To think the standard of learning in a special secondary school ,will mean few pupils sit GCSEs

[Kickanxietyinthebeanbag]

We have a place at a special secondary school for next school year
When visiting we were told the students that reach the correct level can sit GCSEs
My teacher friend says many won’t reach that standard because the standard of teaching will be low in the class,.due to disruption and children being behind.
so a year 9 student most likely won’t be doing year 9 work ,because the students won’t be up to that level ,therefore won’t reach the standard needed to sit exams.
Another friend who’s child goes to that school says ,children are allowed to wander the corridors,if they don’t want to go to a lesson ,as the school wants them to want to learn ,not force them to learn.
In which case my child would choose to never attend a lesson .
I’m so torn ,on what to do
I wondered if anyone had any experience of special schools they could share .
Sorry to post in AIBU ,I just wanted to catch people who may not post on SEN boards

Autism is a huge spectrum my son has severe autism and learning disabilities he currently goes to a SEN primary school and will be going to a SEN high school it's highly unlikely he will.sit GCSE,s w have two SEN high school,s in my LEA one of them that takes less complex pupils does offe r GCSE,s to Some pupils but most students don't pass with high grades

I think it’s worrying that you haven’t been able to view the school whilst children are present (I presume this was before Covid kicked off?). How can you make a decision without properly seeing the school and being able to judge whether your child would fit in there? My child is due to start a special secondary school in September and we looked round several (some more than once). I ruled them in or out based on what I observed.

@ButterfliesAndDandelions it was very interesting to read your post. I have another child with almost the same diagnoses as you. I know I could fight to get him into a specialist provision, but he won’t do as well. He has significant SEN, but is also high achieving and on the G&T programme at school. It is hard trying to find a balance where his needs and potential can be adequately met.

We fought for dd to have special provision in a normal school but she wasn't disruptive and was able to study independently - she had her own "office", laptop and was allowed to attend lessons if she wished or worked independently in her "office" if she needed time out from the noisy classrooms

Ps dd didn't communicate with other kids at 11, she's now at university and had friends, a long term boyfriend etc autism is a spectrum but they can develop massively over the teen years

Of course okiedokie, but my son also has severe learning disabilities he's ten in a couple of weeks and non verbal so however much he does develop in his teen years he is highly unlikely to go to university.

My son attends a specialist provision which only takes children capable of sitting GCSEs but who cant access a mainstream curriculumn. About half of the pupils have ASD. They only sit 5 GCSEs as emotionally thats all most can do and theres no language option. All the children are supported into further education or apprentiships.
The school isnt an oasis of calm, however it is calmer than a mainstream because mainstream schools arent an oasis of calm either. Children do have meltdowns and wander out of the classroom to help regulate themselves but they are less distruptive in the classroom than a mainstream school, and transitions in the corridors, lunch etc are much calmer.
My son hasnt quite settled in yet though.

My daughter is autistic and went to a special secondary school. She got a few GCSEs ( art, catering, travel and tourism? and did entry level maths and English and her D of E. She then went to the special dept in a mainstream college and is now in the mainstream area with support.

Compared to some of her similar peers who went to mainstream high, she is much happier- she was happy with friends at high school and this positive experience has meant she has done well at college. She didn’t have access to ‘academic’ GCSEs but she was challenged and supported with her work. There are so many things to consider. For her it was the right choice. I think some of the abler children did GCSEs at a local high school with support too- so that might be an option.

My DD left her SEN school with the equivalent to grade C GCSE.

There was less pressure from the curriculum and added on activities made school enjoyable. That and the lack of bullying. There was bits go on but nothing like what went on in our two local high schools, which were the options. My DD would have been slaughtered in there.

There a few parents with children with EHCPs in the mainstream schools now and they are having a terrible time with bullying. Another parent has had to remove her son, they'd have drove him to suicide.

It's important to get a EHCP and apply at college. My DD did NVQs, she wanted a certain vocation. It took her a year longer because she went into a transitional class for SEN. She needed the conference boost and to grow up a bit. She now works full time in her vocation.

