Hi Mums, asking for thoughts about prospects for SEN kids at Fleetville...
We recently relocated to St Albans from NYC (Mum and Dad are British, kids born in the States, coming back to raise them here) - my eldest is due to start reception in September 2019 and the school we are most likely to be allocated (nearest school) is Fleetville. I know it's a great school in most respects, however he's almost certainly ASD - we are awaiting an official diagnostic report in the mail from a developmental paediatrician in New York, who we saw just before coming back in September.
Now, I know about provision for kids in New York - the Early Intervention program is fabulous, beyond any UK parents' wildest dreams - however that support tends to falter after age 4 or 5... my understanding of the system in the UK is that you need an EHCP (which we will probably be applying for), and then it's up to the competence and passion of the school's SENCO as to how well your child might cope and thrive in a mainstream environment.
He certainly doesn't need to be in a special needs-only school, he'd be fine in mainstream, but only with the right support, which makes me so anxious. Right now he's in a wonderful nursery with no more than 12 to a class, the thought of him in a class with 30-odd kids (with him as he is now) is giving me panic attacks! Anyway, any insight or advice anyone could give would be wonderful, thank you!