What type of school does your child with Aspergers/HFA go to?

[Blossomhill]

Although (dd she is 8) is in a ms primary and only in year 4 I am panicking already.
Academically she could cope in a ms school but I am so worried emotionally that she really would not cope at all. She has such severe sensory needs that I do not feel she could cope with the hussle and bustle of a large school, even with a unit.
There is a small independant school that dd could maybe go to but I know it will be a fight. They work more on the emotional side than the academic but tbh if it means dd is happy I really don't mind.
I would love to hear from other parents that have made the decision.

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For what it's worth, I have heard such awful things about secondary schools for SEN that I am thinking of home ed- we already have ABA tutors, so that is ok, and one of the mumsnetters suggested giving different lessons to grandparents, friends etc on swimming, piano, or just play. I know of an ASD boy who is home tutored and can cook and make beds etc, all the skills he'll need, but has been home schooled since 11 so has not had to face potential bullying etc. Sorry to be negative, but that's how I'm thinking after even only one term at my DS's mainstream school - can see such an uphill battle ahead, and secondary with all those awful image-conscious teenagers not wanting to understand him fills me with gloom - unless we can find a way to go private, where class sizes are small and at least you have some comeback if things go wrong, as you're the paying customer. Not much help I know!

I just don't think emotionally she would cope. Academically she is miles ahead. Such a heard balance really when academically she is up there and emotionally completely the opposite. Wish she could meet both in the middle really. Everyone goes on about how bright she is but really that isn't going to make her happy in life is it????

I took my ASD son out of school at 7 and home educated him. It saved his life. And at 13 he chose to go back to school and is academically ahead.

Had you tried mainstream and it had gone wrong needmorecoffee, and may I ask whether you got any funding from LEA for home ed, or did they duck out of it once you had left the state school system (that's my worry)?

It was m/s aquarius. DS didn't qualify for SN school with Aspergers plus it wouldn't have suited him as he's very bright.
Once you home educate the LEA wash their hands of you (thank goodness) and you're free to educate in a way that suits your child.
He just didn't cope with school. I spent 3 years carrying him there while he screamed and screamed and he'd sit under the table rocking or lash out at other kids cos they were loud. And wouldn't go to the toilet as he was scared of them so he'd always wet himself on the walk home. Nightmare.
After 6 years of HE his ASD stuff is so much less marked. He still has odd ways but is so much easier now and he knew he would always have a choice and wouldn't be pushed into things that made him uncomfortable (he has SID as well).

ds1 was moved from a mainstream state primary in january to a small (not SN) private school. he has excelled in every way almost to the point that his AS is almost 'cured'.
ds2 started at mainstream state in sept but we will be moving him to same school as ds1 as soon as we can afford to- hopefully next sept.
i pay ds1s fees with his dla and carers allowance

Where is the school? Does it specialise in HFA/Aspergers? How old is your ds1?
I have a child with Aspergers who is also academic and wonder what to do. How did you manage to get dla?

hi, we live in exeter in devon. its a very small school, with only 10ish per class (and thats 2 yr groups in one). it doesnt specialise in AS but the teacher has been super supportive and actually acknowledges any difficulties her has and helps to understand and the others to integrate him. for the first time he has friends and plays at playtime with other boys. he even gets invited to parties (which are usually disastrous but its nice to be invited!). he is 9 and in yr 4 and very very academically able (he was on G& T register at previous school though they did nothing to stretch or challenge him).

i appplied for dla when he was diagnosed ooh nearly 2 yrs ago. we were turned down (as his school then had ststed there was 'nothing wrong with him', we appealed, it went to triubunal, we won!!!

at the moment I get £15k funding a year for ABA, needmorecoffee, and I think that's basically only because the LEA see that gradually going down as his mainstream attendance goes up. If I choose to home educate him with ABA only, I expect they will withdraw funding? Do you do all the education yourself? belcant, you sound like you have found a fantastic school, and that's probably where not being in London helps!

what is ABA? noone of my business really just wondered!

i meant to add that ds2 has AS? HFA as well as ds1 in casse it wasnt obvious from my first post!

DH helps with the Home ed but I'm not sure if you lose the ABA funding. If its on his stamenet they may have to supply it even if you home ed. There's a law that says they do in the Education Act (poss section 34) but getting them to do is a whole nother story.
IPSEA may know and Education Otherwise now have a SN advice group who might be able to advise you on the law regarding what the statement says he needs. Some LEA's will comply, others fight.

will re-read statement needmorecoffee, but have horrible feeling they have phrased it carefully so they don't have to pay out if he doesn't stay in school. bel, ABA is applied behavioural analysis or basically a very small-step approach to teaching ASD kids (my boy is not very hf, so it may not be applicable to your DC). It has been fantastic for my DS and has really changed his behaviours and taught him how to learn, IYKWIM