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Original poster

Specialist Dyslexia Schools

34 replies

Becksharp · 14/05/2012 14:02

has anyone ever sent a child and regretted it? It would involve boarding (which I wouldn't otherwise do)

OP posts:
Original poster
Becksharp · 14/05/2012 18:52

Sadly there's nothing significantly nearer to us with a specialist unit. Plus I think it's the whole school dyslexia approach that would really assist with his self-esteem. As it stands he's invariably one of the brightest if not the brightest in any class he's in, but his attainment is always right at the bottom. I'd really like him to experience success which is happening in the mainstream

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lazymum99 · 14/05/2012 17:37

DS2 spent 3 years at a specialist dyslexia school. It was the best decision we ever made. He then moved back into mainstream where he had to board. This was because he needed a school which would be sympathetic to his difficulties with extra help where needed and this did not exist locally. Discussed using state system with the head of the specialist school and she advised that the large class sizes and the fact that he might be put in lower sets would be detrimental to his progress. He is now in a state 6th form college doing his AS levels. I could never have imagined he would get this far and I think the specialist school laid the foundations and enabled him to cope with mainstream schooling.

mummytime · 14/05/2012 17:00

Just to check you have used this siteto search? Just check no more local independents don't have a specialist unit?

Original poster
Becksharp · 14/05/2012 16:52

We're about 1hr 40 mins drive away from the nearest school which is just too far to commute every day and because of work we're just not in a position to move any nearer. I suppose I'd have to accept he might not being able to transfer back to mainstream school but I'm paying for the small class sizes at the moment anyway.

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SodThat · 14/05/2012 16:36

have you checked the distance to your nearest school? Any way he could commute to start?

soonbesailing · 14/05/2012 16:34

My DC went as a day pupil, it was really good for his self esteem, he did 2 years (yes cost a fortune).

Only downside I found is we then transferred to a state school and DC found the class sizes hard to deal with and found out how to make himself invisible as he didn't want others to see his weaknesses.

We have now transfers back to private so he is in small classes again (but not a specialist dyslexia school).

Original poster
Becksharp · 14/05/2012 16:00

That's good to hear! I don't think we will be able to get LEA funding (although haven't investigated so could be wrong), but I'm getting to the point where I think I ought to be doing it for him - even though I can't bear to part with him! But that's my selfishness because I know school is destroying him :-( Maybe it's time we started looking. Why oh why can't there be a school nearby so he can be a day boy!

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PostBellumBugsy · 14/05/2012 15:41

No regrets here. Has been a transforming experience for DS. Costing me a fortune, as I haven't been able to get any LEA help.

lostmyglasses · 14/05/2012 15:37

We had a very positive experience of a residential dyslexia school. DS went when he was 10 and he desperately needed it, he was getting nowhere at all in the state system and it was affecting his self esteem and MH. He stayed at the school until he was 18 - and now he is currently in the second year of a history degree, which he would never have been able to access if he hadn't had those years of specialist teaching.

It is really important to visit as many schools as you can, and ideally get an independent educational psychologist to assess your child and make recommendations. Our EP also visited our school to assess its suitability - that was necessary as we went to tribunal to get the LEA to pay the fees. It would have been prohibitive for DS to study all those years if we'd had to pay. Don't just look at the teaching provision, but all the usual things as well - pastoral care, food, accommodation. There were schools I visited which would probably have taught DS well, but wouldn't have suited him in other ways, e.g. not enough green space, shared bedrooms, not teaching a full range of subjects.

I really missed having DS at home but the way I saw it was that he needed that kind of education/environment and it was the only way for him to access it. It bothered me much more than him - the social side of the school was fantastic and he's made many lasting friendships there.