Changing Schools with ASD DS

[BoudiccasBangles]

DS is 7. He’s on the ASD pathway. We’re considering moving him to a new school for various reasons - the other school is within walking distance, is larger and has a dedicated unit to support ALN students.

He knows some of the children there but obviously isn’t part of the school friendship groups.

There are lots of good things about his current school but he’s not 100% happy there and frequently asks to move to the local school. I’ve explained to him that there’s no guarantee friendships will be any easier at the new school and that he’ll still have to do the subjects he doesn’t like.

Any experiences of moving an ASD child? I’m not putting the decision on him, because of course he’s too young, but I do want to take his feelings into account.

Would he get into the unit? I imagine there will be children with autism in the school who won’t be part of the unit.

It’s a really good set up, it’s not a “autism unit”, as such. It’s a special division within the school which provides children with additional support as and when they need it. They can access it without being removed from mainstream, they’re not either ‘in’ or ‘out’.

Yes I moved a child with asd to an asd class (I hate the word unit) and he is thriving. It was the best thing I did. We moved him as he had just turned seven. He was so overwhelmed in the larger class setting even though the school was fabulous. He is now actually enjoying learning and integrates a lot with the mainstream class

That’s good to read. He’s really struggling with disruptive children in his class and I think he’d benefit from being able to work in a different environment when necessary.

DS is very academically able but struggles socially.

@BoudiccasBangles it's the calmness of the asd class as only six children in it that he loves (plus his teacher is amazing). It's things like they have table time where they all work at the table together but also they have their own individual desks with dividers and those tables face the wall which for most NT children might sound awful but for children with asd it allows them to work without distractions. It's all little things which added up makes life a whole lot better for him.

@SparkyBlue that would be so perfect for him!

I understand this type of set up. I’ve worked in schools who have had similar for children with autism and one for D/deaf children and not all children who had austism or who were D/deaf were able to access that support.

@Bristolinfeb that’s interesting, thank you. I’ll make sure to clarify that with them.

@Bristolinfeb would you expect a child to have an IDP to be able to access that resource?

Do you mean IEP? Only children with EHCP would have been able to access these packages of supports in the schools I worked in.

The use of ALN and IDP suggests OP is in Wales, not England. EHCPs don’t exist in Wales.

@BoudiccasBangles I would expect a pupil requiring the support of a unit/base to have an IDP.

@BrightYellowTrain spot on, we’re in Wales.

The new school also offer music tuition in school, which DS would love. He’s pretty burned out by the end of the day, so after school activities are very limited. If he could do music lessons within the school day I think he’d stick at it.

From all you said, definitely move him.