WWYD? School choice for dyslexic DS (age 7)

[Levithecat]

Would be really grateful for any thoughts as I don’t know what to do.

DS has dyslexia. Main issues are auditory processing, fine motor (handwriting) and organising himself. He isn’t severely impacted and is a great reader and good at maths. He has really low self esteem though, and a low perception of his abilities. This is my main concern as he’s scared to fail so becoming reluctant to try.

He’s been offered a place at a specialist school. It would be an immersive experience, with OT, SLT etc built in, and he’d be almost guaranteed to be fine in mainstream afterwards. But it costs so much - 6.5k per term. We’d have to take out a loan to afford it, but he’d only be there for 1 to 2 years.

We have another non-specialist school that has great learning support and small classes,

If he's a great reader and good at maths and not hugely impacted does he really need a specialist school? It doesn't sound like it to me, my has asd and dyspraxia but I never considered a specialist school. Is he struggling at the school he is at? It doesn't sound like it so can he not just stay there? I find children with asd/dyslexia/dyspraxia etc which are all linked can often be quite sensitive and anxious.

If you don't feel his current school is working I'd go for the cheaper school. Mine uses a laptop at secondary due to poor handwriting and writes everything he needs to remember on his hand (struggles with executive functioning). If he's happy at the school he's at though I'd just keep him there.

What strikes me is that you say that he is a good reader and good at maths, not severely impacted - sounds like the non specialist school would meet his needs, if he becomes reliant on the higher levels of support then he is less likely to develop independent learning skills which he needs as he progresses through school. How old is he?

Thank you both very much. The specialist school is an intervention so you only stay for a year or two - their focus is getting kids to be on a level with their peers in mainstream education.

DS’s is very slow at writing (Max 4 words per minute, age 7), he can’t retain info well and struggles to follow the teacher, he finds it almost impossible to focus in a busy class. His current school said he achieves ‘little to no learning’ (!). They are trying, but they can’t meet his needs. When he’s in a better setting, at home for example, he does so much better. The cheaper school could be fab, but if not, have we missed a chance to really sort him out, dented his confidence even more etc?