More of a rant but - no schools for DD 🥹

[Dontlookatme2]

DD is 12 and he’s breaking me.
I will try not to drip feed.
she has complex medical needs ( severely impacting early years and primary school ) she is academically able but does have some gaps but missed 75 percent of primary education. She is now scoring around close to securing or just at securing, so incredible considering. When choosing secondary schools we ended up struggling to find a school that would take her.
she is also autistic and has mild CP.
we don’t live in a remote area and we have many choices.
mainstream schools all said no.
la maintained schools all said no including the one for children with illness and disabilities, as she didn’t match their cohort academically, so they felt that she would be purposely left behind and not reach her full potential.
all private mainstreams said no.
we thought we found the perfect place for her where it was an “ inbetween “ school and mainly SpLd. Admissions and visiting suggested they did not take those with behavioural needs and it was very much like a mainstream curriculum with adaptions / small classes and additional therapy. It’s private and local.
a year in and she is struggling. She doesn’t fit in the cohort. The behavior impacts every lesson. She has been threatened by a student who’s behavior is impacting everyone. Discriminated against by a teacher and she doesn’t “ fit “ in.
she doesn’t get much help from her teachers because she has landed in the middle of the cohort and is quiet, well behaved and doesn’t ever kick off.
because the school is small it’s almost impacting her more because there is only a small portion of girls and so she can’t find her “ people “
im aware there would children with behavior needs in mainstream but that also there is a bigger cohort so maybe easier for her to find peers that are like minded for her.
there is no real discipline management in the school and it’s chaos for most of her lessons and she just wants to learn.
she doesn’t want an EOTAS package as she wants to go to a school. Every other school in the area and surrounding areas we have tried have said no they can not meet her needs.

is there really no schools for some children 😭😭

Mainstream schools can't say no (and it's never their decision anyway the LA decide). Every child has the right to mainstream education so if you want her in mainstream they can't stop you.

What do you mean when all these schools have just said “no” to a child who is autistic and mild CP? I mean.., hardly particularly unusual or serious to warrant flat “nos” from so many

Exactly
so there must be more to this?

LA mainstream will be forced to take her unless they are very oversubscribed.

She has complex medical needs which was the reason for her primary attendance although is approving as she gets older.

I don’t know if a mainstream school would be best either that’s the issue. None in the borough said they could meet need.
we assumed she would get a plane the la maintained school that we put as parental preference and the LA agreed but the school said she was too academic. They have children with similar health needs but is more a functional skills school.

So as it stands… is your child in school and being educated?

yes but in the process off a change to section I. It’s looking more likely to end up as EOTAS package.

What is the LA saying about what school to name in EHCP?

btw there is a great SEN board here with parents who have a lot of experience

They will re consult but they consulted every school during transition which is how she ended up in the private school. I have looked at independent mainstreams and rang around but all end up saying the same thing.

Will she cope with 8-9 GCSEs and can she access them?
If her health needs have improved, and you can get her there and she can get around a building and us sufficiently academic to access the standard Ks4 curriculum, I would appeal for the most popular mainstream local school (subject to building layout and her physically getting around). If she is no trouble in class etc can’t see why this wouldn’t be best.

No she is the complete opposite which has been a bit of an issue currently. She is really passive / quiet and a complete stickler for the rules.

Sorry OP I don’t understand. Is she selectively mute in class and can ask for help when she needs it? Which means she can’t access mainstream?

Not necessarily, LAs often agree/go along with with a schools no despite having no legal basis to do so.

Have you looked at independent specialists? They often fill a gap for those who are academic but still need a more specialist environment. Not always though it just depends what you have in your area. Any SEND units attached to mainstreams?

Theres a real gap in provision for these children (been there done that and eotas wasn't suitable for one of mine either)

what are the reasons given for the nos by non selective state schools @Dontlookatme2

Near us there is a large special school right next to a mainstream comprehensive and pupils who are able access the mainstream classes for certain lessons. It's the best of both worlds for children with SEN who are academically able enough to manage in mainstream but need extra support in other areas. Would something like this suit her, do you think?

My son is 33 now but many years ago, we moved 300 miles away to be near a school that was a specialist school for autism. It meant starting again in a new town where we didn't know a soul but I've never regretted it. Would you consider moving to an area with more suitable provision?

You have a right to mainstream education if you want it. What provision have they said they can’t deliver?

The special school is probably correct in saying no if she can access a full set of GCSEs - it’s very unlikely she’d have a peer group or an appropriate curriculum.

That’s not strictly true if the school building is not appropriate, staff cannot be recruited and there is a lack of space etc….
if you need a hoist for example, you need a large bathroom area. You need staff who will manage personal hygiene etc

This is multiple mainstream schools
and on special school
and the CF is “mild”

Then I genuinely do not understand why you have not secured a place. They must have given reasons?

Why was it that the mainstream state schools all said they couldn’t meet her needs? They presumably gave reasons? Which needs couldn’t be met?

Exactly the op has just said that all these schools have said “no”
but no clue as to their reasoning
@Dontlookatme2 ?