I don’t know the individual Gloucestershire schools well enough to recommend specific names, but I would be a bit cautious about looking for a generally “good SEN school” because autism, ADHD and dyslexia can need quite different things.
I’ve worked in SEND/inclusion and specialist literacy support, and the schools that look best on paper are not always the best fit for a particular child. I would look very closely at the child’s actual profile: language, sensory needs, anxiety, attention, reading/spelling, writing, peer relationships, behaviour when overwhelmed, and whether they need a highly structured environment or a more flexible/nurturing one.
For the dyslexia side specifically, you could also look at the CReSTeD register. CReSTeD lists schools and teaching centres that have been reviewed for their provision for pupils with specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia. It will not tell you everything about whether a school is right for autism or ADHD, but it can be a useful starting point if literacy/dyslexia support is a major concern.
When you visit schools, I’d ask really practical questions, such as:
- How do you support autistic pupils in mainstream classrooms?
- What does support look like for ADHD beyond behaviour charts/rewards?
- How do you identify and support dyslexia/literacy difficulties?
- Who is the SENCO, and how much time do they have for the role?
- How are teaching assistants used?
- How do you communicate with parents when things are starting to wobble?
- What happens at unstructured times like lunch, break and transitions?
- How do you adapt written work, reading load and homework?
- What support is available without an EHCP?
- Can you give examples of reasonable adjustments you make in practice?
I’d also check Gloucestershire’s Local Offer and contact SENDIASS for local advice. Some specialist placements will require an EHCP, so it is worth understanding the process early rather than only looking at school names.
A school saying “we are inclusive” is nice, but I’d want to hear specific examples of what they do day to day. The right school is usually the one that can clearly explain what they would do for your child’s specific needs.
Hope that helps.