SEN betweeners

[sunshine244]

I've seen a few good posts on social media recently about the concept of 'SEN betweeners' - children that can't cope with mainstream school but aren't eligible for/suitable for established special needs schools.

I have an AuDHD child that fits this category. Huge anxiety and sensory overload led to burnout and school refusal. There are a lot of adaptations in place but ultimately mainstream is too loud, busy and overwhelming. But the special needs schools locally aren't suitable either as they are aimed at children with severe physical and learning disabilities. My child wouldn't get a place anyway.

Aibu to think that mainstream just isn't suitable for some children and that there needs to be a middle option of some sort? I don't think it's good for anyone when there are children struggling so badly in mainstream.

There are 'inbetween' options, they are called ARP's. Many schools have them for children who are within a mainstream range academically but need additional support with physical/sensory/SEMH/ASD needs. They integrate into their year group where suitable, with small group nurture when needed.

We are in this position. Our son currently copes but does not excel at mainstream primary (he could excel in the right setting). Currently trying to get an EHCP in place after waiting 4 years for his diagnosis so that we can have the pick of secondary schools for him. He wouldn't cope in the large 1400 entry secondary that we sent our older son to. The teachers are great there but it's just too big and noisy.

We are lucky that we live on the edge of a very rural area with a secondary which has a high intake from single entry tiny rural schools. This school has a lot of farming children and i think would suit our son well. It only has 350 pupils. This is around 20 mins drive from us but I would go part time to get him there and back (wouldn't manage the bus).

He refuses to talk about it at the moment as I think he'll struggle without his friends but overall it would be the right choice for him.

Aibu to think that mainstream just isn't suitable for some children and that there needs to be a middle option of some sort? I don't think it's good for anyone when there are children struggling so badly in mainstream.

I think a lot of parents are quite unrealistic about how tailored education can be, and what can be provided at state expense.

All children, not just "sen betweeners" learn faster in smaller groups with a higher proportion of adult support. Its simply too expensive for the state to provide free education in groups of 5 & 6 etc children (or even less) to a single adult.

Good mainstream schools will be reducing noise - it doesn't help anyone. They will have muted displays with sound absorbing backing and movement breaks.

We have to ask ourselves why so many more children cannot cope with normal schooling and are so "anxious". What has happened to the human race?!

Yet some schools seem to manage just that. My daughters state primary school class of 20 has a teacher and 2 higher level TA's, so she is often taught in groups of 6-7 for phonics, maths reading etc. TA's allocated to children are on top of this. And yes, the progress they make is amazing, and my youngest had exceeded all expectations we had for her, entering as a child with lower level SEN and now top of her class.

It isn’t just about DC learning faster. It is about DC with SEN having their needs met, which is a legal right. It isn't comparable to compare DC with SEN needing smaller groups or individual teaching to have their needs met to those without SEN who have their needs met within a typical class setting but may learn faster in a smaller group. No-one gets provision in EHCPs just because the special educational provision is better or preferred. It is in F because it is legally reasonably required.

Tbh I think it depends on areas to and what’s available but even when you have a high need child doesn’t mean they won’t full in-between. In our area we have a very high need school when it comes to those with behaviour issues / violent outbursts etc which also is residential.
we have a Sen school which is for learning disabilities etc that won’t take children with behaviour as a main concern.
we have a autism unit as a part of 2 main stream
Schools.

my DD has autism, language disorder, cerebral palsy, feeding tubes, IV lines for specific organ failures and apparently not suitable for any of the above and they are looking at mainstream secondary schools for her 🙈🙈🙈

@Ionlytrymybest have you considered EOTAS? Although you may have to appeal.

School funding varies drastically. A rural school with a high number of low income families could get scarcity funding and an extra £1200 per pupil premium children (about 20% more per child). That might allow for 3 classes of 20 rather than 2 classes of 30. Schools with lots of young inexperienced teachers also have a considerably lower staffing bill than a school that the staff like, and therefore don't move on from, where all teachers are at the top of the pay scale. Even from county to county there are big differences in the funding per pupil. Neighbouring counties can vary by nearly 25%. Finally if a couple of children join with high level needs and no funding in place, general TAs will quickly be reallocated as 1:1s.

This is a large part of the issue in our school. There are lots of children in my school that even five years ago would have been put in special needs schools/units. This has a huge knock on effect to the mainstream classes. Our school no longer has class TAs - all are now 1:1 for specific children. So there is no support for other children who perhaps just need a bit of extra support. My child was coping in mainstream class until TA support was lost.

Apparently the issue is that the special schools are now full with far more complex children than previously. This is because children who would have died in the past are now surviving with more medical interventions. This means all children basically get moved up a level or two and you end up with kids in mainstream that are struggling.

I'm all for what you're proposing but the 'savings' might not be realised until well into adulthood, if ever.

For example, a full time 1:1 in a mainstream school costs around £17,000. A special school near me catering only for autistic pupils who are of around average academic ability or above (so pretty much what you're describing) costs over £60,000 and they have no 1:1s, but do have very small class sizes.

For some children like you describe, EHCPs can fund mainstream private school provision.