Can anyone recommend a fantastic school mainstream or special, for an autistic child with a normal IQ?

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Basically the title says it all

Anywhere in the U.K, a secondary school whether that’s mainstream or special, that you have had good experiences of for children with autism but a normal IQ?

Our daughter is 8, has autism, selective mutism and SPD. She’s very compliant but won’t talk or look at anyone and we need to find her a school that will suit her needs. She’s academically very able. She needs significant help and support due to not speaking and the anxiety surrounding this

We are prepared to move anywhere in the U.K. to get this right.

My googling is overwhelming.

We are in the process of an EHCP.

Ideally state schools please

Thank you

sorry, can't help, but I can rule out Oxfordshire state schools for you.

You might be best pushing for funding to a private school.

My friend’s child who has Autism, but is very bright, has just started at Queensmead House School in Windsor. It’s new, but they have been very pleased. A lot of the schools they looked round before they felt while catering well for his autism would not cater for his IQ.

Where are you based? New Rush Hall in Redbridge are excellent. Over subscribed.

New Rush Hall is a school for children with SEMH needs.

Heartlands High School or Alexandra Park School in N London. V expensive catchment though.

Avoid Scotland. The speaking/listening parts of the curriculum are non-negotiable in mainstream and the special schools are almost exclusively for very high-needs children with no expectation of academic success.

Fairmead. Somerset or
residential high school for autistic girls near Bristol. 12 pupils or thereabouts enrolled there. Cant remember the name of it

Thank you! I have so far emailed all schools suggested to enquire.

Also very useful for areas to avoid.

Please keep them coming

I would recommend Robert Ogden school in South Yorkshire. It is independent save but the majority of the fees are covered by the LA if you are adamant this is the school you want. You do have to make a contribution but housing is cheaper in South Yorkshire than the South so maybe that would balance out?

It is a National Autistic Society school

Egerton Rothesay school in Berkhamsted, Herts. It’s private but a number of Local Authorities fully fund places with an EHCP.

Alfriston School in Beaconsfield (state) might also be worth a look although without knowing your daughter and her abilities it’s hard to say. They have a great speech and language department and it has the benefit of being all girls. Many of the schools that fit that halfway house between mainstream and fully special needs tend to be quite boy heavy. The school needs to be named on an EHCP to be considered for a space.

@LadyWhistledownthe1st

I would recommend Robert Ogden school in South Yorkshire. It is independent save but the majority of the fees are covered by the LA if you are adamant this is the school you want. You do have to make a contribution but housing is cheaper in South Yorkshire than the South so maybe that would balance out?

Oh this looks amazing! I’ve emailed them! And yes, we currently live in Essex so could easily balance out contributing to the school costs because we could have a much smaller mortgage in Yorkshire x

@Zodlebud

Egerton Rothesay school in Berkhamsted, Herts. It’s private but a number of Local Authorities fully fund places with an EHCP.

Alfriston School in Beaconsfield (state) might also be worth a look although without knowing your daughter and her abilities it’s hard to say. They have a great speech and language department and it has the benefit of being all girls. Many of the schools that fit that halfway house between mainstream and fully special needs tend to be quite boy heavy. The school needs to be named on an EHCP to be considered for a space.

Thank you so much! Am about to email them. So helpful x

A massive thank you to everyone so far. I felt so lost but this is helping me focus.

Our daughter is academically able in that she exceeds in maths and is ‘as expected’ in everything else. So pretty much average across the board. But she won’t talk at school and won’t look at anyone and is drowning in the expectations socially already

St George's, Edgbaston, Birmingham. It is a small school but has children across all ability including very able. They have a large proportion of their children with autism. All staff are trained by National Autistic Society. I used to work there and can tell you everything is focused around maximizing potential of every student. There are a large number of well trained and qualified classroom assistants. Every student has a personalised timetable. The school is very caring. I have worked in a lot of schools but this school in my opinion was the most accomodating of each child's individual needs. Although they accept students of all ability levels they get above average results. Go on to their website and take a look. You can pm if you need any more information.

St George's is an independent school, not state.

Lots from Essex go up to Gretton, with transport, on an EHCP.

(Independent, not sure if it’s a section 41 school or not)

I should have added many children at At George's have fees paid by LA.

Also look at Passmores in Harlow, Vic Goddard’s place, it has an autism hub and is state maintained.

With an EHCP your child could get funding from the council for a private school.
Egerton Rothesay is already mentioned above. It’s in Herts but it’s difficult to get funding from Herts, it’s worth calling the school and asking which county most of the children who get funding come from - you may be better off for example moving to Bucks.

You might find your DD doesn’t need a specialist school and would thrive in a small independent instead which could also be funded via an EHCP.

limpsfieldgrange.co.uk/letter-to-parents-from-surrey-county-council/

Have a look on the national autistic society website, they have 7 schools across the UK. Some are free and others are independent like Robert Ogden, I’m hoping for Robert Ogden for my non-verbal son.

Kingswood House in Epsom is becoming co-Ed in September and is very inclusive. It’s fee paying though.

There is one in my area that has an autism unit within a normal comp and here