Taster day for prep school

[waitingtowork]

Hello, just looking for some advice. We are planning to move our son from state school to private prep from year 3 onwards (this September). We have had a tour of the school, registered etc, and now he needs to go for a taster morning. They say they aren't a selective school, but do an informal maths and English assessment during the taster morning.

The problem is, my son is autistic and really hates transitions - he adores school and loved this school when we looked around (even though he was completely mute and expressionless!) and has decided he will go there from year 3 and that is that, there's no need to go there again beforehand.

He was the same with starting reception, hated all the stay and play/short settling sessions.

The school have been great and said we can pick a date for the taster morning, it will be just him etc, but I'm wondering whether I could ask if there's another way they could assess him. They have his school reports and I think they plan to ring his current school for a reference. I'm just not sure if they will say he can't have a place if he doesn't do the taster morning.

He's so worked up about not wanting to do the taster morning, I'm not sure he is going to do anything other than sit silently for the whole morning! He hates missing school. I'm wondering whether to ask his current teacher to explain to him it's fine to miss that morning at school, she can give him the work to catch up on etc.

Does anyone have any advice? I don't want to be 'that' parent but I also don't want this whole experience to be stressful and negative

You can ask for adjustments but ime they will do activities with a small group of other children, not necessarily one to one. If that is likely to be counterproductive you may need a discussion as to what will bring out his best side. They will be looking to see if he is a good fit as much as meeting the academic level of his peer group.

It’s not just about academics. It’s for both sides to see if he’s a good ‘fit’ for the school and other kids in the class. I think if you asked for this not to happen, they’d think you were hiding something.

In all honesty, I think the taster session is just as important as any assessments and will be a core part of the selection process. When we moved my daughter to a prep, her offer letter made a big deal about how she had fitted in well with the other children and noted how well she’d communicated with staff. I think it was ‘fit’ and enthusiasm that got her in.

Just talk to the school. They will have pupils who are ND and will have strategies to ensure he has a good experience.

At the prep where I work, children who come in to do a taster day have their assessments interspersed with tours of the school for it not to be tedious. They often join their current year group in some lessons and are assigned buddies to keep them company during break and lunch times.

As a PP said, it is definitely about the fit. Whether he can keep up with his peers and benefit from his time at the school. There will be lots of staff who will offer feedback and it won't just hinge on his assessments.

Try and reassure him that they are only trying to see what he is capable of as they don't know him. Good luck to your DS.

Thank you all, this has been a helpful insight into the school's side. I have spoken to him about it again this morning and explained they would really like to get to know him so he has reluctantly agreed as long as I promise to do some times tables with him when we get back home!