Advice on selective school for bright dyspraxic boy SW London

Would take a look at Trinity in Croydon - very caring ethos and still academic- amazing facilities too.
My son is about to go into yr7 - he has some SENCo issues too.

Sorry to jump on this old thread but I think you MNetters might be able to help me! Hope that's OK! Sorry I guess this has been asked before but I just can't find the thread. I have a son aged 9 who is diagnosed with dyspraxia. I have a very good friend in a different part of the country to us (Wimbledon in SW London) who thinks her son aged 8 may have fine and gross motor skill delays and possibly dyspraxia. She is keen on pursuing a private assessment (not necessarily a diagnosis but assessment and support e.g. OT). Can anyone tell me is she best finding an OT or Paediatrician or Ed Psych or someone else to assess her son? And can anyone recommend someone specifically? School are not supportive sadly. Thanks in advance x

Or Hampton Court House school? Very quirky in itself. I know it has a mixed reputation but a friend's children had a great experience there and it didn't hold them back academically - they are some of the brightest children I know, but never had pressure put on them, so are confident and blossomed in the rather eccentric atmosphere. They've just opened a 6th form that works afternoons and evenings only, in recognition that this is when most teenagers excel at learning, rather than in the morning.

Dear Daffydodo
I have exactly the same as you. My DS now 12) was flagged up with Dyspraxia very mild and JHS just a few months back after years of struggling at school and being told by teachers that he wasn't listening and couldn't keep up with writing/ copying down in class.
The Ed Psychologist also told us about his slow processing/ poor working short term memory.
Prior to this we had tried a few schools with little success and my son was badly bullied as he is so vulnerable / polite and an easy target I think as he's highly sensitive.
After taking a year out we researched and viewed a lot of schools and my DS had taster days at some.
Being a bright likeable boy all the schools offered him a place however we decided on Radnor House who made an amazing effort to understand all his fears and needs and were the only school to offer him extra time and a computer to assist him during his assessment .
It's co-ed so for quirky gentle children seems better than the rougher all boy sporty schools . The Art teacher is very kind and switched on to the children's special needs.
We are hoping to start there after the next half term.
Good luck with your search. It's not easy to find the right environment but fingers crossed we've found it now.

Tricky, Radnor House might suit your DD. Small and friendly. Good facilities but not much outdoor space. No idea how sporty it is but I know lots of DC who are there who have very mild SN, too mild for a diagnoseis but they just need a nurturing environment.

Hi Tricky - Take a look at St Catherines in Twickenham. Small classes, strong pastoral care, good Senco. Strong, very strong music.

Another child-centric, inclusive SW school - Kew House School. They take a range of academic (and sporting, and creative) abilities, but this does include some very bright kids. It is small still, as new, so less options than a big school, but all the boys I know there are very happy - and some are decidedly quirky

The SENCO at St Olave's is fantastically knowledgable and good at what she does and it's reflected in the school culture (obviously that is very selective and in SE London so that one will depend where you are). Also Graveney, which has a partially selective intake plus a very well-resourced SN hub.

Also Graveney if you're near enough, and possibly Burntwood too (second round offers stretch quite a distance, or at least did a couple of years ago).

Alleyns if coed ok for you DD. Look at JAGs (on the getting your eye in principle) - don't know how much difference the new head is making.

I'd think of S&CHS for pastoral care: it's one of the smaller GDST schools and has a lovely atmosphere with a serious musician as head. Otherwise, the other GDST schools are all likely to be fine, and worth looking at Francis Holland, Sloane Square too.

Should have said - same area - SW London

Hello - don't mean to change direction of this too much but I too have a bright dyspraxic / hypermobile girl so this thread is very much of interest - if anyone has any recommendations in terms of girls that would be very much of interest - similarly sports a challenge but loves art / drama / reading / music. She will need a nurturing environment. Thanks very much in advance.

Quite a lot of non sporty boys at westminster under,as well as jocks. If you are in the lower soccer groups you can, as ds2 amply demonstrates , just stand around. Plus in year 7 and 8, which would be his entry point, you can choose to do ultimate frisbee, badminton, table tennis etc instead of soccer and Cricket.

You'll probably need to look at several schools, so you can compare (and get your eye in, IYSWIM). Both those which sound promising, and long shots.

And try to collar the relevant staff members (learning support, games department, Head of Year) and ask some very specific questions about how they would meet your DS's needs (ideally with examples of what has been provided before).

I've praised Dulwich's written policy as published, but you need also to satisfy yourself whether they actually live up to it.

Also, it might be worth talking to your LEA about their procedure for assessing exceptional medical and social need, as this is a permitted entrance criterion for a number of state schools, and if it is accepted that he falls into this category then your chances of securing a suitable state school offer could increase quite a bit.

Radnor house might be an option but I agree with the posters who say not to write off the academically more pushy schools. I have a nephew at Ibstock and they make it very clear that they do not support or accept pupils with SN- I think that's very wrong but there you go.
I have a dd with sn who is similarly not sporty but very bright and she is at an academic independent school. We have tried all sorts, including the state sector and are happy with the school she is in now.

I have a very dyspraxic DS in the U6 at Radnor House and the school have been great with him. He can't play contact sports either which hasn't caused any problems at all. He uses a laptop for all exams got great GCSE's and currently has 5 offers to read History at Uni. It a small and nurturing school where he has been very happy - not sure how far it is from you but it might be worth a look?

You perhaps need to ask Dulwich what they offer for boys who mustn't do contact sports (accessibility policy shows commitment to inclusivity, and lists recent examples of particular requirements they have been able to meet).

Also, worth looking at all schools which have boarding houses. Not because I'm recommending boarding, but because they have much better medical centres on site than day schools. Which could be useful if frequent injury and need for painkillers during the day is a feature of your DS's condition.

From what you describe, I would look at smaller, more nurturing schools such as Kew House or Radnor House (Twickenham). He sounds as though he would thrive in the type of school where every teacher knows your name. These schools also do not have playing fields on site, so no pressure to join in with the ubiquitous football every day. Although both are new schools, with a developing or unproven academic record, there is no reason why a bright child should not do very well there.

Have a look at Dulwich College. Which entry point are you thinking of?

It's great all round, and its learning support department is good (and can cope with mild and moderate dyspraxia). Art department is good. It's a big school, and so the arty, nerdy, thespian, musical and many other 'types' can all find like-minded friends. It's also one of the more diverse schools (visibly and mixed heritage white).

Also, although all boys play rugby in the autumn term of year 7, it's differentiated so if not in a team squad it'll be a relatively gentle experience. It's hockey or football in the spring term. If not in a team squad, team sports can be given up after year 7 and there is a good range of other sports to chose from.

It's in an SE postcode, but easily reached from much of SW London.

(Rugby is compulsory through much of Emanuel, so probably one to scrub).