Does anyone have experience/opinions on how well private schools cater for special needs?

[Hellokittycat]

Or does it vary a bit?
DH would like us to consider private school for our youngest dc. It's a really good school but I have a niggle as our eldest dc has special needs (on autistic spectrum) and obviously at a young age (our youngest will be only 4 years and a week when starting reception) it is unclear whether there may be any additional needs that may become apparent later.
I worry that a private school would be more focused on test results and less so on helping pupils who may be doing ok academically but struggling socially/emotionally etc.
does anyone have any thoughts on this?

It will depend on the individual school. In many cases you will be expected to fund additional support needed in addition to fees, and there is a chance that the school may ask a struggling child to leave. Not all schools are the same however so you really need to talk honestly with the schools about your concerns and make your decisions based upon their reactions and answers.

Depends on the school.
But you will have to pay for loads of stuff that would be free at a state school. And they have no obligation to keep your son if things get difficult.

You need to have a detailed and serious talk with the school you're thinking about before you do anything.

You are right to be - as you probably know the state sector is obliged to meet special needs, the private is not.

so: what Hakluyt says.

My limited experience is ... not very well I'm afraid.

A child with SEN or suspected SEN is subject to the lottery of school support and provision whether state or private. However, in the private system you will pay for EVERY assessment, extra support etc... Unless your child has a statement from the LEA naming the private school, in which case they are responsible for paying for the child's support.

State schools are better for getting diagnosis without extra cost (however you may be so frustrated with how slowly things are done you will want to pay for private assessment anyway!)

If there are behavioural problems, be very careful about going private. They do not have to keep children for whom they have no expertise. Pressure from other parents will be massive if the classes are disruptive. For mild reading problems where they will get you to pay for extra tuition, will not be a problem. Putting a child down a year or two is also quite common in independent schools. Choose a school that realistically could meet the needs of your child but don't think that being in a smaller class at an independent school will be the answer. It probably won't make up for the experience you will find in a state school.

Our experience with a private school is that they would not cater for anything the slightest out of the ordinary. Our request to the NGHS (a GDST school) to allow our daughter to bring home packed lunches instead of her eating school lunches was repeatedly refused, even when we brought a doctor's recommendation letter to them. The school even refused her to attend unless she eats their school lunches.

Private schools are businesses, so they would not do anything that would cost them an extra penny. We also found the teachers were not helping children that were fallen behind.

Private schools are over rated. There is no ofsted grading, so you really don't know if one is good or bad until you've sent your child there.