Would AS give you priority on schools admission criteria

[Peaceflower]

Is there anyone who can help with this, please?

On top of all the issues around dd (aspergers, awaiting statement, under threat from EWO), next week ds is being assessed for an ASD.

He has been struggling in his current school and I'm thinking of moving him to another mainstream primary. He has been attending CAMHS who advised moving him for his mental health. All the schools are full and have a waiting list.

However on the county admission criteria, it states "children with a serious medical or psychological reason" for needing to attend a particular school would get priority.

Would ASD be considered a serious medical/psychological reason? There is a small village school which I think would be perfect. There is only one other child on the waiting list.

Yes, it would, but you might be required to show why this particular school is the only one that would meet your ds' ASD needs; otherwise they might end up trying to stick him in St Grot's at the other end of town. I would start with going in and speaking to the school you are thinking of, asking for as much info as possible on what they could do to support your son.

Having a statement makes it much easier, but changing schools when you have AS is quite hard so get good advice, Good Luck

A statement makes your case much stronger - without one then there is a chance that you could be allocated another school that could also meet his needs.

If you have documentation from CAMHS (and any other specialists) include all of this as your supporting evidence when you submit your request.

Good luck

Children who have a statement naming a school are automatically admitted (as an "excepted" pupil if the school is already "full"). They effectively come before everyone on the admissions criteria/waiting list.

So if the statement is imminent I would hold fire, rather than (without the statement) having to gather all evidence/medical reports together to show that your DS should be classed in the "children with a serious medical or psychological reason" category just to get a place on the waiting list.

Note that it says the child must have a serious medical or psychological reason for attending a particular school. So ASD would only give you priority for the school you want if you can show that it is the school best placed to cope with your DD's problems. However, if she gets a statement you get to choose which school she goes to and in general the LA has to comply.

Thank you everyone who responded. Betsyboop, it's my dd who is being statemented, not my ds.

Ds is attending school regularly, and in the top groups for all set subjects. He is on school action, and getting an assessment for asd next week because of MY request to the GP. School had never mentioned any issues until I raised them, and the SENCO said she would never have brought them up. You can see why I want to move him

I fear I would have no chance of getting him statemented......

I will carry on looking at schools, and once I have decided on the one, I will put forward my case. It's good and sad to hear that ds would be considered to have a serious medical condition

My apologies for getting confused between your DD and your DS. I hope you get what you need for your children.

my bad, I misread your OP, apologies

Just one word of warning: make sure you have plenty of professional evidence. If CAHMS advise moving him to a particular type of school, make them write in your support, detailing exactly what his needs are.