Bristol: schools for autistic kids

[AlittlebitofMonica]

Looking at secondary schools for my 9 year old (year 5) son. He’s autistic, but will be in mainstream.

He's bright, not sporty, and quite anxious, so needs a lot of encouragement and reassurance to do his best.

Can anybody recommend any schools in particular? We can pay for private if that’s the best option.

I would advise caution here. Sidcot has quietly pushed out autistic children in the past and not met their needs well at all. I'm talking maybe 5 years ago that we were considering it for DS, but were very put off by its poor reputation locally. Happy if I'm wrong and it's now improved of course.

My autistic daughters are at backwell. Happy and mostly well supported.

@RMNofTikTok oh god that does not sound suitable at all, can you appeal that? Thank you for all the info on BCCS, won’t be suitable for us so you have saved me a trip :)

@GruntledGoblin thank you, I’m not sure we can realistically cope with that school run but will take a look. And thank you also for the info re Sidcot, I have heard conflicting things there also.

@herebehippos - thank you, I will look!

@AlittlebitofMonica it's not been named on the final EHCP yet. I'm going to raise my concerns and ask for more schools to be consulted.

Hello

Very helpful thread. I’d love to know more about Backwell School our girl with sensory processing/autism. We’re considering private for Year 5 and secondary but it’s a huge under taking. Someone mentioned Sidcot. I would say they are very quick to say they can’t offer one to one support. I’ve heard good things about St Katherine’s if you’re looking for state. We know someone who has a child with SEN there currently.its worked for them.

@RMNofTikTok oh that’s good, hopefully they can find somewhere better suited.

@Tiggybest - I think we’re leaning towards private school as we think smaller class sizes are going to be the biggest help. Also tbh I don’t think we can get a decent EHCP in time! Which schools are you looking at? I’ve seen most of the privates by now so happy to discuss

We have looked at most of the Bristol ones Clifton High, Redmaids, Badminton, Sidcot, Cleve House. We edged into Glos and looked at Westonbirt too. Tricky decision.

@GruntledGoblin

I have looked at their website but it would mean relocating to the area. Is everything included cost wise with support. Things like ELSA are they offered? Many thanks

@AlittlebitofMonica, it can be, it's a well established academic institution BUT they do seem to have a very positive SEN reputation too

Everything is included in terms of support, yes. The SEN department is lovely and we talked to them specifically on their open day and were very reassured. The biggest champion though is the Head. She's incredible. I remember there was an incident where DS had been picked on and she cleared her entire morning's calendar ( and that of the SENCO and Head of Year) and we sat in her office for hours and worked out how to move forward. I'll never forget that.
We relocated to send DS there and honestly it's the best thing we could have possibly done for him.

@GruntledGoblin that’s wonderful to hear! We may make a visit…if we decide relocation is best option

Bristol cathedral choir schools SEN provision is absolutly shocking. Most of the SEN kids get shoved in the hive and left to it, so you then have children whose needs mean they stuggle to sit and concentrate so they are constantly yelling, talking, wondering around whilst the SEN children who use the hive as a quiet space to sit and work in an evironment outside of the classroom, can not focus, get work done, or use the space as a safe calm space.
The school is also rife with drug dealing, drug taking, vaping,and bullying all of which goes ignored.
The school are now very proudly boasting of their high numbers of students from deprived areas which is only adding to the bad behaviour and drug issues. They are going so far as to change their term times to accomodate the children from deprived backgrounds.
They are taking on a lot of these students due to the extra funding the school receives ie pupil premium and the extra money SEN kids bring in, when actually the school is not equiped to cope with the high needs of these children nor is the school in the right location and as result this money greed is having a big impact on all students welfare.
Cathedral schools trust is now a business with money at the heart of it and no longer the wellbeing of the students.

Just seen comments about security not allowing cars on site. Whilst this is somewhat true it also isnt, the school has only recently been granted permission to close the site to traffic at school drop off and pick ups, something they have been fighting for for many many years. It isnt security that stand there though, just the estates team. Blue badge holders who have been granted prior permission are allowed access to drive into the school grounds, you would have to prove your childs needs mean you have to drop off there rather than parking on the road or carpark behind and walking onto site.
The site being open is true and students have wondered off or "run away" and police have been in search of missing students who have run off site and made it to other cities.

