How do I find out why I went to SEN school.

[Youagain2025]

When i was a child 8 or maybe nine. I'm quite sure it was year 3? I jointed a school for children with moderate learning difficulties. I was not told why and I never questioned it. I feel like there's a big chunk that i don't know about myself. I'm not sure if things were done differently on the mid 80s like what would have been done to decide i needed to ho to a special needs school. I guess there were not ehcps back then ? I have read GP would have had records. Why would a GP have records about my schooling ? I read that i can ask for a SARS? But it said something about knowing the dates and what it is im looking for . I'm not even 100% on the dates. And I'm not sure how to word what I'm looking for.

I was going to say the exact same. In kindness, the responses, confusion and multiple spelling mistakes (yes, this could be dyslexia) also made me think the the OP does have some additional needs.

Submitting a subject access request to the previous school is normally quite easy. I’ve posted below a suggested template but please feel free to adjust - you just need to email it to the school.

Dear [Name]

Subject : subject access request

I am writing to formally request access to any and all personal data your institution holds about me, in accordance with the GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.

My details are as follows:

Name (including any previous names)
Date of birth
Address (include any previous address that you might have had at the time)

To assist you in locating the personal data, I attended the school between approx [year] to [year]. My address at the time is set out above.

Please provide me you a copy of my personal data electronically via email to [insert email address]. Please confirm receipt and let me know if you require further information or identification to process my request.

yours sincerely

Name

They might ask to see a copy of your ID to confirm you are who you say you are. The dates you include in the request don’t need to be precise - so you’re better off specifying a few years if you’re unsure as to precise dates.

I did sort of wounder about autism. But im also not sure. My ds has autism and he's years 5 working at year 1 level. Adult dd has a diagnosis of bipolar although I have heard that can be misdiagnosed. Not sure though. My grandson has autism, my other grandson likely does but no diagnosis yet. But also if there could be a possibility of autism for myself. If I talk to gp I'm likely to automaticly mask it and come across as articulate. So probably cover it up without knowing it then sent away . And then I won't know if there's truly nothing or if there is its just that i hid it

First part of your post I sort of get what your saying . My mind feels a bit like spaghetti junction. Someone will say something then that leads for me to question it . Them someone else will have a different opinion then I think well maybe that person is right. Maybe it's a bit of both . And I just fall into a hole of stuff

I don’t think you worked in ordinary mainstream schools will have experience of kids in ordinary mainstream schools. I think the OP was eloquent. I think that shows by the number of people who replied and want to reply and help.

Thank you . I have screen shot that si i cam look later.

Not read all the responses, but your first step OP would be to make an appointment with your GP to see if you have a documented intellectual impairment or a diagnosis of Autism. If they dont have a record of this, explain that you went to SEN schools and would like an assessment if your learning needs.

I’d start with gp records. Often there will be letters perhaps supporting referral to a school. Do you have someone to sit with you and go through. Often language is very of its time and could be upsetting. There used to be schools for educationally sub normal for example, seeing letters typed up like that isn’t nice for you.
My friend went to a special school simply as she had heart condition. She moved to mainstream at 10. It was a different era.

Honestly OP, I think you need to prioritise speaking to your GP. Ask for a double appointment and talk to them about everything you’ve said here, in whatever order it falls out of your head. Fuck writing letters to people. Go and talk to a human being.

You can definitely co to your gp and they will likely refer you for an autism assessment if you explain (might help to write it down and hand it to the gp or just write a list for yourself of things to talk about- whatever feels most comfortable)
you can explain how you went to a special school as a child, and are wondering about possible autism for xyz reasons, they should understand. You could even do an autism screening questionnaire and bring it along with you to show them if that will help you to explain yourself

It feels harder with a GP than here . I feel like GP just wants rid of you its all rush rush , here I almost don't care if i come across a bit odd ( I don't know what word to use ) but it feels different with the GP. I mogjt email first

Haven't rtwt, but Parkside is a lovely school and I am sure would try and help.

How do I do an autism screening?

Yeah I know what you mean about the GP- but you can ask to book a double appointment to get more time. Do you know them at your surgery? Would it be easier to talk first to someone else there? Like the nurse (if your surgery has one?)- and then they could recommend a specific GP and the double appointment to get the ball rolling?

I didn't notice many spelling mistakes.
As for confusion, this happens on all MN threads. Even on this one, someone asked why OP started school at 8 or 9 when there was no indication in the OP that she had never been to any kind of school before that age.

To ask about an assessment now, yes, but if it's to look at past records, I think OP might find it much easier to ask in writing. They will also probably need some kind of formal request.

Just saw the comments about multiple spelling mistakes, where? And confusion?I was frankly impressed by the well-written post. I know lots of people with serious problems with spelling and explaining themselves

Wow what an attitude

However impressed you are with the OP, it’s very clear from her posts that she has a learning difficulty, if not disability. She also clearly has an executive function disorder.

Who?

Look OP, if there’s any ND or suggestion of learning difficulties then yes, it will be on your medical records. I was diagnosed with ADHD by my GP as a child (yes, my GP) and when my current GP’s practice went digital, they created online access to patient’s medical records. So, I spent an entire evening scrolling back and there it was, on my record, ADHD. Even though it was a different GP practice many, many years ago. Alongside all my other diagnosed conditions and every single vaccination I’ve ever had since birth including the ones done at school.

You. I’m referring to your snappy attitude towards posters trying to help you. If you’re going rebut every suggestion anyone makes, then why post at all?

You might struggle to get a diagnosis for autism, but that doesn't mean it's impossible.

Part of the investigation often needs a history from someone who can list your struggles and had known about them in detail from childhood. This can be a parent or a sibling or a close family member but they do need to be able to explain how your struggles have put you at a significant disadvantage all of your life and tie it back to autism.

They also need a family history to rule out other possible conditions that display similarly like early infancy infections, birth complications from your mum, foetal alcohol syndrome etc.

Now I know not all providers require so much information but this was my experience through the NHS for my diagnosis and to my understanding is the standard for evidence they should be looking for before diagnosing you with a lifelong developmental condition, which is why I'm saying that for you personally it might be hard to get a diagnosis but not impossible as it depends who you have available to give evidence at the early life history appointment, and depending on your own trusts processes or whether you decide to go privately.

I agree with other PPs that the reason that you were probably referred to a SEN school is what we would now call dyslexia but back in the 80s they did not so much care about the distinction of your diagnosis but rather the presentation of your need. They also probably wouldn't have recognised if you were autistic or not as autism was previously known as infantile schizophrenia, which evolved into autism for high support needs individuals and aspergers for low support needs individuals, but we now have a wider understanding that it is all just autism and different people fall within a different spectrum of need within if they meet the criteria for diagnosis.

I dont think you're going to get an answer about this from looking at why you went to a SEN school. You had a legitimate need to be in one, but you still have legitimate needs and differences from the general population and if you want to know what they are you need to speak to your GP and ask for a referral.

I think your possibly taking me the wrong way im not sure.

Also, if you received a diagnosis of Autism in childhood that has been kept from you then even if not given by GP (which they aren’t anymore and haven’t been for a long time) this will still be on your medical records. Medical records are kept from birth until long after death. Please don’t presume that these are discarded over time.

Yeah I get that, if i decide to look at possible diagnosis I will do it later. I want to get the history things first. See what I find. Because I may get my answers from that and not need to do any more.