Where will me adhd son go after school? Predicted grades well out for the better???

[TheOpalFox]

My sons autistic and adhd

My son is leaving school next year

I don’t think mainstream college is for him due to the pressure of keeping up and resitting English and maths. ? It’s so hard for him but in his mocks he’s actually passed??????? They suspected 0 and he got 5!!!!!
Soo now I’m feeling like where he’s chosen alternative provision won’t be for him ? He liked it a lot tho ? Would it be terrible to let him go there for a year then to mainstream? To build up his self esteem and confidence? Because it’s on the floor atm?
Thanks he’s got an echp

It all depends in where he is now, what he can cope with, what is avaliable in your area and what his interests are.

Why would mainstream college not be for him?

mainstream college usually covers everything from a levels to BTECs to vocational courses (bricklaying, catering, hairdressing) and some have a very good send offer and do skills for life type courses.

He would have to resit his English and maths in a huge classroom and that’s what he don’t like definitely not :(

plus long term he really don’t know what he wants to do :(

How do you know he’ll have to resit? Has he taken his GCSEs?? Your post suggests that he hasn’t as he’s doing mocks?
I would have thought a year in specialist provision to get decent maths and English grades and then a move to college would work but it’s not an area of education I’m very knowledgeable about.

My son goes to a sen school he will be going to a mainstream college. Yabu op. Colleges do all sorts of courses including foundation courses which is a bit of everything and then the year after they can make a “proper” choice. sen sixth forms tend to be preparing for adulthood so you might actually hinder him.

You had similar concerns to me!
My DS went to alternative provision for one year after he finished school which offered functional skills in place of GCSE resits. I also felt that resits in a mainstream college wouldn’t work for him.
DS actually passed his GCSEs so didn’t need to take the functional skills but the rest of the course was really good for him. He grew in confidence, relaxed and matured , it meant he was very ready to then go to mainstream college and is doing really well.

I work in SEN provision, where all pupils have an EHCP. Most attend mainstream, college, post 16 and are encouraged to apply for courses which are in line with their interests. Once they’ve completed a couple of courses, they are more often than not, in a position to apply for say a level 1 course and thrive from there on.

Your son will receive support with his Maths and English via the college. As a PP said, there are plenty of courses to choose from in mainstream; from independent living/ life skills to bricklaying/ hairdressing/ hospitality and catering/ retail etc.

I would speak to your case officer and see what alternates there are available and look at what would be suitable for your son.

He can go in at level 1 or 2 and work up. With and EHCP he can take a slow route through college. My DD did 2 years, year out, another year and now doing a Supported Internship.
You need to identify what interests him and go from there.

There is a SEN board on MN and also a Further Education board both of which may be able to advise.

it’s not the case that he definitely needs to resit

firstly if he got 5s in his mocks he might pass. He only needs a 4.

if he gets a 3 he needs to resit but if he gets a 2 or lower he can do functional skills instead and most colleges have smaller classes for students with lower grades.

a number of autistic students I taught did not grade at gcse (they got entry levels which are below gcse) and while they had maths and English lessons at the mainstream college it was with their skills for life group (so all kids who hadn’t graded and had an EHCP)