Primary school in Berks or Bucks that supports child with HFA

[mrstumble40]

Hi

Does anyone please have any recommendations for primary schools that are particularly helpful and understanding in supporting kids with high functioning autism, without an EHCP, in Berkshire or Buckinghamshire? My son has massive anxiety around school mainly because of his social difficulties and his current school don’t seem to appreciate the severity as he doesn’t have any behavioural issues. I’m considering home educating if I can’t find any alternative. There have to be some schools out there surely ...

How old is he? Has he been diagnosed with HFA already? Is he classed as SEN? Does he get any additional support from his current school? What are you hoping to achieve by moving him? Do you want a school that will help him apply for an EHCP?

Just over the border in Herts but Egerton Rothesay School is definitely worth a look.

Mumdiva99

He is 8, and yes diagnosed. No additional support from current school apart from ELSA. It’s a small state school, limited resources. By moving him I would like specific social communication support and to have a boy not scared of going to school. He won’t get an EHCP. Any recommendations?

I live in a large city/town in Bucks and there are lots of schools with great SEN departments. The best advice here is to get on the local FB group - "Asd support for (town name) parents", go to your local SENDIAS department in the council as they will help with advice and advocacy. Keep pushing the school for support - just because he isn't behind academically doesn't mean he doesn't need support. And also shouldn't be an automatic reason for him to not have an EHCP.

If he is missing school due to his anxiety the school should be working with you to get him back. It's in their interest to support him - as not only should they definitely do this because it's the right thing to do.....but it impacts their attendance figures.

Will you move for a new school or do you want a commute? If you would prefer to stay put then push and push the school for support.

Apparently Bucks has 7 out of 10 of lowest funded schools in England so realistically the low funding makes finding a school that does SEN well harder in my view. Maybe aim for Ofsted rated ‘good’ schools in more deprived parts of Bucks as they might be better funded with Pupil Premium ie Wycombe and Aylesbury. My daughters junior school class (I guess just under 1/5 kids PP?) has 1 teacher and only has a TA to help her out some of the day and none of the pupils qualify for a TA in the class so it’s 30:1 adult to kid ratio much of the day. In parts of London I gather the funding per child is nearly double (there was a website you could look it up on a few years ago) so just be aware of this. Also apparently Egerton Rothesay is full for year 3 as a friend of mine looking for a place was denied even a tour due to this

London is complicated because wages are so much higher so costs per pupil are higher. Bucks is an authority with a low spend on pupils because it receives no government grant at all. I would look for a good school with lots of pp money. The better schools will be full though so be careful about where you look. In Bucks 1/5 pp is quite high. Also many junior classes won’t have TAs in the classroom all day unless there are Sen DC with that support required. Infant classes are different. I was a governor at a junior school and no TAs all day or sometimes in the mornings. Depended on the class.

I think you need a friendly and welcoming school. I don’t know where you live exactly but your net is wide so are you moving?