Should we move schools - sen issue

[Ireallywantadoughnut36]

Looking for some advice/thoughts/things I've not considered (sorry long post!). My son is 9 nearly 10, going into yr5 next year. He has dyspraxia and wider ND challenges (probably autism but undiagnosed). During his diagnosis his IQ was tested and he came out at 97th percentile, so is very bright, has a wide number of generally academic interests (science, history, loves Greek legends, reads books on psychology wants to be a biochemist albeit he's little so I'm sure that might change).
We have fought hard at his current state school to get his needs recognised, mainly ensuring he doesn't have to write everything and getting him writing aids. Also, supporting him emotionally, allowing fidgets and understanding he needs time out, needs extra time changing, might be off with his tone of voice, might struggle with change etc.
I think this year we are finally in a place where everyone gets it - his teacher is lovely and caring, he has a detailed IEP explaining his needs, the ta for the class knows his needs well and everyone understands he is different but just as capable. He is greater depth in about 25% of subjects. Achieving in everything else. However, the school set up just doesn't work for him. There are 37 kids in his class, he hates school, he has ear defenders but they don't block all of that out and theyre crammed in to a small space probably designed for more like 30. The school is small, there's no space for him to regulate so he has to go to the cloakroom to get 5 minutes peace (which he's now doing every hour or so), which means he's spending a significant amount of time standing in the smelly porch - sometimes he cant even do that as theres no Ta spare to supervise/check in on him. He ends up in tears or stressed out and needs regular days or afternoons at home which impacts work and his out of school life as hes too echausted for hobbies. The school are great for my nt daughter, they do lots. This week we have had a colour run, practice for a theatre show, sports day practice, a bake sale and a school trip - he finds the timetable constantly changing really hard.
I'm looking at private senior schools for secondary, but some have junior schools and the class sizes are 12 to 15, it's soo quiet walking around, they have sensory rooms and beautiful big and peaceful libraries. We are wondering if we go early and do yrs 5 and 6 there and stay for senior school.
Has anyone moved a Sen child at this stage? Would the change do more harm than good? He says he would miss his friends but also he hates his classroom set up. Should I just be grateful for understanding teachers, ear defenders and kids that don't bully him? I do appreciate we are lucky to get the support we get, but also the class size is insane to me (I feel claustrophobic in the classroom and am nt, it's so many children in such a tight space, you can barely walk across to the door). I hate the fact he loves learning but hates school, the mornings are such a battle and at least once a week I either give him time off or have to get him early because he is in tears. He's exhausted by the environment..... but if we move and he hates it, then that's a massive upheaval for nothing! I don't believe the current state school can do more than they currently are with the funds they have - it just is what it is...
Not sure what to do tbh...

Hmmmm private schools can be very tricky. They don’t have to go out of their way to help. If your child doesn’t suit their school ways they can off role them even with an EHCP.
More protected in the state system.

I would be very careful picking a private. Amazing Instagram / good at marketing but yet not all as good as they promise if they find any issues that don’t suit. Exceptionally good head you need which are hard to find.

Private schools can be very demanding long hours and many transitions between each lessons. Yr 5/6 all about the dreaded 11 plus weekly tests although if it’s a through school maybe less exams. Although even the private schools have tiny classrooms / not enough toilets / no spare space

Its the last term the end is in sight all change - I’d stay where you are personally see what teacher you get next year. 12-15 children id check where you are in Sept / Oct as you will able to move within a week if things go wrong. Don’t force him in if he’s crying it will do more damage long term ….

Or name the private your thinking of and some are more ND friendly than others / see if anyone has experience of it.

Good luck

It's Sibford, I think it's notoriously nd friendly, finishes at 4pm and 30% of kids have sen - it's not very glossy and I don't think they're offering anything other than being small and nice and individual.... Equally, you're right they might not be any better.
At the moment he hasn't got an ehcp and his state school is saying it'll be almost impossible to get one because his grades are great, so he's not protected there at all really, we just got lucky that his teachers are nice to him. The head is less flexible and told me today "that classroom is really quiet", not to an nd child, unfortunately 40 people breathing and writing in a small enclosed space is not quiet at all. He does very well in clubs outside school (drama, karate, swimming) which are groups of 10-15 which is why I'm thinking a school with small class sizes might be much more relaxed.
He doesn't actually cause any issues/have any bad behaviours - he's just so unhappy and regularly in tears. So the school are kind of "fine" with him, in the sense he's not shouting out, arguing back or creating any disruption, he's just quietly sad and politely asking to go somewhere quiet but they've nowhere for him to go....

If you think he will benefit from an EHCP, you can apply yourself. It sounds as though the school are putting adaptations in place to support his needs and therefore you have evidence of need, which is the criteria for a needs assessment.

