Seconday school in Edinburgh for Aspergers child

[solyluna]

It would be so helpful to hear of other's experiences of secondary schools in Edinburgh with an Asperger's child. My experience of an independent school has been pretty negative in that they do not genuinely provide support and I have been made to feel very uncomfortable. I am not just interested in the independent sector, but also the state schools here. Any advice very welcome, thanks.

The state sector is far better suited to helping children with special needs than the independent one. In fact the head teacher at an Edinburgh Independant school told me that he was embarrassed that his school and the other Indpendant schools were so poorly set up to handle SN kids. Most state schools have support for learning staff who focus on the children who need their help.

warning anecdote

DD got a girl with AS in her class at Boroughmuir HS some time after S1 started, because the family felt their daughter did not get adequate support at James Gillespie's HS

end anecdote

I've just recently discovered that there is a unit at St Augustine's for AS support where they can work in the unit if it all gets too much but are still included within the school as much as they wish too.

Perhaps worth speaking with Clifton Hall School it incorporated St Serfs which I believe had very good SN provision. It is a small school, a friend of a friend moved her children there as they need more support / were struggling in one of the larger independent schools in Edinburgh. In the state sector perhaps Firhill?

Good luck.

our ds has AS and is still a long way off high school, however we have heard anecdotally that St Augustine's (do I mean that one? the one just off Lauriston Place anyway) has provided some great support for the child of a friend. Will watch this one with interest definitely!

St Augustines is over the west of Edinburgh next door to Forrester High School, up the road from Tesco at Corstorphine towards Broomhouse. The one at Lauriston is St Thomas's who my friend rates as being good for special needs.

A friend of my DD2 went to Leith Academy as he had AS spectrum, I think they take AS kids out of area, best to check with them though.

From 2008 HMI report

""Pupils with Asperger Syndrome were very positive about their experiences in school. They reviewed their progress with the support teacher and felt well supported. Overall, they were making good progress in their learning and in their social development.""

If the op is still reading this thread, my son has Aspergers and is at Kaimes, which is one of not very many specialist schools for sn. He is at the high-functioning end of the spectrum. There are a couple of places each year at Leith Academy, and there is a place called the Base in Craigmount secondary (that they use when the kids need to get out of the environment - depends on how functioning they are) that I was advised to look at by his support worker when he was in primary 7. Kaimes had by far the best set up for his difficulties. Hth

My son is in a state school in Edinburgh and it has been largely negative, teachers don't get it at All!! Most High Schools have The Base but this really doesn't help a teenager especially boys with Asd because they aren't educated there, they just pretty much do their own thing. Safe place yes, but not any use for education. Am going to check out the schools mentioned in this thread but think I am going to b disappointed.