Residential school for high functioning ASD girl

[welshmum3]

Hi, hope im not BU posting here instead of the education topic - this seems to be busiest. I need a residential school for my very able ASD 14 year old (due to start year 10). We live in Wales, so i'd be looking for termly residential rather than weekly boarding due to distance. Mainstream isn't an option. She has a statement of SEN (EHCP in England) I'm really struggling to find anywhere which could take her through to the 'A' Levels she would be capable of with the right support in place. She has no behavioural issues as such but does struggle with expressive language and also anxiety. I've only got Dawn House in Nottinghamshire as an option (although now find this is only weekly boarding) and Alderwasely Hall in Derbyshire. Gretton in Cambridgeshire sounds ace but is also only weekly boarding. St Catherines on the Isle of Wight also possible but doesn't seem to do A level.
Also - what's the difference between 'boarding' and 'residential' as some of the options i've looked at describe their residential provision as a children's home rather than including it as part of the school. Thanks in advance for any help.

Brant wood school in Sheffield? Attached to residential care...

Afaik, a residential house for children on a 52 week placement is registered as a children's home. Houses for children on weekly or termly placements are not children's homes.

I ŵould expect in the specialist residential schools, that there would be a waking day curriculum, in that there would be liaison between therapists and the care staff, to ensure continuity in the handling of the children, teaching of independence skills, etc.

I knew a student at Dawn House from Wales, although I guess it depends on where you live in Wales? I also knew another child, who travelled 5 hours each way to a weekly placement, after the placement at a school nearer to home broke down (probably not the right specialism for their needs). There are always compromises to be made - I don't know anybody who found a residential school, perfect in every way?

You need to be very careful that the schools actually provide a decent range of options up to A level and that they'll be a suitable peer group undertaking work at a similar level. Unfortunately, many private special schools advertise capabilities that they could theoretically deal with but in practice have little experience of and certainly do not have a suitable peer group for many of the students they claim to be able to accommodate.