I was wondering if I could pick the brains of someone local for a friend of mine.
She is moving to Edinburgh sometime in the next few months and is a single Mum with a DS age 10 who would be moving into P6. He also has Aspergers.
Academically the wee man does brilliantly, so she is not fussed about finding a school with the best academic record, her primary concern is trying to find an environment where he will have the least chance of encountering bullying. He does have a history of being bullied in the playground because he is a bit diferrent and as we know kids can be cruel.
She is not tied to any specific area in Edinburgh, I know she would prefer to be quite central than being off in a suburb all alone but her primary concern is finding the right school for the wee man and she will choose her location based on the school.
Can anyone offer opinions on what the best primary schools might be for kids needing a gentle and easy environment?
I was thinking perhaps a school with a great record for dealing with special needs (his are very mild), or perhaps a very small school where it would be less daunting, or perhaps a school that is known for being a happy environment? They are also Catholics so a religious school may work well?
There are really no parameters here other than to hopefully hear from local people who would be able to recommend schools on the basis of them being a "happy" place - rather than solely off academic performance which is largely irrelevant to my friend.
I'd appreciate any advice as she is asking me and I really don't know the answers and I really want her to get it right as having to move again would be very hard on her DS who has been through a very hard time in his personal life after his Dad left and he started being bullied.