What can’t be adapted is the physical structure of the school and the class size and although he’s allowed time out, it’s to a not particularly welcoming space.

You’re right that it’s good the school is supportive of need, but it sounds as though the things that can’t be changed are the things that most bother him.

It’s worth looking at alternatives to see whether they can accommodate his needs currently and in the future if he needs more support.

I think if you know that he’s going to go to that senior school (and assuming there are on the same site) then I thinking moving him a couple of years early wouldn’t be a bad thing. He’s going to have to move at Year 7 anyway which will be a step up and a move at Year 5 might be gentler way of doing so a d will make the senior school transition easier.

Can you afford the extra support than is charged on top of the normal fees?

Request an EHCNA yourself. On their website, IPSEA has a model letter you can use. EHCPs are about more than academics. You can get EHCPs for DC who are achieve ARE/greater depth. The first threshold to focus on is that for an EHCNA which is relatively low - you only need to show DS a) has or may have SEN, and b) may need special educational provision to be made via an EHCP.

That's my worry, I think even if we get an ehcp they're not going to build an extension for him or be able to reduce their class size/enlarge the classroom space.... I think all they'd do is provide funding for a 121 for a few hours but I'm not sure it helps - I guess maybe they could go for a walk with him to regulate but he doesn't need any help with his school work etc.

I think we will take him to look around and see what he thinks, at the moment the concept of a school with classes under 20 etc is alien to him, and it might blow his mind!

If you get the EHCP written properly with a good EP report it absolutely can dictate class size and environment etc and the current placement if you chose to keep him there would have to take all reasonable steps to deliver it. If the EP report dictates that he must have a small class environment and that isn’t available locally in the state system then there’s a reasonable chance that (following appeal usually) you’d get the independent school of your choice named in the Plan and also funded.

See also Egerton Rothesay.

I think that'd be too far for us, unfortunately

It would be a very poor EHCP if it just included 1:1. And it can also name other schools, including independent schools.

I honestly don't mind paying, we can afford it, and I'd rather pay than take it out the tax/school funding system. It's more as to whether moving to another school is the right thing, or whether there's things we can do with the existing school that we've not thought of, or things that moving might trigger that I've not thought of.... I'm not sure an ehcp will be able to keep him better supported at the existing school is my worry, so if we went through that and then moved to an independent anyway, I'd rather just get on and move him. We've got the money saved ready for yr 7, so we can go early and manage, it's more knowing whether that's the best thing. I don't want to cause more damage taking him away from things and people he knows, and his friends. Equally, continuously hearing he's had bad days, is spending time sat in amongst coats in tthe cloakroom or picking him up early is horrible

I don't think there's any chance the existing school can reasonably be expected to change. There's only 120 kids, 4 classrooms (all in use) a small staff room, office and hall. It's a really sweet, little, rural school so there's not a lot of scope for moving him about.

I get that, but then we might as well move him ourselves rather than bother! It's more whether another school is now the answer, we are in a lucky position where the cost doesn't really matter. I know an ehcp could suggest smaller classes at an independent or other school, but that doesn't really help me out because then he'd still be moving, so might as well do that now and save the stressr. I meant more, I don't see an ehcp improving the experience at his existing school - it can't insist and fund an extension, or change the class sizes and I'm not sure funded 121 sessions there would help - so just not sure what it can offer, other than a space somewhere else, but as we can afford it I think we should pay, not take that option tbh

In theory, with the right supporting reports it can and MUST support an extension for example. But usually only after a lengthy court battle etc. Bit I’ve seen schools build intimate care facilities, fit lifts and ramps etc without any fuss at all.

The thing about the EHCP is it offers protections until he’s 25, and isn’t limited to education provision, it’s also health and social care too.

If you can afford the fees and the cost of all the special educational provision then obviously you can choose to self fund, but many can’t afford to. Even if they can afford the fees, lots can’t afford all the special educational provision, including therapies, required on top. It can also provide protection in the future should DS’s needs &/or your finances change. So you might want to still go down that route even if you make your own arrangements now.

Yes, given everything you said and that you can afford it, I would move him now to a through school with smaller class sizes that can cater to his needs both academic and otherwise. I would want to know what they are going to do about the dyspraxia and also encourage certain sports that would help and movement. I would also insist on several transition and settling in days so he is socially ready to go ahead with this.

We moved a bright, ADHD child from state in y3 to a prep. He has inattentive ADHD which hadn’t been noticed by the teacher, but we saw that he had no interest in school and was daydreaming through his lessons.

He’s thrived in a small prep - classes of 5-13, desks facing the front, excellent teaching. Sensible rules.

Mostly, getting the right school was luck, but we’d observed that working in a small group or one-to-one with an adult he achieved a lot and was pleased with himself.

It worked exceptionally well - he’s really happy and has excelled academically.