Schools for twice exceptional Y1 boy?

[Alice2012]

My DS (year 1/5.5 year old) has been identified as high learning potential (99.9%) with fine motor dyspraxia + sensory processing disorder (vestibular/properceptive/tactile).

At home, he is learning to touch type and doing OT+physiotherapy.

He thrives and shines when stimulated, but becomes completely defiant when forced to do work below his ability or too repetitive.

We live in SW London. Any suggestion for schools?

I’d wait, as at 5 1/2 he’s going to chance a lot, in the next year or so, his scores may well drop. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket from one score at such a young age. Many parents become disappointed doing this when all other dc catch up and over take their own.

Private or state OP?

Many SW London schools will have a high number of very bright children so will be used to stimulating them, the harder part is finding a school that will be willing to put time and resources into addressing his difficulties. Finton House might be a good bet (but is private). Also Hornsby but spaces are rare.

As regards the defiance when something isn’t super interesting - well there will always be some work that isn’t super interesting (learning spellings for instance). With DD I found the key was to persuade her that if she got it done quickly and without errors then it would be out of the way and she would then have more time to do what she wanted. Whereas if she had a big strop about it, I’d still make her do it and there would be no time left at the end. Gradually she has accepted that!

Thank you Minipie. I agree, one big challenge is to trach them the work ethics of accepting some repetition, but there is a fine line between too much repetition and just right, which for high IQ young children can mean getting very frustrated and demotivated.

DS was top 99% at 4 yr and went up to 99.9% now that he has a bit more pencil control, even though dyspraxic. He is very different behaviour wise, spends all his free time reading books since when he was a toddler... designing power stations or flying cars... etc. So I don't see his supposed giftedness going away, because it is matches by an insatiable thirst x learning ANYthing around him!