To wonder where the F!#k a bright child with SEN who's been "managed out" is supposed to go to school?!?

[WTAFisgoingon]

As far as I can tell there is a massive gap in provision for academically average or above average children who have SEN, for example:

• Local private schools (including the one we have just been "managed out" of) say DC's SEN (basically mild HFA with a tiny bit of other stuff) is something they cannot cope with so "it is in DC's best interests to look for a school with better SEN provision"

• Special Needs Schools say DC is too academically able (B grade student, roughly) and SEN is too mild for DC to need a Special Needs school and that "it is in DC's best interests to attend a mainstream school".

• Local state school and LA advise that DC's needs are not severe enough to qualify for an EHCP, so they cannot offer any real support. DC would be stuck in a class of 30 in a not very good school doing work a year easier than necessary without much support at all.....

Surely there must be many other kids in this position - too academically able or mildly affected to qualify for any sort of special provision, but too severely affected to be wanted in the private sector....... And all I keep hearing is that nobody wants to take DC because its in the child's best interests to find another type of school ........ Well, where is this magic school!? I can only assume that children like DC are expected to fail in their (possibly bad) local states until they are doing so badly that they do qualify for an EHCP!?! AIBU to feel this is the case and feel depressed and cross about it??

Of course grass

WTAFisgoingon, I agree but would go further. There is a massive gap in provision for academic children, full stop. Its a problem all over the country and doesn't just affect children with SEN.

I think possibly if the SENCO was good. They'd be required to meet the needs if the DC met the academic entrance targets anyway, wouldn't they? If you think the meltdowns are occurring because of lack of academic challenge it would be worth looking into - obviously much cheaper than independent.

I can recommend More House in Frensham.

Small classes of 10 or so, accepts boys with HFA, provides support in every lesson plus all boys receive learning support as part of their timetable which includes occupational therapy and speech and language therapy and social skills lessons for those who need that support.

Yes my friends ds is extremely bright, and I think part of the meltdowns are that he is not challenged academically enough and gets bored. I am sure he would be able to do the enterence exams with provision, like in his own room, mabey with a computer, rather like I had at uni as I am dyslexic.

It looks like my friend will have to look at some grammar schools, and talk to their SENCOs.

We home educate our nine year old son, who is HFA and exceptionally bright, the local school were failing him both intellectually and socially. The SEN school stated that he was far too bright and that they couldn't provide an education, that would stimulate him intellectually. They were not open to a shared placement.

Home education has made an enormous difference to our son, we are helping him to develop socially whilst he is also able to develop at his own level. As an ex primary school teacher, I despair at the impact that Inclusion has made to children on the spectrum. I cannot see a point in the near future, where my son will be able to return to the education system them. We have chosen to focus, on ensuring that our son can function in society. We need to know that he can function in the real world. Our son is still learning constantly, he will likely spend his entire life learning. So many Autistic children are leaving school, with knowledge and grades, but unable to function in day to day life. What use are A levels if they can't communicate to a Dr that they are unwell, or pay for shopping in a supermarket.

mummy you are right, it is great that you are able to home educate, being an ex primary school teacher, you have the right skills to teach your ds, I really don't think I could or would have the energy to. My dd is 9 and goes to a fantastic ASD school, she not only has a differentiated curriculum KS1 and beginning KS2 with her, but they teach her how to function in society, how to identify her emotions, and manage them. They teach them how to be independent adults, they employ a SALT and OT privately, and she has weekly sessions which are also built into her curriculum. I could never be able to match that.

I think because her ASD school is the only LEA one within the County, they are also opening their doors to children with HFA as well and providing an appropriate curriculum for them.

If relocation is an option pm me. Am in deepest Scotland but schools (and classes) are very small and SEN is well-resourced.

I agree Peach - schools on the whole are under pressure to meet a whole range of needs which tends to focus on the middle with some kind of add on for either end of the curve.

Unfortunately I believe there are a significant number of professionals out there who don't fully appreciate that you can have kids with SpLDs/Autism spectrum/Social communication problems/ADD/ADHD etc... who can also be academic. Their additional needs can cause problems for teachers who are either under resourced or who have professional difficulties adapting their teaching methods to suit these children.

