Would you move to be nearer a SEN school?

[Mamma173637]

Would you move to be nearer a SEN school for your child, including one out of county?

We're renting and looking to buy a house soon. But we can't until a SEN school is decided. And even then I'm told that it can a few tries to find the right one, or the needs of the child can change and the school is no longer right so you have to find another. And then you have to start all over again with secondary (for us in 4 years).

And if we choose a school out of county, we can't actually leave our current county, or else we risk the school place.

We don't have any particular ties apart from work which we can drive to. At best we can try to move closer to a few potential schools so we're in the limit for LA funded transport. We've visited almost all the ones on our list, but the issue of where to live is making me despondent. I don't want to give my child a huge commute on top of all their other challenges. (They currently walk 10 mins to mainstream.) I guess we're fortunate in a way to have the option to move, but we don't want to rent anymore - it feels so transient and such a waste of money and we want to put some roots down somewhere.

Any advice?

At best we can try to move closer to a few potential schools so we're in the limit for LA funded transport.

I would absolutely do this, look for a house reasonably close to the school that I felt best about. You can't future-proof this as you're aware, you can't anticipate how your child will develop in future. All you can do is make sure the school is as right for them now as you can. In the best school for your child with good interventions and support, they may well learn to cope with things that would surprise you now. You don't really know at this stage how they will be in time, you only know how they are now. So that's what you've got to work with.

You've visited most, you probably have an idea which ones you'd rule out. Either way, draw a circle on the map around the schools you'd be OK with and look for a suitable house within that area. It does help if it's within the LA's transport distance.

There is no limit for LA funded transport. There is a recommend travel time, but some do travel further where necessary.

Be aware if you move LA with an EHCP, the new LA will review the EHCP and potentially amend, reassess or propose to cease to maintain. You would be able to able, but it is something you need to be aware of. That applies whether the current placement is in your current LA, the LA you are proposing to move to or another LA.

That's true. The issue is the schools we are looking at now are independents and they expressed concern about the travel time. We also obviously don't want child to travel more than an hour.

And yes we probably won't risk moving to a new LA because the cost of an independent is astronomical and I can't bear the thought of starting over.

At the same time I'm gutted we can't live near the school. My child and I both love our walks to school - his language is delayed but he has much chat in those 10-15 mins.

I would and wish we had. My DC travel so far and all their friends are the other side of town.

If you're thinking about primary also look at high schools, I was surprised the high schools with provision were nowhere near the primaries with provision, we would have had to move again.

Wholly independent or a section 41 independent?

Section 41 independent

If it is a section 41 independent you don’t need the school to offer a place. So whilst obviously travelling longer than the recommended travel time isn’t ideal, many do travel further for the right school and the school can’t refuse to admit if they are named.