I wish i could have got my eldest into a SEN school, she also had to suffer mainstream. Came out of school with no qualifications, but has worked her way up to a management position on a good pay scale. She's done the functional skills qualifications along the way, with NVQs etc.

My middle, no issues, mainstream DD, very clever etc but rejected college is on a management training pathway in her retail job. She's a key worker obviously and it's meant life hasn't changed for her during this, unlike some of her friends who are now struggling.

I know the pay grade wouldn't suit everyone. But they are happy with their lives and their choices.

You haven't mentioned his EHCP (I'm assuming he has one if a specialist school has been offered)
Make sure the advice is up to date (e.g. from Educational Psychologist) the outcomes are aspirational and the provision (Section F) matches the identified needs (Section B)
If the EHCP accurately reflect your child, it is much easier to consult with schools and easier for schools to say they can or can't meet need. (Although many will say they can't meet need so they don't have to take the child on, which is a different problem)
If any of the advice in the EHCP is out of date, ask for an emergency Annual Review and request updated advice.
If he hasn't got an EHCP, make a parent Al request for assessment.
Good luck.

It would wildly depend on the school, but I would find it very concerning that they never allow visits during school times. How are parents meant to judge whether it’s a good fit for their child if they never see it running?

There’s a school near me that’s for various conditions such as autism, adhd and attachment disorder. My eldest foster child was assessed for autism but it was felt he more likely had attachment issues. When we were thinking about secondary for him I thought that school might be lovely and nurturing for him, as I was worried how he’d cope with secondary. We were allowed to visit during school time and I’m glad I did as on the website it sounded great but when I visited it was horrendous! Broken windows all over the place that kids had broken, kids storming out of lessons and being followed by staff checking they weren’t going to hurt themselves or anyone else. We werent allowed in the classrooms while lessons were on, fair enough, but I could see through the windows that kids were lounging about on windowsills, on mobile phones etc. I’m sure the staff did a fab job with very difficult children, but it was not the environment for my boy. He would have been terrified!

In the end we chose a school with very strict discipline and a good pastoral side and he has really flourished there.

The school is the only one in the huge area around us ,at our meeting and view we were told there are 50 children for every place ...so that’s a lot of children not getting the school they need .
The school has never allowed children to view untill they start attending.
You don’t question it ..because there is no choice .
You don’t question it either because the head is on the panel making choices over which child gets a place ..with 50 kids wanting one place ,they don’t need to take a child where parents are questioning how they do things .
If I turn it down ,there is nothing else ,excepT to move house ,

I do show parents round, but I very, very strongly discourage them from bringing their children. If the child likes the school, but then doesn't given a place if may affect how they settle into the placement that are given. If the child doesn't like it when they visit, but the parents do then another problem is created. It's much better if just the parents come at placement decision time, then actual transition for the child is planned as a totally separate thing.

*isn't given

The LA have the responsibility to educate your child. If that is the only special school in the area, what happens to the other 50 children who don't get a place? You need to be talking to your SEN Officer, not the Head.
Would your child be better in a smaller mainstream provision with a water tight EHC Plan? Or perhaps more flex-schooling and you could ask for a personal budget for education to employ tutors? LA will probably say that they don't that but you have the right to ask.
It is hard to get into any special school, however, a lot of schools not only allow visits, they also complete a home visit and assessment placements before offering a place, as they would rather ensure that the school is right for the child, rather than a disastrous transition for our SEN children

Completely depends on the school, we've got a special school locally that out performed one if the mainstream secondaries. They have an academic stream for students with autism who do extremely well.

the standard of teaching will be low in the class,

What makes you think the teaching is going to be shit just because it's SEN?? That is quite insulting to every SEN teacher...staff in SEN schools want their pupils to achieve just as much as staff in mainstream school....yes not all our pupils will get GCSEs but that has nothing to do with teaching it's the pupils abilities....if GCSEs aren't achievable other qualifications can be gained

In the secondary school for asd in my LA, there are different streams for the children at different levels and there is definitely one for children who will go on to do GCSEs. However, I don't think they do the full range of subjects due to anxiety and their other needs. It seems very strange that you are not allowed to visit when the children are in!