We're having the same problem for DS. Currently looking for a senior school (13+). It really does feel like a choice between academic or SpLD provision. Independents especially have their pick of kids and the kids can 'fail' in year 6 (pre test) to gain entry and you have little to no recourse. Not because your child can't excel academically but because the school has a very cookie cutter method of teaching.

The schools have (under resourced) learning support departments - as they have to now with the Disabilities Act/provision. However, it does feel very tacked on for a number of schools. Something that they legally have to provide but not something they support or embrace.

It really does feel like a choice between academic or SpLD provision.

This is it. We weren't even looking for some high-faluting academic 'academic' provision, just somewhere where DS could access a full complement of subjects and still have his SN adequately catered for.

Thank you all so much!

I think there are too many Comments to reply individually now, but to some of you who asked similar questions, yes, I have actually visited the school and was not very impressed with any of it really! The SENCO was not very helpful, the kids seemed quite rowdy, there didn't seem to be any differentiation of work. Plus some other more minor issues.

Thanks to everyone who suggested specific schools. I will make a list and go through them all.

I really don't feel I have the skills to home educate either!! Nor do I think my blood pressure could take it

Dacre yes, it's appalling. I think the truth may be that for an awful lot of kids, perhaps even most kids, a class of 30 without much TA support does hinder their learning and perhaps the LA's worry they are on a slippery slope to giving special provision to an unrealistically large number of kids, or having to admit the system is failing in many places.

I've flicked through your posts, but have you tried a mixed school.
Boys can often be a bit more 'interesting'. In both my son's years at their prep there is a significant percentage of children who are a bit different, my younger son being one of them.
Alterntaively could you do a mixed provision schooling with the local state school and then just get a tutor on the days that she's at home?

OP - I think you are spot on in your last comment - i think many children get lost in a class of 30 and never reach their true potential. I suspect that my dd has HFA, as she has some social and anxiety type issues. She is very academically able and I really worry about what will happen to her at secondary level.

Karoleann what do you mean by a "mixed" school? Do you mean mixed provision such as reduced have read combined with some home ed?

If your DS's Prep is in the south of England within a two hour ish commute of London I'd love you to PM me the name?

NotContent yeah, I suspect these sorts of problems are very common, but can only really be dealt with by LA's having more funding available to provide lots of smaller classes / more staff. Given the immenant school places crisis I imagine it's more likely we are heading in the opposite direction - I'd not be surprised if we ended up with classes of 35-40 becoming the norm again...... Not that I'm trying to say it's all about class sizes, but I'm sure it's a big factor for a lot of children, along with class discipline issues.

My son is very bright but has dyspraxia and epilepsy. We home ed him and it has worked well for us. He has some tutors plus goes to various home ed groups to socialise ( plus swimming lessons and Woodcraft Folk). It has worked out well for us. We also home ed his NT younger brother who is thriving too. I used to teach in the local schools and I know that kids with SEN are just left to sink to the bottom. I would die before I'd send my son there.

Have a look at the Priory, Cambian and Witherslack group OP. My DS is at a Priory group school for Aspergers and got a full set of top GCSEs and is now doing A Levels. They are highly specialist schools so you get all the therapists on site, with dyslexia specialists and psychologists as well. DS boards as we don't live nearby, and our LA pays the fees and taxi transport to school as it was named on his EHCP.

Couple more schools to look at:

Shiplake - Henley
King's Bruton - Somerset

What a great thread, I didn't even know about the existence of IPSEA. So I have now contacted them to get started. My DC attends school in a different county to what we live in, but school says their hands are tied and their EP cannot assess DC as we don't live in the county, if I try for an EP assessment on medical grounds the waiting list is 2+ yes. Neither county is taking responsibility for her education, her school are trying but are very limited in what they can do. I'm so desperate for her not to fall behind I've considered tutors for the summer. Home Ed isn't a practical solution for us and all the schools in our county within a 15 mile radius are full.

IPSEA are a wonderful charity. It sounds like your LA are doing the usual thing of cheerfully breaking the law until someone forces them to stop TBH.

My daughter teaches at local grammar school, they have children with SEN. I know they have kids with dyslexia and ASD, probably other issues. It doesn't seem to be a problem.

I've heard good things about More House in Surrey. Also Frensham Heights near Farnham.
I do think there is a huge gap in the system for dc like yours

What about the nas schools? Or are they more for classic asd kids?