Year 7 child with ability of a year 2 child

[whattodo2019]

Can you help?
i work in a main stream prep boarding school. (i'm not a teacher).

we have a boy who is social very able but he is very behind academically. He is in year 7 but has the academic ability of a child in year 2. we know that really he should t be at our school but as he has difficult home life we are great for him pastorally. Our school finishes at the end of year 8. We are trying find a suitable boarding school for secondary. he is unlikely to continue to get army funding, so we might need to try and find a charity place.

Do have any suggestions?

My Dsis found her DD's school here www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/school-search/

Depending on his specific issues, this place might be worth a look: www.frewencollege.co.uk/

I'm assuming that if you are a boarding prep then his parents could afford private fees?

Are his academic issues down to SpLd or is it something else? Also, if he's that far behind would he not qualify for an ECHP?

Frewen might be worth a call in any case, as they may well know of places that children who aren't suitable for them end up.

I know a couple of extremely dyslexic children who were there (a long time ago) and the parents were very happy with the care and the teaching.

Can I ask - does he have a ECHP? Or a diagnosis?

if not, then as a school you really need to address this, as then the possibilites for him will be much greater

He needs an EHCP for state and for most special schools private or not... I would start with an Educational Psycholgist assessment - as they would be able to identify what sort of cognitive profile he has..
I would suggest either the school or parents apply for the statutory assessment although the school will need to evidence what support and interventions they have tried to help him...
I dont know any charities that fund places in special schools unless there are some connected to the military ??
an EHCP may in some circumstances pay for education in an independent school - but usually only if there is not a local special school that can meet needs...aand residential only if very specialist or social services support funding..

So you need a boarding school that might offer a full fee discount place AND be able to take him given his academic needs yes?

I know nothing of boarding schools so can't help there, but as others have said an Ed Psych evaluation would be invaluable to determine why he's so far behind, and possibly look to get an EHCP. That should give you a basis for looking for the right school academically. I'd treat funding as a separate but parallel issue. An EHCP might force his LEA to fund. Or there may be some military family benevolent fund somewhere, or another charity that can fund due to his home difficulties, or there may even schools that take on the odd kid for free. Some with religious or military foundations might be worth a shot.