Hi all, would really appreciate some honest advice about secondary schools in Northern Ireland. We're planning to move to NI next summer from England. DH often goes over there for work and we've come along with him as a family and fallen in love with the place. Been over many times now and already have some family there/Irish background and without listing all the reasons, on so many levels it's a no brainer for us as a family.
We've done a lot of research and have a few reccy trips planned in the New Year, but the one thing that's unnerving me is finding a suitable school for the kids. DS1 will be going into year 10 (year 9 in England) and DS2 will be due to start secondary school.
As I understand it there are still a lot of grammars in NI. DS1 would likely be able to get into one if there was space. He has high functioning ASD - no academic issues but does struggle a bit socially, although he has made a group of friends and settled in his current school, it just took some time.
DS2 has moderate ASD, not bad enough for special school but a good 2 year delay and ideally needs a special unit attached to mainstream. He is delightful but naive and socially lacking. Whilst I wouldn't want DS1 to miss out on the potential benefits of a grammar education, I don't really want to send them to two different schools, mainly because I don't want DS2 to feel like the poor relation and also because his insensitive ASD brother would probably tease him about it. I've already been on the phone to the EANI and had a good chat with them, but they don't advise on specific schools.
I know SEN provision can be patchy in NI, but can anyone recommend a good non grammar that might fit the bill? We're most interested in the north of Co. Antrim, especially around Ballymoney, Ballycastle, Coleraine etc, but also open to other suggestions. Co. Down also looks good but more pricey for housing. Main thing is we want to be max 1 hour from Belfast.
Many thanks!
Craicnet
Secondary schools in Northern Ireland that are good for SEN
popana · 11/12/2023 14:39
Whatnowfgs · 06/01/2024 21:46
Not really the area you are looking at but St Josephs in Coalisland Co. Tyrone and St Pauls Bessbrook co. Armagh have excellent reputations for SEN unfortunately this means they are very difficult to get into.
I would say that the SEN provision seems to be as good as the current principal.
Any changes in leadership team can sometimes change this drastically.
In general if you get into a school with dreadful SEN provision it's very difficult to get out of and that's the reason we are home educating DS2 who sounds similar to your youngest.
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