and lunch.
If his class is for children needing extra support, it's likely they will all be separated from friends so keen to make new ones!

The school will likely not teach everything in the same class, so he may well see them in other classes as well (e.g. DC's school teach most things in the same class in Year 7, but they do set for maths and PE and some others subjects are run in different groups).

His senco strongly recommended not telling him until diagnosis but this could take years.

I’m sorry but that’s utter madness. I can’t think why you wouldn’t be open with your child about things they find tricky. And needing help as a parent to identify why they find certain things harder in order to provide the right support.

Both dc are Dyslexic, Autistic and ADHD. We’ve been taking about ‘different brains’ for some years now well before a diagnosis confirmed my suspicions.

In terms of tutor groups it’s very likely he’ll still be with his friends for some lessons. I know some schools tend to break up groups of children who’ve all joined from the same school to encourage social cohesion.

Tell him he needs the support
He will still see his friends at school at breaktime.

After the first day he will be fine

1 secondary school near us does that, they stay in all the same classes as form class for 1 year they get split into ability sets after that. The other kids are in forms but are mixed with other forms for their classes they keep all classes except maths in mixed ability levels.
If you're so needs help and he is getting it I would leave home where he is.

Do you know any parents with older children in that school, ask how that class is perceived / works?

I’d leave him in the supported form, where there will be smaller groups and he’ll get more support for learning. It might be that he’s able to move to a larger group later, but if he’s in that to start with and he has poor initial experiences, it could put him off secondary school at the outset.

The TAs might well be helping Year 7 to find their way around to begin with and directing them to the next class.

I think I'd do the same however I'd be very careful with the language I use if he needs to transfer to the SEN form. You don't want him to feel that he's a failure. Ic this is the root to be taken present it as an opportunity to have lessons that suit him better.

In your shoes I’d trial him with his friends, then request a move to supported form if things are not working. Be honest about trialing them and explain about one class offering more TA support and the other offering more friendship support.

See above..typo...

If he's the most neuro typical not neurological!

I get that on the face of it it seems odd that you haven't told him he's 'on the pathway' but not everything requires a specific sit down conversation. It sounds like neurodiversity is something that's discussed naturally within your home so he's probably already wondered where he fits in.
My first task would be to establish exactly what this class involves. How does it differ in its teaching methods other than by having additional teaching assistance. My concern would be that rather than offering a tailored teaching environment its more of a dumping ground for those that might be disruptive.
I hate using these words but to an extent when it comes to our kids, it's everyman for himself. If your son's differences aren't extreme and he has decent friends and is academically on target it might be beneficial having him in a mainstream class. If he's the most neurological pupil in the SEN class he might find it chaotic/dumbed down.
On the flip side in a mainstream class he could find it soul destroying always being 'that kid'...forgotten his pen, knocked over the paint, cut his finger, got told off for taking etc...constantly told what he's doing wrong. The SEN class might recognise that he needs to be allowed to 'think out loud', maybe more kinetic learning, having a TA to remind him every lesson to put ghe date and topic in his book etc.
If he goes into the mainstream class and it doesn't work out I'm assuming he could transfer. I'd imagine it's less likely to happen the other way around.To make the right decision you need more information. Ultimately I'd go with my instincts.

Every parent and child worries about friendship groups before secondary school. This is perfectly normal for you both to be worried about.

But in virtually every case it ceases to be an issue within a week or two. Friendships form, strengthen or fall back in equal measure. Even if he was in the form with his friends there is no guarantee they will hang out as much in six months and he will have lost all that extra support.

For my two pennies, I say get him the extra help, but have a conversation with him about his ADHD.

Your on pathway. I'd discuss your possible diagnosis with dc. Then say to him that perhaps he might be like you and that your going to see the Dr to talk about him and adhd. You talk about brains working differently etc so talk to him about why you think he may have this and why he may feel the way he does.
I found it helpful to have a list of famous people with adhd. Also setting up mechanisms to help himself. Like phone reminders, voice recording reminders for hw etc

Are you sure all his primary friends are in one class together?

This seems unlikely and kids can get things wrong, or have you heard via the parents?

We have PSHE at our place Personal, Social and Health Education. The C may stand for Community or something.

I would be discussing further with the Senco the rationale for not telling him what people are considering. Where I am, ADHD assessment requires a referral to CAMHS and if it was for a cognitively able 11 year old we would expect him to know why we were seeing him and agree to the process (parents would give consent at that age but he gets a say in it too and has a right to know about his own health care)

Every school is different. And how they stream their subjects. I would ring school and ask to speak to sen staff and get structure explained

Is he going to be in many lessons with his form class? In most of the schools I've worked kids would only be in that class for registration and then PSHCE.

If he's attained lower grades or been struggling academically he is likely to be setted into different classes from his primary school friends anyway....

Kids make new friends very quickly for the most part when they start secondary.

seems strange advice not to tell an 11 year old what’s going on with them, but I guess they have their reasons to suggest it’s got the best.

is it just a form class and then they move to other classes for lessons? if so I would t worry as they don’t spend all that long in their form anyway and he may benefit from a more supportive environment.

You've answered your own question then. He needs the support and he's going to be getting it.

I genuinely wouldn't be concerned about the friends issue.