Will my little boy go to a mainstream school

[GrowingUpBesideYou]

My DS is 3y2m old, speech and language delayed and possibly has ASD. He can follow some basic one step commands and in the past few months has gone from completely non verbal, to being able to say about 50 words (mostly labelling) and has recently started to string a couple of words together, for ex, "drive car", "climb tree". He has no behavioural issues apart from some frustration when he is unable to communicate his needs. Can feed himself and put his own wellies on. Not yet toilet trained. Very happy in his mainstream nursery but ignores all the other children and likes to do his own thing and play with the toys alone. Doesn't join in with story time and group activities yet but will sit at the lunch table. He can count to 10 and recite some of the alphabet. Sleeps well and is a happy and great boy. I know he is still so young at 3y2m, but I'm already wondering about school and if he will go to mainstream or need a special school. Any experience or advice appreciated.

My daughter is about to turn 4 and is going to mainstream in Sept. She's delayed and either has a language disorder or ASD (on assessment pathway). Special schools are going to have much more tailored support. For my DD, she learns so much from social modelling off other kids, so I wanted her in mainstream. For some children though MS would be too busy and overwhelming and staff less trained in SEN and often less understanding. My DD, although globally delayed, seems bright in terms of numeracy and literacy, so this was another consideration, I think she is "2e / twice exceptional". I'm not thinking much beyond Reception / Infants yet because there's no way to know how her language and social skills will be in the next few years.

The class sizes and staff to student ratios in special schools are worth mentioning in this thread. My son's class has eight children and five full time adults, as well as several extra part time TAs who come in for the odd morning. It means he can be taken off for quiet 1-1 time three or four times a day, and he really benefits from that intensive interaction.

LA tried to push him into mainstream and when I talked to his SS teacher about it at his first parents evening she looked horrified and said 'But he'd just have been lost' and I know what she means. He'd have been so frightened. He loves his school and asks to go every day, which is genuinely all that matters to me.

@GrowingUpBesideYou do you have an update on your little one. I am
in a very similar position and so unsure of what to do.

As a summer born another option is to apply to delay starting reception mainstream school til the sept after he turns 5 citing the additional needs you've mentioned here mean it's in his best interest to wait.

Hi do you have an update please