Secondary Schools in Richmond for CF with lower ASD and ADHD

[francbe]

'd love to get some advice on secondary schools in Richmond Borough. we live in East Sheen to be more precise.

Our CF he is 11 years old, he has lower ASD and ADHD, he is trying hard to cope in a small primary school ( since year 3) but we have been advised he won't cope at the even larger secondary school (without an EHCP which we havent managed to get yet. He started to be assesed now in September 2023 and his school SENCO said that he might get it in April 2024 .

So we live in South West London in East Sheen and we are Looking for a kind and caring school where pastoral care is really important and a school with a strong SEN department to support CF because he has difficulties to learn, how level of anxiety and he does not have and know how to make friends.

Would LOVE some advice...
Many thanks in advance,
Francbe

That sounds a good list. If you are given a place at RPA on offers day, do accept it but ask to stay on the waiting list for Christ's. It is a shame you cannot get a form signed for a foundation place there but without a priest who will vouch for regular church attendance, that sounds as if it will not be possible (and rightly so, for those who do go to church).

@francbe You should be ok for Christ's or RPA from East Sheen, but it depends exactly where you live - check your distance against last year's catchments (see links posted yesterday).

if it looks like you might be marginal, it's worth adding a sixth preference, e.g. Teddington School or Twickenham School.

You won't get into Orleans Park from East Sheen - it has a small catchment and you are too far away. Based on recent trends, you probably won't get into Hampton High either, but may get into Teddington.

Twickenham School usually has places available for people who don't get any of their preferences, but that is getting fuller now too.

On March 1st there are usually people who don't get any school offer, because they didn't include at least one failsafe school on their list - they then have to wait until other people give up places, and take what is left.

I think that if you applying to Christ and St Richard Reynolds schools, it would be better if you submit even baptism certificate of your child if you have it. Even that will put you in front of applicants who didn't deliver neither signed certificate from priest nor baptism certificate. They accept copies.

Orleans has a very small catchment so you have a chance if you live up to 1300 meters from school. They accepted last year up to 900m and then the additional 400m got through waiting list. It is a very good school academically. If your child is academic it will flourish in that school. Otherwise, may feel pressure.
Hampton High well if your child has social issues it may not be the right school for him. Also the catchment is small and you would need to live very close to school to get in.

I would seriously consider Teddington school if I were you.

Your child is most likely to get Richmond Park Academy. I cannot speak about this school as I don't know it.

totally agree. I would add Teddington, which is probably better for a child with social anxieties than Twickenham