My brilliant son has just started high school - he has ASD (Asperger’s type) and really struggled at primary after about Y3. He was always telling us he was bored, never talked about school and we and school (who were generally very supportive) had to work hard to keep him in and on an even keel mental health wise. He found the loud class and the constant conflict (which was poorly managed) distressing and we had a child who absolutely hated school and saw no value in it.
He sat his SATS and we expected him not to meet expected levels as he produces so little work and hated the lessons but he passed them all so we hoped the right high school might help him flourish.
He’s in an independent specialist (EHCP funded) and I have a different son in less than 2 weeks. He’s been identified as reading well above his age so will have some English classes with Y9, he’s told me that he is starting to understands why maths is interesting now and that he likes the longer maths lessons.
I’ve had positive feedback from his teaching team and I just feel like crying with relief - i realised this morning for the first time in years I’m not worried he’s unhappy at school and that I’m going to get a call.
He is even starting to be open to trying new foods and is making friends.
Just goes to show how quickly change can happen in the right setting with the right people.
I hope this give other parents with children like mine that things can get better.