Specialist Schools catering for High Functioning Autism, Aspergers in South of England?

[SarahSeys]

Hello, we live in Melbourne, Australia, at the moment and my nine year old son has recently been diagnosed with HFA. Struggling with school refusal/separation anxiety (for ages, not just since the diagnosis), possibly depression, huge anxiety etc. We are seriously considering moving back to the UK because of the specialist schools available for kids on the spectrum. Does anyone have any recommendations/personal experience with any schools suitable for a 9 year old who has given up on school and socialising (people are too hard). He loves Pokemon and gaming but that's it ;)

Egerton Rothersay in Berkhamsted.

It is private and expensive private though.

More house school farnham

Everyone raves about it (no direct experience).

I can think of three, one in Hassocks, one in Staplefield and another in Hosted Keynes. Can't think of their names offhand, will look and come back later. All three schools specialise in Autism. One is a school just for boys.

Slindon College bear Arundel, West Sussex

St Dominic's School in Godalming, Surrey.

Thanks everyone. I'll have a look at them all x

Bredon School. Ex pupil of mine with HFA went there and got on very well.

It depends what you want in terms of an academic education. Few of the special schools will truly offer a breadth and depth of curriculum equal to a mainstream school, or have the same academic expectations of their pupils.

You may be better off looking for a resource base place. However, he will need an EHCP for this which will be a lengthy process- probably at least a year after starting school here if either you or the school apply immediately. If you do want that though, it's worth making sure you move to a county with a good range of resource bases. I believe West Berkshire is pretty good.

Independent special schools are usually wildly expensive, so only a choice if you have a lot of money to throw at it. A local authority will not fund one for you as first option, your DS would be expected to try in-county setting(s) first.

Thanks for this info. So EHCP is the new SEN statement? Do you know if any particular independent special schools are good for HFA? Is the Holmewood School any good? :)

The schools I was thinking of are RVS Hassocks, philpots, and Brantridge school which is mainly HFA.

Grately House School, Andover. Independent, but in certain circumstances LEAs will find.

Your child would need an EHCP (unless private fees are paid in which case perhaps you wouldn't need this - not sure). Local authorities are owerworked and underfunded and extremely reluctant to grant any children with HFA an EHCP claiming their needs can be met by school resources. You will most likely have to take the LA to court and prove the case law to get EHCP, unless your child has other needs. This can certainly be done, it is a quite a challenge but plenty of SEN charities to help. They also need to have been in a mainstream school for long enough to be assessed by teachers and relevant reports written. If I were you and you are hoping to get your child into a funded ASD place via an EHCP I would research which authories are most likely to grant this for HFA as that is the hardest part. They are all pushed for funding. I hope that helps.