@kicking we were pre authorised and estates would not move the barrier, meaning we were blocking the bus lane. When estates did move the barrier they didn't move it far enough so I had to do a 5 point turn to get in the entrance. Then they directed me to a parking space which had poles either side, there wasn't enough space to swing forward into it so I ended up abandoning my car on double yellows in the site next to the cathedral to get my wheelchair out!

I've managed to get the LA to name another school now, I just thought the feedback would help everyone else!

They are going so far as to change their term times to accomodate the children from deprived backgrounds.

@kicking I just wondered what you meant by this? What's been changed?

Term dates have always been in line with private schools. There was a consultation to bring it in line with other schools in the Trust. This idea has been rejected.

I know a Bristol family who bus an autistic child out to St Katherine’s. They went with St K’s because of the reputation for SEN there. They are not finding it as rosy as they anticipated and haven’t been impressed with the SENCo.

Cathedral have massive numbers of kids with EHCPs, or they did a few years ago. They do seem to have a good reputation for SEND, but the site itself would definitely not suit everyone. It is a music specialist school too, so if DC struggles with musical noise you would have even more sensory issues. I can’t imagine drop offs and pick-ups are would be at all easy if your child isn’t able to get themselves to school.

Ashton Park has an autism/social comms unit, and while DC wouldn’t require that level of provision, by the sounds of it, it may (or may not!) mean that the school as a whole is a little more clued up on and set up for kids with autism.

A good reputation but clearly not a justified one, given Kicking’s post. My comment was based on what I’d heard on the grapevine from other SEN parents, but, as I said, a few years old now too!

If you can comfortably afford private then I do recommend Bristol Grammar School.

Their SEN provision is brilliant and they really do go the extra mile to help pupils with additional needs.

I would have described my DS the same as yours OP when in year 9. Be aware that as an autistic child progresses through the teenage years the needs and effects of neurodiversity can get more challenging - so you need to choose a school that will still be able to meet your child's needs if this happens.

That’s interesting @YayoKireZukusi - most of the feedback we’ve had about BGS was that it’s very pressured academically? Also the class sizes are relatively large for private school which feels like an issue.
And yes, absolutely, mental health going into the teen years is our number 1 priority.

Backwell:
Both my girls are v academically able and mask well at school so it would be very easy for school to ignore them. Neither has an ehcp and one is still midway through diagnosis. They both get regular appropriate social support, accommodations and most teacher's are genuinely helpful and try to meet their needs even when they are lacking in resources. They are not perfect and some staff are better than others. The newish senco is not as good as the one 3 years ago but pastoral staff are very good. Dd1 has been there a few years and while there have been maybe 2 occasions where individual teacher's have dropped the ball the school has always put it right.
Both girls have friends and feel accepted by peers.

BGS is academic but also supportive. My dc go there although they don’t have sen.

My Advice is go and visit as many as you can and get a feel for them. Choosing a secondary school is hard enough anyway but you usually know when you find the right one

What pressure there is at BGS seems to come from parents not the school. There are certainly some kids there who have been conditioned to think that anything below 90% is a disaster but we've always been clear with DS that as long as he's doing his best we are happy and we accept that in some subjects doing your best will not achieve amazing grades and that's ok - and the school have never done anything to load on extra pressure beyond the simple expectation that each pupil will do their best.

Certainly class sizes aren't really tiny. They tend to be around 25 or so. Some smaller classes in less popular GCSE options later on, and where a set in maths or english needs more teacher attention there's some smaller groups but if class size is your dealbreaker it might not be right for you but we have been very happy.

Ok thank you @YayoKireZukusi that makes sense. Yes I think class sizes are a big factor for us!

@YayoKireZukusi in terms of size/noise if you don’t mind me asking but do either of them have sensory processing issues?

are there quiet/nature spaces?

many thanks