What does a good secondary school for SEN look like?

[Manicmondaze]

DS is going into Year 6 and we are in the process of looking at secondary schools. DS has sensory issues , retained reflexes and is anxious due to early experience of neglect in birth family.

His is delayed academically by around 3-4 years.. His progress is very slow academically, but in areas he's interested in he has remarkable retention of facts. School (primary) has put in place some small group work which has helped as has some therapeutic work..

I'm anxious about his experience of secondary school given his delay in reading and writing delay and sensory issues. I have meetings with the school's SENCO as well as general visits booked to find out about support. We are also in the process of applying for EHCP.

I'm thinking a smaller school may be more nuturing and make it less likely for DS to get "lost" in the system, but at the same time question whether bigger means more resources? I worry that all may "talk the talk" at information meetings when in reality we might have to fight to get his needs met (he's compliant so his behaviour won't be a problem).

Most of the indicators of a school's success from a statistics point of view seem to focus on academic success. Is there a measure of how a school helps delayed children thrive? I'm struggling also to decide how important it is that DS goes to a school where most of his classmates will go to?

Any advice on what to look for in a good secondary would be appreciated (and what to avoid).

Where are you in the EHCP process? Ipsea has useful info on timescales and 'traps' to watch out for:
www.ipsea.org.uk/pages/category/education-health-and-care-plans

They also have some info about choosing schools:
www.ipsea.org.uk/pages/category/choosing-a-school-or-college

It sounds like you're doing the right thing, meeting up with secondary Sencos. I would ask about what kind of support DC get outside of class times ie in break/lunchtimes. Some schools have 'quiet rooms'/clubs for DC who are struggling socially. (I'm not sure if this is an issue with your DS.)

In terms of making a choice based on where his classmates are going, personally that would be very low down on my list of priorities for secondary for any child regardless of SEN. Most primary friendships don't survive secondary for long.
What you may be looking for in a secondary as you've identified may be different from other parents anyway.

It's worth having a look at Ofsted reports to see what they say about how SEN children are supported. When you meet with the Sencos, also ask what the pathways are for their SEN-registered DC post-16.
Also ask what kind of nuture groups they offer for DC in maths/english and how DC are supported who are operating at below expected levels in other subjects.

I'm afraid to say that it's very likely you will have to 'fight to get his needs met' whatever school he goes to as resources are so limited in schools these days. Having an EHCP gives you more legal powers to ensure his needs are being met.

My DC is going into Yr8 now and I remember the sleepless nights I had trying to decide on a secondary for him (he has an EHCP). I would say though that it's actually gone far better than I could have hoped and he tells me that he prefers secondary school as it's more structured and the lessons are more interesting. He has fulltime 1 to 2 support though.

Toomanyminifig’s post is excellent advice. Meeting with the SENCOs can tell you a lot in itself. As well as asking about the support DS needs ask what support they provide to existing pupils. The school should provide what DS needs, and if he gets an EHCP what is in there, but knowing what support others receive will give you a feel for how accommodating and supportive the school is. I wouldn’t base your decision on where classmates will go. Ask about whether they set &/or stream, too. It seems a long way away now, but consider what the school offers at GCSE level - alternative qualifications/additional support etc.

You can filter the government’s performance tables to look at, among other things, the progress and results of ‘low achievers’.

Thank you both for your advice. We are currently waiting for the assessment for EHCP to take place due to LA delays!

Thanks also for the links to Ipsea they are helpful! What you’ve said has reinforced my instinct not to prioritise where friends are going (or hope to go) but to focus on DS’s needs.

When did you apply for an EHCNA? The EHCP timescales are set in law, and while there are some exceptions to the timescales for some situations in the summer holidays, they don’t allow the LA to do as they wish.