Primary/Infant schools in wokingham for boy with SEN

[lookingforsun]

Hello!

My son will start school in 2013 and I am getting anxious looking a good fit school for him. His difficulties are mainly speech, fine motor and physical stability. He is very social, no behavioral problems and willing to cooperate but very mellow. I am in wokingham but not in catchment of any good school, we are looking to move near walter infant but don't know if it is a good fit for him, all the good schools don't seem to have any SEN children :( Anyway that school told me that I can not visit the school unless I am in catchment so I can't decide if its a fit for my son. Radstock, Hawthorns, Lambs Lane, All Saints ... I am so confused ... very difficult to visit the schools as they don't have time to schedule individual visits ... one of them even told me "our time is precious". I have applied for statement but it will take few more months. Any recommendation/advice is appreciated.

Help!

Of course you can visit a school if you are out of catchment. How on earth are you supposed to chose 4 schools if you are only allowed to visit one!? We visited Walter Infant despite not being in catchment.

However if you are seriously considering Walter and live out of catchment you will need to get a statement as places are very few and far between in town centre schools and many children, mine included, didn't get placed at their catchment school, or any of the schools closest to them, this year. There's been lots in the local press about it, e.g. Wokingham Times

Walter is already a three form entry and can't take more than 90 per year due to space restrictions.

I believe that All Saints school is the school listed as mlost accessible for children with physical mobility problems.

Have you contacted the Family Info Service at the council? Phone: 0118 935 2255 I've found them very helpful.

@Waspie Thanks for the reply. I am not as such considering walter infant, actually I am not sure of the school name yet. All Saints are good but I not impressed with ofsted report and the surrounding area. we are in wokingham but not in the catchement of any good school, but we are ready to move for school so I am looking for school which is most appropriate for my son and then I will move nearby (hopefully before Jan). We have applied for statement but I was told by many prof that my son will get school action plus and not the statement as he with in the age range (though at a lower end). So basically I want to know which are the good schools and how do I decide? I guess not a yes/no question!!
If you are local then would you please tell me hows your feeling for winnersh primary and embrook infant please?

I've heard that All Saints is getting better since the new Head arrived and introduced some new practices, but I agree, it's not in the most salubrious area of Wokingham and it's Ofsted and KS2 results are fairly poor.

Winnersh is a good school and it's moving up from a 2 form entry to a permanent 3 form entry (it's taken 3 reception classes for the past 2 years) from 2013.

Embrook I don't know much about I'm afraid.

Hawthorns (Woosehill) is excellent and over subscribed but has a new Head this year so it's an unknown quantity at the moment.

If you are thinking of moving within Wokingham, I would suggest Finchamstead - Nine Mile Ride and Gorse Ride schools both have good reputations - and aren't as over-subscribed as the town centre schools.

Hope this helps. Feel free to message me if you want more

@waspie Thanks for the detailed reply. If you do't mind I shall PM you once I finish visiting all these schools. Thanks much!

Of course you can pm me lookingforsun I don't pretend to be an expert but if I can help I am very happy to do so

Best of luck with the school visits!