South London Secondaries good at ECHP dyspraxia

[MumTumLovesPuns]

Hello

I've had a hunt around but can't find all the information we need.

Our son got his EHCP through Croydon at Easter and started yr 6 in September. What with Covid and Croydon forgetting to put us on the mailing list (!) we've only just learnt that the deadline for choices is 23 October and we have to put a shortlist of three.

We're in South Norwood. He's currently at school in Southwark. We looked at Kingsdale pre lockdown and really liked what we saw but know that even with a funded EHCP we can't guarantee it.

Harris Clocktower is very close to us but I've heard mixed things-any thoughts welcome!

So I'd really like to hear if you've had an academically capable child who needs a fair amount of support in a school accessible from south Norwood that I can look at please.

Thank you in advance!

From my understanding of you have an EHcP a named school can only turn a child down if they can demonstrate that they can't meet his needs.
Langley Park school for Boys might be another option.

Are you near The Norwood School? They have a very supportive SENCO.

Thanks @Schwitters! I've seen your thread and it's useful. I'm not averse to a brand new school, the amazing primary they've been at had only been open a year and was still a building site when it started!

That's also good to hear about Harris inside, work's been totally bonkers this week but I want to try and get to meet a couple of SENCOs. Also thanks @JoyceByersWasRight, I was looking at The Norwood School online last night after reading @Schwitters' thread.

@MrsPatterson2014 it's not quite that straightforward as a school like Kingsdale will have a high number of EHCPs that name it so they have to make a judgement call about how many they can take/who they can best support. So we have to name three.

However, I only learnt that last week! We didn't go and see more last year because we didn't know what would happen with the EHCP and we knew that would change the parameters. It's normal to feel slightly sick about making these decisions isn't it?!

@MumTumLovesPuns

Thanks *@Schwitters*! I've seen your thread and it's useful. I'm not averse to a brand new school, the amazing primary they've been at had only been open a year and was still a building site when it started!

That's also good to hear about Harris inside, work's been totally bonkers this week but I want to try and get to meet a couple of SENCOs. Also thanks @JoyceByersWasRight, I was looking at The Norwood School online last night after reading @Schwitters' thread.

@MrsPatterson2014 it's not quite that straightforward as a school like Kingsdale will have a high number of EHCPs that name it so they have to make a judgement call about how many they can take/who they can best support. So we have to name three.

However, I only learnt that last week! We didn't go and see more last year because we didn't know what would happen with the EHCP and we knew that would change the parameters. It's normal to feel slightly sick about making these decisions isn't it?!

No idea where all that bold appeared from!

It is all very stressful, we went through similar a couple of years ago but it is worth bearing in mind Kingsdale cannot reject you by saying we can support other students better they have to demonstrate how they cannot support your child.
Good luck with it all.

Thank you @MrsPatterson2014 that's reassuring. It's taken too long to get the EHCP really due to a combination of factors and I now feel like I'm playing massive catchup for really high stakes.

My daughter has an EHCP and is at Kingsdale. She is now in year 9 and we have been really pleased with the support she has been given including throughout lockdown. We asked for a meeting with the SENCO before we put in the application and kept up communication by email. They visited my daughter at her primary school to help her with transition and she spent a few days at Kingsdale summer school to familiarise her with the school. I'm sure your son will be really happy and well looked after at Kingsdale. Don't worry x

@Edufl that's amazing to hear! Thank you so much for sharing. We really liked the SENCO when we visited and the school, that was pre ehcp and he was cautious about our chances because of their popularity. Having just seen that last year they were listed as a preference 3171 times for 391 places (!) but also knowing people who were offered places on the waiting list I know there's movement. I didn't keep up communication though, not least because COVID lockdown meant I was surviving on pause not strategising.