Best secondary school for dyslexia in north London and surrounding areas

[Eyes23]

My 14 year daughter is currently at a very strict secondary school in North London that does not support her dyslexia. It is is a very pressurised school, lacking adequate pastoral care. The school has now become a trigger for her declining mental health. The only solution seems to move her to a more caring and less pressurised school as recommended by CAHMS. Therefore, I would be most grateful if you could recommend schools in north London or nearby which support children with dyslexia and are less pressurised. Many thanks.

Parli maybe? How would you get her a place in a state? Would you just go on the waiting list?

King Alfred’s maybe?

If private, St Margaret’s ? Or North Bridge?

Whereabouts in North London are you?

What year is she in? Y9 or 10? Where in N London are you? State or Private? Does she have an EHCP?

St Margaret’s in Hampstead.

Thank you all so much for all your responses. She is in Year 10. We live in North Finchley. She is currently at Wren. She doesn't have an EHCP, however, CAHMS feels she could get into a school under exceptional, medical, social circumstances. I was thinking of state for her unless I can get a bursary for private. Thanks again.

Fairley House - but it is private and very expensive. I've seen them turn kids round

@Eyes23 I'm sorry but it sounds like you've been given some bad advice.
it's way too late to move, I'm sorry. Every school in the country will be putting pressure on y10 and 11. It's not just wren. Even the gentle schools do.
You cannot apply under social medical criteria for an in year place. That only applies during normal admission round ie Y7. Even if you could, dyslexia is a difficulty every school is expected to help with, they wouldn't normally give special preference to kids based off that.
You also won't find a school that will give you a bursary as you're not in the normal round of admission.
If your daughter doesn't have an echp fairley House won't be the place for her, especially in KS4. Even if it was, by the time she'd get that, and funding for a place, she'd be in sixth form.

I think what you really need to do is concentrate on what's actually the schools fault and what are possibly mental health problems that are being made worse by school in general. This will often come up in KS4 as it is very stressful, in any school.

Have you had an honest chat with the senco? I would start with that. Then figure out what her triggers are. It could be a subject she is very behind in. Sit down and make a plan, give her some sense of control. If it is her dyslexia, look at her diagnosis and see what type it is and help her using that. If it's just a screening report then she needs a full educational psychologist assessment.

Heartlands, Ally Pally/Wood Green border has a good rep for pastoral and SEN care. Perhaps an option?

Really helpful advice and suggestions. Thank you so much everyone.

Your poor DD. I would think (don't know) that a speedy move elsewhere this term might just be feasible. Further on info the curriculum / school year, no.

Mind you, at DD's school they quite often got migrant children with no English arriving at any point in the curriculum . They have to go somewhere and the school had to do the best they could with them (reduced timetable and extra English lessons, plus picking subjects less dependent on written English ie with a practical element.

Two friends have had similarly poor support from Wren, one child with autism and one with an eating disorder. Every bit of support put in place was done so begrudgingly and the parents constantly had to get professional advocates to fight for what was needed - the school wanted to do the absolute minimum they could get away with.

Totteridge Academy?

521Jeanie - you have hit the nail right on the head. My DD said asked me this week why I sent her to such a strict school. She said that they only care about results not the children. I am sure Wren is great for some (most) children...they are an outstanding school after all, but there method of teaching is just not working for my daughter. Every day is a struggle getting her to go to school. The pastoral care has a lot to be desired sadly. Were the professional advocates your friends used private or from Barnet council? Thanks so much - super helpful

DrHildegardeLanstrom - I have heard good things about Totteridge - thank you.

I'm not sure what professional advocates are. I've worked for SEN charities as a legal adviser for parents and haven't really come across anyone using this. If parents are not happy about the support their child is getting, they have to go through the correct complaint channels.
It is pretty easy to get yourself familiar with Sen law and schools responsibility. It really does depend on what your daughter has as a diagnosis and from who. If she doesn't have a proper diagnosis by an educational psychologist than your complaint is purely with the school pastoral team or the senco for not requesting an EP assessment. Even then, you need enough evidence to warrant one and it sound a like your daughter has started to struggle recently.
I am not defending the school, I don't know the ins and outs of your situation. I do know that parents who have Sen children can often find these very strict schools absolutely wonderful. The expectations are the same, the patterns are predictable and they feel safe.
Not every school works for every child, however you must think about the implications of moving your child now. I cannot emphasise enough that y10 and 11 are insanely pressurised in any school. I would urge you to try to work with the school she is in now. So many schools start GCSEs in Y9 and it will be quite hard for her to catch up now.
If her mental health is fragile, the expectation to make new friends and slot into friendship groups can be very hard.
However if you are adamant to move, put in an in year application to schools you are interested in.
The closest ones I can think to you are copthall and archer, they're both quite strict. Copthall might be slightly more gentle. APS and Heartlands have been mentioned. Those are quite far and have very local intake. Both also very strict, very similar to wren although both have excellent SEN provision.

Try to avoid getting into a battle with the school. Work with them. There is only so much any school can do and it would be a shame for you to learn that once you have moved her.

Also, sos sen as well as IPSEA have excellent help in terms of your legal rights and Local Authorities responsibilities. I am glad CAMHS is trying to help you, but take what they say with a pinch of salt. They mean well but are often clueless about what schools legal duties are as well as admissions.

Nevermindthesquirrels - thank you very much for all your insight; it is appreciated. My daughter does have a EP assessment.

@Eyes23 that's really good. You have a lot more leverage with that. However strict, the school needs to have adequate support for Sen. I am by no means dismissing your worries. You sound like great mum that is worried. My worry is that your daughter's problem is a general problem with education rather than the school in particular. If the problem is with strictness, what is it about the strictness? She will likely feel most schools only care about grades as that's pretty much all they talk about from y10 onward. The added COVID uncertainty adds so much more pressure to continually perform in tear of teacher grades being a thing again.
If you think a change of scenery would be good, do have a look at Copthall and Archer. Getting her in somewhere ideally by Jan would be your very last chance I think.

@Nevermindthesquirrels - lots to think about...thank you. Will start with having a look at some schools as I don't want to jump from the frying pan into the fire! Really helpful advice - much appreciated.

Hi @Eyes23 I have PMd you