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Original poster

Out of private, in to State ??

21 replies

mummyloveslucy · 20/07/2008 21:22

My Daughter is at a nursery linked to a private school which she really enjoys. I'd always hoped to keep her there for the juniours at least. I'm not sure what to do now, my daughter has a speech disorder and the speech therapist thinks that she will likely need help throughout school. She can't come to the private school so Lucy would have to see her at the clinic only. She dosn't know if her reading and writing will be affected yet as she is only 3.5.
The school is very accademic, I know she would benefit greatly from the small classes but if she needed extra help on top there is no way we could afford it.
There is a very good primary school neer us, one of the best in the country according to ofsted. It is outside our catchment though. I also worried that the classes are so big she might feel lost.
I also worrie about the other children teasing her for her speech problems.
The school is always very over subscribed so I don't think we would stand a chance of getting her in. I just wondered what you all think? Do you think we should try to apply to the state one, and if she gets a place should we take it?
I am really torn at the moment as we didn't know she would have any problems and that has changed things a bit. I had my heart set on that school for her as she loves it there and it is a wonderful caring school where everyone looks out for each other.
(Sorry long thread) I'd really appreciate you're help.

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Hulababy · 20/07/2008 21:25

Whilst trying to decide and making your mond up apply to both state and private and keep ypour options open.

Spoeak to both schools about your DD and hiow they feel they will be able to support her.

swedishmum · 20/07/2008 21:30

If it's likely your daughter could get a statement, you could name the state school you want her to attend I think (after the statement is in place). I know statements are hard to get though.

Original poster

mummyloveslucy · 20/07/2008 21:31

Thanks Hulababy, I'll do that after half term. Time is running out a bit. We've been to see the state school before but it was as a toor with loads of other parents, so we couldn't really talk to him.

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Original poster

mummyloveslucy · 20/07/2008 21:34

That's worth knowing swedishmum, I'll have to look in to that.
I might ask her speech therapist what she thinks too.

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Heated · 20/07/2008 21:36

Can I ask what kind of speech disorder?

windygalestoday · 20/07/2008 21:38

i think you need to visit the state school explain the situation and ask if they can help at all - i know you had your heart set on the private convent school but sometimes things work out even better by not following your own dreams - all you can do is try it and see- lucys speech will improve as she gets older and you can always keep your options open with regards to the convent school.

thb im a nursery nurse and i cant see how reading and writing can be affected by a speech problem.

ive just re read your post can lucy not attend the convent school and go to clinic?? is it vital the s.t visits her in school??

TheFallenMadonna · 20/07/2008 21:40

Have you spoken to the school she goes to now about what they can offer for children with SEN?

Original poster

mummyloveslucy · 20/07/2008 21:44

It's a Phonological disorder ? I personaly think it might be verbal dyspraxia as the SALT mentioned this at the beging but now says that she dosn't think it's this as she has made some progress.(learnt to put sounds in the middle and ends of words, not nessesseraly the right sounds). She has been trying b for 2 weeks but with no progress. I think she might have verbal dyspraxia because she was late to sit up, walk, couldn't crawl and is very unsteady on her feet even now. She also bites her toungue while eating all the time.
I think there is more to it somehow.

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Original poster

mummyloveslucy · 20/07/2008 21:49

No it's not vital that she see's the speech therapist in school, she could easily go to the clinic after. There would need to be a close link between the two though.
Yes, the reading and wrighting and speech is all linked. No one knows wether this will be the case with Lucy or not yet. (fingers crossed it won't).

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Original poster

mummyloveslucy · 20/07/2008 21:53

I haven't spoken to the school yet about when she starts juniors. The head of Nursery is very keen to help her and they are doing all they can but it's extreamly hard. They havn't come across this before I don't think.

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TheFallenMadonna · 20/07/2008 21:58

Before you make any decisions about what to do, you need to see what they can offer. Go and talk to the reception teacher, or SENCO (do private schools have these?) and see what they say. No point in not having all the facts.

Original poster

mummyloveslucy · 20/07/2008 22:11

Yes the school do have a SENCO, I'll ask to speak to her. There are no children there at the moment with special needs but from the ofsted report it says that they have good systems in place for identifying those who need extra help and appropriate curriculem plans are put in place.

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Original poster

mummyloveslucy · 20/07/2008 22:14

Also would 15 children to one teacher equell 30 children with a teacher and classroom assistant?
I know there will be no problem children at the private one but I'm not sure.

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TheFallenMadonna · 20/07/2008 22:19

Well, there you go. Start there

Will she be starting school next year? You could apply for a place at state school, and always turn it down if the private school shows it can work with support services to give her the help she needs.

cory · 20/07/2008 22:29

FallenMadonna's suggestion is a good one, I think. And check both the private and the state school out carefully, ring and make appointments. You don't have to rely on Open Evening.

And get her statemented straight away, and start preparing your argument for why the good state school is the only possible option for your dd- if you are out of catchment that is what should still get you in.

It is impossible to know if your dd would get teased at either school or not- but a good ethos in the school, and well functioning discipline, will make an immense difference to how the other children handle her problems.

My dd has various disabilitites, including incontinence; yet she has never been teased at her state junior school (not an Offsted Outstanding). The school has a couple of autistic children and one child with Downs and there seems to be very little bullying.

islandofsodor · 20/07/2008 22:47

There is a girl at dd's independent school with a statement. As a result she gets so many hours of TA time (her parents top it up) so it is possible to get support and not have to pay extra. I don't know all the ins and outs of it. I just know her parents were really upset because she didn't co-operate when the assesment was carried out so the report came back as she was virtually non functioning but that meant that they got the maximum amount of funding.

mimsum · 20/07/2008 23:01

ds1 is at an independent school and has a statement - the LEA has put his money up since he moved there (he's now on the highest level awarded to kids in mainstream schools) so we don't pay anything extra for the help he gets from the LSA etc, however one of the other schools we looked at would only give him a place if we gave up his statement so private schools vary greatly in the provision they're prepared to make for special needs

Original poster

mummyloveslucy · 23/07/2008 13:26

Thanks everyone, that's been really interesting. I will definatly have a lot of questions to ask in september.

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nikkiloumaz · 17/07/2009 14:27

My DD8 has autism and other difficulties and my DS 11 has Aspergers. Because of the inability to provide adequately for him, we removed him into a local private setting where he is flourishing. He does not have a statement so all went smoothly. however, my dd is now experiencing many problems in her mainstream state school. She has a band 2 statement but I was told by the LEA that if I choose to send her to private school she will keep her statement but loose the funding. Does anyone know if this is legal? I thought that the funding belongs to the child so should go with them wherever they go! Im in northeast lincolnshire by the way. Any advice from anyone who has moved their child and statement to a private school would be welcome! Thankyou

mimsum · 19/07/2009 23:48

my ds has a statement which moved from his state primary to his private secondary - he had additional money to aid the transition and at his annual review at the end of his first year there the school asked for more money and the LEA put his statement up a band

Your LEA may have a policy to the effect of not funding private placements, but it's not a national policy iyswim

hercules1 · 20/07/2009 00:24

Personaly I'd go for state as you will need to have s and l therapist working with the school especially if by going private you would then be unable to afford extra help. You may well find you need excess money over the years to help her anyway even if you're not paying school fees.

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