More House School Farnham

[Expatmomma]

Was hoping to get some feel for the school (prior to first visit) from current parents.

Any thoughts / comments welcome.

Hi I wonder if anyone can help me. My 9 year old has Dyspraxia and ADHD - we are at the draft stage of an EHCp. Reading all your comments about it sounds like a great school - how does it help children with dyspraxia that differs from mainstream schools? I will have to prove that mainstream doesn’t fit my son’s needs but this does. It’s hard as at the moment you can’t look around schools to get a feel for it.

Hi my son has dyspraxia and is on the spectrum and a similar age to yours. He has been attending at MHS for just over a year. The main difference is that the OT, SALT and additional learning is throughout the whole curriculem, and all the kids are assigned these sessions. It depends on the level of support they have, I think there are 3 different colours and my son is on red band which is the most. This means he is not excluded, and it feels normal for him and any other boy to attend these. He is not excluded in class with an untrained TA at the sidelines - he used to sit at a desk facing the wall away from the blackboard and rest of class in mainstream. He is included in small classes of 12, and feels he has friends and peers that are like him. It's even the little things, so he can tie his shoe laces now, when he couldn't a year ago. So many things about this school are amazing. As far as proving your mainstream school doesn't fit your sons needs, make sure your evidence is tight with EP, SALT, OT, and also evidence of his performance at school falling behind his peers (the school measure this each year or term and can provide it to you). If he already has a TA make sure you know costs so you can prove MHS is comparable or cheaper. Hope that helps.

Hi I'm late to this thread. We are considering this school also but would have to move as we are currently in winchester.

My son doesn't want to leave his current mainstream school as he has friends there but the school are of limited support. We are applying to ehcp but i'm not convinced this will make any diiference.

He masks well at school but we really struggle at home with extreme behaviour.

He is reluctant to access extra help becasue he doens'n want to be 'different' and socially aware.

My other concerns is that he has had children in his class with adhd and he really didn't get on well with the noise...how would he cope at this school ?
any comments appreicated

thank you

What year is your son in? Does he have a diagnosis and is he aware of it?

My experience is that the staff are amazing at understanding the boys on an individual level and their needs, and working with their strengths to help them achieve their next steps, whether that is learning to play an instrument, telling the time, or tying their shoe laces.

I think the earlier you make the transition the better. But what will help your boy will be to meet some boys in his year, which of course is difficult right now. Not sure if this would work for your son, but when I knew my son had a place I took the school year book, and kind of read through it and showed him some pictures and photos about some of the amazing things he could be doing (so many more opportunities than mainstream). Yearly residentials, travelling with the school band (To Canada for instance) - and he just saw himself there immediately, especially because it was a school for boys with similar needs (Dyspraxia). Then after visiting the school, seeing the grounds an facilities he was all in, and was telling everyone he was going there. I think we probably had the same concerns about noisiness/ADHD disturbances, but the staff manage these well. There is a consequence system for getting out of line, and my son kind of finds it bemusing as he follows all the rules and can’t imagine why anyone would put themselves in the position of getting a consequence.

There are other boys who have also had this retisence and I recommend posting on the school facebook group to get other views.

Also wondering whether anyone has feedback on 6th form at MH for son with HF Aspergers/Dyspraxia, previously achieving academically but recent challenges at mainstream school. Would be good to get an idea about the academic level and kind of peer group to expect.

We are the Farnham side of Winchester and our son is starting at More House in September. The admission process was very thorough and our son spent a day at the school as part of that. I have never seen him so animated after a day at school! He said that is was lovely and quiet and he could concentrate and the teacher had time to help him. He is so excited to be in a school where “everyone is like me”.

Hi all

I have just stumbled across this school, previously looked at Bruern Abbey for our 10 year old boy. Where he has been offered a place. And we loved. Wonder if anyone on this chat looked at both, and could help me compare.
Morehouse is cheaper, so wondering if it's a better option for us.

I've emailed admissions with his dyslexia and SALT report.
Will wait back for a reply

Just trying to do my research!

I don't know Bruern Abbey. My son has dyslexia and dyspraxia and cannot learn from standard teaching. He is doing well at More House. As I say i don't know Bruern at all but I'd say go and have a look if they come back and say they can help. My son also has an EHCP to give you an idea of where he is. Not all boys there have one.

@Beanie32 my son is also in the same situation where he is reluctant to leave mainstream. how did you get on?

or any other experience will help xx