To send my SEN child to boarding school abroad?

Everyone else would have started learning it at five so she’d be eight years behind. That’s the issue .

You are barking up the wrong tree with suggesting Ireland. Private schools do not provide the best education for children with SEN and I would be surprised if you found a private school that felt they could meet your daughter’s needs. Private schools tend to be sports and academic focused. By far the better SEN provision in Ireland is in public schools. Also children finish primary school after 8 years in Ireland not 7 and they start school older aged 5 is typical so your child would be up to 2 years younger potentially.

Lesson street does have boarders. Bower is what i meant I misstyped and didnt reliese. I couldnt think of any other boarding schools for girls as most have closed. And the boys ones like galbally dont apply.

What is wrong with the schools the LA want to name on her EHCP and what is the difference between the schools you want them to name? How would those schools meet her needs while the LA preferred ones can't. If you have a strong argument that shows the LA schools can't meet her needs as set out in the EHCP you can appeal.
Also how can you be sure the school in Ireland or abroad can meet her needs as her EHCP will not be valid there and they won't have a legal obligation to provide anything

Can I ask why people are talking about exemptions from learning Irish?

I don’t think this is a good idea for many reasons but if she’s an Irish passport holder, why wouldn’t she want to learn the language?

And learning any additional language is highly beneficial for the brain.

What are you talking about? Nonsensical. What is ‘boher’? The institute of education is the equivalent of a sixth form crammed and is not a boarding school. You’re not being helpful.

Wouldn't it make more sense to appeal and home educate in the meantime?

It doesn’t sound like a very good idea- surely if she needs strong pastoral support, what she needs most of all will be constant and daily support from parents at home.

My DS who has ADHD would not do well in a boarding school - he loves going on school trips and scout camps etc, but he wouldn’t cope with daily school life in another country.

Can you appeal the LA’s decision?

Or is there a compromise - what is it about the schools you want to name that they object to? Are there more suitable schools they would be prepared to name.

If you want her at school in Ireland, you’d need to move there.

Sounds like sending her to board would be a terrible idea from what you’ve said (I appreciate that it’s only a snapshot but you’ve named as one of your two priorities something that makes it sound utterly unworkable).

I just can't see any way that sending your child to boarding school in another country will be better for them. You are saying they need small classes and strong pastoral support. So how would they cope with a total life upheaval? Moving away from home; hardly ever seeing their family; having no respite from school. That would be tough for any child, but especially with SEN.

I understand your frustrations, but I think you need to keep exploring other options.

Everyone i know who is asd got an exemption and if you are coming over at 2nd level. I dont believe there are primary boarding schools you are exempt

Why do you want to send your child away?

How much is the Irish school?

I know of a few private schools in england which may fit the bill are are circa 10-12k PA, would that not be preferable?

I'm calling a wind up.

I cannot for the life of me imagine anyone sending a child overseas to board to save money. Surely the flights over and back will add up to make up for any difference. Not to mention car hire, boarding schools are not on airport routes and if you think you can hop on a train to wherever then you haven't done your research. Unless of course you dont plan on visiting at all. If that's the case, what happens if your child is sick, do you have £60 available for every GP visit?. Do you have a few 1000 saved for Dental care in Ireland?

I get that residential may be of benefit for all of you but the child should be at home for weekends and holidays. If you can't manage that then it's a terrible idea.

Boarding school would be a very tough environment for a child with SEN.
I can’t think of any I would recommend.

Do you think your child would thrive in this environment ?

How ridiculous!

How can a child simultaneously require "small classes and strong pastoral support" while also being capable of managing perfectly well living in a different country from her parents?

I call bullshit. No sensible, responsible parent would even consider this.

@Aislyn I’d look at state boarding schools here first - Cranbrook, Ripon Grammar, Sexey’s etc. There’s 34 in total:

https://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/uk-schools/advice/state-boarding-schools

Also look at Christ’s Hospital which is a charity foundation with means tested fees.

I can’t believe that the VAT is what makes British private school unaffordable. It’s a small chunk of the fees.

This can't be for real

You child needs you to help them decompress evenings and weekends. They need to know you're there whenever they need you. This applies to all children, but particularly to those with SEN.
It would be infinitely preferable for you to move in the UK to an area that offers appropriate education if your local authority won't budge.

If the child is over 11 years old they wont have to learn lrish.
BUT! Irish boarding schools have normal size classes, often a huge emphasis on academic learning and that's leaving out the sleeping there bit. I genuinely can't see how it could help except it is probably cheaper.

I wonder if you are being deliberately provocative but perhaps you are just panicking.

Even if LA name a school you don't want, it's not the end. It is just one step in a longer process. ARs for phase transfer happen this early to allow time for appeals, and phase transfer appeals get expedited. Lodge an appeal the day the EHCP is finalised and keep fighting. Engage with the named school and find it why they are so confident they can meet her needs. Get a copy of their full response to the consult even if you have to make an SAR for it (worth getting this in early as it takes a while).

Is the school or schools you want private or state, Specialist SEN or not. If private & specialist is it Sec 41? If private and nonspecialist have they already offered her a place? Parents can and do win a huge % of appeals, so as long as you are not asking for more than is reasonable you have a good chance. There is heaps of very knowledgeable help on the MN SEN boards.

Yes no way.

I think op means that as they won't name her preferred school she will give up on the ehcp and pay for private school instead.

The vat is charged to pupils with an ehcp but the la pays the vat and reclaims it if they have named the school.

I do know some families pay for private school and the ehcp pays for extra bits like the cost of 1 to 1 over the standard fee. I think the parent pays vat on thier bit.

I will go against the grain here and say I don't think it is the worst idea to look into,

The Irish education system is very different from the UK and not all SEN children are the same,

I know of a SEN child who boarded in the Grammar in Dundalk, who is very successful now,

Always worth looking at all options