How do you do the school run for secondary school (SEN) with a younger child?

[Jollofoldmaninaredsuit]

Hi,
My DD has an EHCP and our ideal school (mainstream) is in the centre of the city (UK top five). We live three miles out of town; getting into town on a morning is horrendous. I tend to cycle. I don't think we'll get a taxi as part of EHCP.

The problem is getting her there. She won't be able to get there on her own on public transport as she is too vulnerable and has no common sense (sorry dd!)
I can move my schedules around at work and cycle in with her but it would mean she would have to wait around for an hour/ two hours until I finished work to come home again.
My second problem is I have a younger child. He will be in year 4. How do I get him to school, at the same time as I am also cycling with dd?
What do other single parents do? Should I try to explore other schools that may have breakfast clubs? Do secondaries offer wrap around?

You should apply for transport. You might get a personal travel budget to employ a supporter to escort her on public transport. Make the case it will increase her independence skills in the long term ( and might be cheaper than a taxi for the LA)

What are you basing this choice of school on? What do you mean by ‘top 5’? I would say that one of the criterion should be whether or not your DC can access a school independently in the near future.

Thanks, it's definitely not the only school that can meet need but it's our choice based on size and the amount of other ASD girls there. I don't think we would get a taxi as there's closer schools that could meet need and I don't think it would be seen as a good use of L.A money as it is our preference rather than it being the only appropriate setting. My dd also doesn't deal well in cars. She needs to burn off energy first thing.
I think I will see if my younger can access breakfast and after school.

@Soontobe60 sorry I mean It’s in the top 5 biggest cities in the UK.

You should consider transport further. Just because there is a nearer school that the LA think could meet needs doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no entitlement to transport. The IPSEA page linked to by a previous poster and this page by SENTAS can help you understand more about that. For example, there is case law showing a few thousand is not enough of a difference to prove inefficient use of resources.

nah, you are right. if the school is your choice and there are schools nearer who can meet need, they will not provide a taxi..

A local private nursery had a breakfast club and after school club for primary aged children and then transported them to and from their relevant school.

Secondary schools don't have wraparound care as such but highly likely to have a breakfast club and after school clubs from 07:30 -16:30/ 17:00 but they do tend to get cancelled for things like Parents Evening.so cannot be relied upon 100%

Local childminder will take Primary school aged children.