Looking for secondary schools in oxford with good SEN support

[Chocolate999]

We live in london and looking to move to oxford in next year.
My son has HFA. So looking for mainstream secondary schools that has good SEN support. TIA

The Cherwell School has a specialist Autism unit. (That's literally all I know, a friend's kid used to be part of it but finished 6th form already.)

@Zimbolino

The Cherwell School has a specialist Autism unit. (That's literally all I know, a friend's kid used to be part of it but finished 6th form already.)

Hi Zimbolino, great thank you

Tough to recommend any of them tbh. They are all too big in my opinion.
You could look at The Swan??
We ended up going private, as do most of our HF ASD friends kids.
Good luck.
Are you just looking at city schools?

@houselikeashed

Tough to recommend any of them tbh. They are all too big in my opinion. You could look at The Swan?? We ended up going private, as do most of our HF ASD friends kids. Good luck. Are you just looking at city schools?

Hi Houselikeashed, thanksgiving for your valuable suggestion. we are looking to move out of london. Ideally looking for Oxford and Guildford.

I would look for the smallest school possible. That seems to be the way to go in my experience.
If you can go private, Frensham Heights might be one to look at.

We have gone private in Oxford - HFASD & dyslexia but ‘meeting expectations’ and not disrupting classes/disturbed behaviour that troubled anyone else so very stretched state sector said everything is fine’ when we were feeling DS1 was very stressed and unhappy. Told an EHCP would be ‘ a lot of effort for nothing’ - probably true in that context! Been very well supported in his private school.

Cherwell and Cheney have ASD hubs. I have heard they do support those with somewhat greater needs, some mild behavioural disturbance pretty well. Shame they can’t include those with ASD /learning needs but whose anxiety goes inwards rather than outwards. All down to resources as usual though. Really depends what your dc need.

Maybe Guildford is better, I would look there too!

Frensham Heights has rejected after looking into my son’s EHCP. Looking for alternatives

Hi houselikeashed, I am looking for private schools. Which school is your child and your friends childs going to ? My son is 8 , academically able. But he has anxiety and sensory issues. I would say he is mild to moderate ASD. We are looking Guildford/ Brighton/ Oxford/ Godalming areas. Please suggest me with some good schools.

I am considering selective special schools. - have contacted More House Frensham but it hasn’t got availability for this September I need to try my luck next year.

Do you have any views about Jigsaw CABAS school / Undershaw school / Unsted park school/ Gretton school ?

Hi all, we are looking for a private secondary school near Oxford for our son with high functioning autism and dyslexia. Any suggestions other than Bruern Abbey? Thank you.

Unicorn in Abingdon? They are primarily dyslexia with other diversity. Have heard good things about Bartholomew's state secondary, outside of Oxford. Cranford House in Moulsford is an independent in South Oxfordshire

Thank you very much, have you heard Cranford House is sensitive to neurodiversity? It looks lovely and could be ideal. Very grateful for your advice.

Wychwood is coed from september.

Yes had heard that, also heard they expel kids quite easily? Worried as it’s quite new. Anyone know if D’Overbroeks has good reputation for neurodiverse children?

is your child likely to get expelled?? I don't agree that pupils get expelled quite easily. I've not heard that before.

No I don’t think so. Not sure what they were referring to when they said that. Also find it odd so few children in Oxford seem to go to Wychwood. D’Overbroeks seems more popular. Any views on Cokethorpe for SEN?

Also find it odd so few children in Oxford seem to go to Wychwood.
errr. Because it’s a tiny school. Year groups are around 20/25 pupils. That’s the whole point of WW! Anyway, it sounds like you want a larger school for your ds.
cokethorpe not for me. Too big for my asd child, doesn’t seem to do anything particularly well. Certainly not SEN according to my friend.
personally my dc wouldn’t have coped with the moving around summertown that D’Over required. Far too much organisation for my dc! Again, it was also too large for my dc.
maybe look into Cranford House?

Thank you for your advice, sorry know very little about wychwood didn’t realise it was so small. Do you mind me asking where your ASD dc goes? Mine is very disorganised too. Sadly Cranford House too far from us to go daily and no school bus from Oxford. Have you heard good things about Cranford?

D'Overbroecks has a new site as of 5 years ago, and students no longer move around. I'm not sure about it these days, but it used to be excellent at treating children as individuals.