School recommendations for my 11 yr old son with ADHD and moderately on the spectrum.

[laporoch]

Hi, we are currently based in Hong Kong, looking to relocate back to the UK in the summer to be based around the South Oxfordshire / Berkshire area to support my 11 year old son has ADHD and a more recent diagnosis of being moderately on the spectrum.

He is an active kid (rugby, sailing, football etc) currently in mainstream education, but starting to fall behind. We can stretch to private education for the right set up, does anyone have any experience or recommendations for mainstream schools that can support these areas, with a ton of sport and a high level of pastoral care? there seems a lot who say they can help, but in reality can not !

Thank you

would you consider brookfields school, which is a school for children with additional needs such as autism and ADHD? they offer GCSEs in Maths and English (and Art), and then entry level qualifications in others, although you could let him do additional GCSEs that aren't taught at the school online or speak to the school. By going to a school that can specifically cater for ADHD he would get the support and help he needs. the school is based in Reading, so your son could join additional clubs outside of school (although school do activities such as rugby and swimming). there is a junior sailing club in reading itself, and a football team too (links attached to the club's homepages). all the best with your move x

sleepismysuperpower OP's DS would need an EHCP and to be placed by the LA to attend Brookfields. You can't just sign yourself up! This would be the case with any maintained special/specialist setting. Brookfields is for pupils with 'learning difficulties'. Only just starting to fall behind at 11 is unlikely to be considered as such.

OP, you might want to have a look at Shiplake College. It prides itself on being inclusive.

I also thought of Shiplake, and also Pangbourne. Especially Pangbourne is great at sports. It has some naval links so is a bit regimental, with parading and stuff. Might help a child who likes routines? Both offer both A levels and Btec.

Egerton Rothesay School in Berkhamsted. Brilliant school for supporting children with both ADHD and on the autistic spectrum.

Look for schools run be the Autistic Society, my nephew is severely autistic & has ADHD, my brother & sister in law had to go to tribunal to fight to get him placed in the school he is in now. Our education authority refused to place him there despite the school offering him a place due to cost, it costs £35k a year for a place. He has been there 4 terms now & is finally flourishing, after an awful time in primary school.

Moulsford Prep goes up to 13 I think.

I don’t think I’d look at specialist Autism or SEN schools. A private sporty non academic school should be able to support him fine.

For example St Colombo’s in St Albans

Taunton School, Somerset (Independent) will support children with different conditions, esp if they are ok academically or sporty ... Queen's school, Taunton is also known for supporting children with dyslexia.

Sorry no more knowledge ...

St Crispin's School in Wokingham has an ASD unit, though you would need an EHCP to get a place. However, a mainstream place in a school with such a unit can be advantageous for a child who can generally cope with mainstream but may need some support, because the mainstream staff tend to be more aware of the needs of such children.
I used to work in a primary school with an ASD unit and we benefitted from ASD focused training and the experience of the specialist staff.

Before St Crispins opened, some of our ex-pupils went on to the Blessed Hugh Faringdon School, which also has provision for students with ASD, but this is a Catholic School, which may not be appropriate for your family.

Definitely have a look at Shiplake College then. Very sporty, great pastoral and sells itself as an inclusive all-ability school. Friends with children there are very happy.

I see Egerton Rothesay has already been mentioned. I went to look around and felt it seemed okay, didn’t blow me away like I thought it would. It is very popular at the moment and has waiting lists so may be hard to get a place. Also children come from all over the place so it would be hard for your DS to maintain friendships out of school.

Perhaps look at small local independents near where you are planning to live. They will be honest about whether they can meet your sons needs.

I know someone who works at Shiplake College and they have a great reputation for SEN.

I think there is an LVS school in Oxfordshire that specialises in asd.

loved the feel at Leighton Park- which is in Reading - not a specialist school but the pastoral care seemed excellent and were one of teh few schools we looked at that were straightforward and open about support and levels- not sure of the sports though..
www.leightonpark.com/

shiplake also has a really good reputation and loads sport..

bloxham is another with good rep for SEN support and also Kingham - they def more oxfordshire...
private schools are more likely to be flexible on entry - but may have a min criteria - they can all choose tehmselves..

otherwise if going state you maybe better looking at schools with ASD centres as they are likely to have better levels of training/identification
best way to find those is via council website -look for 'local offer'

Rusty Bear, thank you for your comments. I have heard getting a EHCP statement is very difficult? Does it make a difference (in terms of ease and time) if applying in South Oxfordshire V Berkshire? Thank you

Sorry, don't really know anything about South Oxfordshire, or really about Berkshire as a whole. I do know it seemed to take ages to get EHCPs for children at the school I worked at, but I wasn't really involved in that, other than sometimes finding information & links for people (I used to keep the school website updated, including the SEND pages)

@laporoch the problem with the EHCP is that you have to be living in the UK before approaching your local council to start the process. www.ipsea.org.uk/pages/category/education-health-and-care-plans It takes 20 weeks if all goes to plan.

Take a look at Shiplake - new headmaster and a brilliant SEN dept.