Changing from mainstream provision to an independent special school

[Sol10]

Hi, my daughter is 10 (finishes primary next year) attends a mainstream provision but I want her to go to an independent special school. She has a statement. In her annual review last month it was noted that she has made lots of improvements. A lot the improvements are not down to what the school is doing. I’m doing bio medical with her so she’s taking things in more and understanding things a little better.
There’s an independent special school that’s out of county that is highly specialised for autism that does ABA. I’d like to get her into that school asap as I know that’s the best thing for her. It’s also very expensive. I would love some advice if anyone can help. Thank you.

What is her behaviour like. One of the main reasons LA will fund a special school if if a child's behaviour disrupts the education of others and is a strong argument.

Other's might be lack of a peer group with similar needs / academic level or need for therapies that can not be provided by mainstream due to lack of expertise or funds.

What we did was visit or talk to local provision both mainstream and special and ask if they could meet needs (academic and behavioural). When they came back and said "no" this was our primary argument for the independent special school.

Your strongest argument is not that the independent special school can meet her needs better but rather that other schools can not meet her needs.

Hi thanks for your reply. She’s more clam in school now. She only scratches and bites if she gets really upset. She’s non verbal but has echolalia. I think they will say the schools in our borough can meet her needs but I need to show that she will make much better improvements if she went to that school because they do ABA? I’ll need to do ABA at home probably to show evidence? I think she needs more intensive programs of target working that’s what mainstream provisions don’t do. So if she makes improvements with ABA then the schools here can’t meet her needs because they don’t offer ABA? They are not trained behaviour analysts. If you don’t mind me asking what was your sons behaviour like that the schools couldn’t meet his needs?

You can ask for an early review of the Statement of SEN, ask for the school you want to be named and appeal if the LA refuse. You will need evidence.

I think at some point this year DD should transition to an IDP and you can ask to move across at any time.

You could try speaking to SnapCymru.

Yes I think that’s what I have to do but I also need to give reasons why the schools in the borough can’t meet her needs. That’s going to be the hard part.

@OneInEight
Hi thanks for your reply. She’s more calm in school now. She only scratches and bites if she gets really upset. She’s non verbal but has echolalia. I think they will say the schools in our borough can meet her needs but I need to show that she will make much better improvements if she went to that school because they do ABA? I’ll need to do ABA at home probably to show evidence? I think she needs more intensive programs of target working that’s what mainstream provisions don’t do. So if she makes improvements with ABA then the schools here can’t meet her needs because they don’t offer ABA? They are not trained behaviour analysts. If you don’t mind me asking what was your sons behaviour like that the schools couldn’t meet his needs?

I guess our evidence, that mainstream could not meet needs, was relatively easy because we had a track record of fixed-term exclusions as a result of some pretty ferocious meltdowns (hurt staff and/or property) when the ds's were 10 or so. School were worried they would hurt another child seriously but fortunately they never did.
Unlike your child though they were verbal (I think though this made school expect that they would be able to tell them when they were anxious which at the time was as impossible for them as if they had been non-verbal). Ultimately, ds1 was permanently excluded and we withdrew ds2 from mainstream because he simply was not coping.

To cut a long story short. ds1 ended up in an independent school for children with an ASC for secondary as despite his behaviour he was academically bright & local special school provision offered very limited GCSEs. ds2 ended up with an EOTAS arrangement as special school did not work out for him either.