Mainstream with ARP in Essex, Herts or Bucks

[Looking2Move]

Hi all,

Looking for advice on primary schools with autism units. My son has an ehcp but we are finding the primary schools in north London where we live don't want to touch us! We are looking for an arp in Bucks, Herts and Essex boroughs.
Seems like a broad search but we're trying to stay an hours commute from London so my husband can still travel into work.

Thank you, we are so lost at the moment with our search, rjobk I'll call each SEN dept Monday and see what the process is. I was told Herts will take his hours away and reassess him in borough if we move.

All so complex and difficult, as if we don't have enough to battle with. I'm sure you all relate.

Thanks in advance.

There are a number of primary schools with asd ARPs in Bucks but they are difficult to get into. Admission is managed by the SEN team so would be best to give then a call to see if there are any places. I would not move into an an area with the assumption you would be given an ARP place they are very sought after. If there are no places available it is likely the local authority would look to place in mainstream with a package of support.

If you are looking to move area with an EHCP local authorities usually request the receiving setting to hold an annual review within the first term so that the EHCP can be updated.

There are ARP places for ASD in Bucks but the entry criteria is strict. It would be best to contact the schools so that they can look over the EHCP and decide whether it is likely that he will fit the criteria.

When you do decide, please think long term as well. There are lots of primary ARPs but Bucks secondary ARPs are more limited and it would mean travelling.

Also, when Herts say that they would take away the hours, they don’t mean that they would take the whole plan away. Herts don’t operate an hours based allocation of support and it’s pretty likely that Bucks won’t in the next few academic years either. Your son would still receive the equivalent support but studies have shown that TA support on a 1-1 basis is not that effective as a means of supporting children. Whether that’s true or not is another matter entirely

There are no autism units in Herts afaik!

Looks like - can you explain how Herts does not operate hours based allocation of support, please?

I'm not sure Herts can explain .... they have a system whereby even if a pupil has an EHCP with support the school then has to make further application for funding which may or may not be agreed!!!
It isn't in keeping with the SEN Code of Practice and I'm really not sure how much longer they will try to implement such a system.

Oh, you mean the whole delegated funding system, invented by sunny Nottingham(shire)?

Sorry, I don't know anything about how it all works in Notts.

Nottingham invented delegated funding, and Herts adopted it about 14/16 years ago, iirc?

Delegated funding is worked out by a national formulae determined by government. It is not the same as funding for additional support specified in an EHCP. Any support over and above the level that can be supported with delegated funding should, according to the SEN Code of practice, be provided by the local authority. In Herts they have a system whereby even if it is in the EHCP the school have to apply through another route for high needs funding which may or may not be agreed even if it is written into the EHCP that they drew up!