I want to ask this somewhre where I might get a range of responses so not asking in SN, ismore a would you agree with this lady thing than a AIBU. Sn kids in mainstream education.

[Peachy]

Someone today whom I respect immensely and regard as kind, told me that in her opinion children with disabilities like dyslexia etc (so ampresuming the whole gamut of SEN - SN) shoudln't be in MS schools because of the effect on the other kids.

She is someone who though not employed by school has access to DS1 (ASD) and ds2 (SEN not sure what) during school time in a volunteer role. I pretty much trust her.

DS3 attends an SNU placement, but I do wonder how many people really share that attitude. My experience and belief tells me that different kids benefit from different settings so parents should have final say (it took me 2 years to get ds3 his place, and I face a battle now to get ds1 into SN Comp placement).

?

Cory - I wouldn't mind ds1 being teaching material if he got something out of the placement. But when it was the only positive thing they could say about him being in mainstream I couldn't give a stuff.

After he left the school one boy told his mum he was pleased ds1 had gone as he used to see him standing in the playground with his TA alone and crying. He said he hoped he would be happier at his new school. He has of course thrived since moving and apparently the children learned enough to know he would be happier elsewhere.

you were really asked to leave, Riven? How the hell could 2-yos be upset by your DD? I'm angry for you (though yes, I do realise that it was 3 years ago and there's nothing I can do).

we always did the same in the early days when dd2 had no purposeful movement/ then couldn't control her movements.

it's knackering though, eh? all the yummies simpering at little jessica and clapping as she vaults over the high bar, and you wondering how you are going to get the 2yo through that crawl tunnel, and wondering if your backside will even fit...

in our case it was more than worth it, and dd2 has developed enough mobility to attend a ms ballet class lol. all tots with disabilities should be encouraged (and parents given the support) to do as much as possible - those neural pathways need a lot of input lol! it becomes a bit soul destroying when you come up against negativity like riven has.

Bloody hell Riven. I fully understand that tumbletots is really the least of your worries but I am speechless.

jeezosss. how annoying.

I just found out earlier today that my autistic son is going to go to mainstream! not yet, he'll be a year older than the others in the class and he has another 18 months at his unit, but I'm delighted. He'll need extra help no doubt as he's a visual learner, and he's shy and finds transitioning upsetting sometimes, but he is NOT disruptive and he's NOT aggressive. No doubt there'll be a couple of princessparty type moms who want him out of their child's sphere, but luckily these threads on mumsnet have given me all the arguments and answers on the tip of my tongue if I'm ever put on the spot.

Every child with sn I know who has gone to tumble tots has been asked to leave. Ds1 was asked to leave some sports session when he was 2 because he didn't understand the rules (he didn't affect anyone else - it was things like pick up as many beanbags as you can in 1 minute - he just ran around with me after him trying to get him to pick up a blinking bean bag).

ours was in darkest renfrewshire - it was fine

except it was in an upstairs gym hall, and in the end i got bored of having to get them to unlock the lift for us.

Impossible to say either way isn't it - SN can mean so many different things. Loads of kids with SNs are ideally placed in mainstream schools, and loads of others won't suit that environment because of their needs.

So it has to be case by case surely.

the one time I took DS to tumbletots I think there was a child with SN there with a one to one helper. But I wasn't impressed, I think that the incredibly regimented nature is tough for very young children, never mind those with SN.

Maggie-if your child is not aggressive, disruptive and wants to learn then I cant see how you'd need to have 'arguments and answers' ready.

This is about quality of education from my point of view. In the real world i.e not flufftastic world of makebelieve, it is very hard for a teacher to manage a mixed class where there are individuals who are, for whatever reason aggressive to the teacher or other pupils, or make it impossible for other children to concentrate. It's hard enough for a teacher to differentiate their lessons to cater for children of varying intellectual ability-throw some aggro into that mix then you may as well all go home.

cory I still wouldn't want my dd to be used as a teaching tool, I think itis more important that she has a "normal" life amongst her peers.
saying that she has made friends ion the past with the nicer girl siblings of ds's friends and I think they have both benefitted from it(at least that way I know who she is mixing with)

ps - I am appalled at them asking your DD to leave. Riven.

madwoman - were you anyway near Mearns /nosy, a lovely friend of mind has moved up there.

I think it depends entirely on the problem, and the degree of the problem. I think parents who militantly insist on MS at all costs are sometimes misguided, and are not doing their own children any favours, never mind anyone else's. But as I said, it depends....

riven that is ok as long as you can also choose an sn school

tc, we were on the outskirts of paisley. moved away over 3 years ago though. tis lovely once you get out of town.

How many kids are disabled though, as a proportion of the population? I don't know any disabled people.

So even if all disabled kids did go to mainstream schools it's not to say it would ever be common and not worthy of mention.

And teachers who could deal unblinkingly with one kind of SN might have no idea about another kind of SN.

riven maybe they need to criminalise staring

Morris - have seen figures putting speech/language problems in children as high as 1 in 10. eg. in DS's class of just over 20, there's DS with language delay, and at least one other child who had the same speech therapist. and of course there may be others I don't know about.

thanks madwoman, so not the same part of renfrewshire then...

morris, one in 500 children is born with cerebral palsy. that means that in any average sized school you would expect to find (in situations of inclusion) at least some children with this issue alone in one or more of the year groups. (that statistic is pretty much played down in the baby mags lol - can you imagine the tumult that would ensue if every single pg woman was given a 1/500 risk of a baby with cp?) i had no idea, despite attending a secondary with an inclusion unit...

not sure what stats are on aspergers/ autistic spectrum disorders now - slightly more difficult as later dx?

our schools have a low proportion of children with with disabilities, about 5% probably, including cp, downs, aspergers (the highest proportion) currently. many other children with add/adhd/odd similar, and yet more with un-dx social or behavioural issues.