Primary Mainstream or Special School recommendations Surrey

[PALONHAS]

Good afternoon,

I am a bit lost and desperately looking for recommendations. My son is in the processes of diagnosis - most likely autism & adhd. His nursery are helping us apply for an EHCP - they are recommending a mainstream school with one to one support.

We have visited some mainstream schools and met with the SENDCo for our closest school and just can't imagine our son coping in a classroom of 30 (sometimes 60 when in the large classroom) even with one to one support. I was about to lose it myself during the tour from all the noise and overcrowding! The SENDCo wasn't particularly reassuring either.

Can anyone recommend a good setting in Surrey (ideally around Guildford/Godalming/Haslemere)? Should we be looking at special schools? His nursery seem to think that he might just need one to one support for a few years - until he develops an awareness of danger, etc.

I just don't know what is best.

Thank you for any help or guidance.

i worked in a special school in central london and we often had nursery reception children start who had long term goals of transitioning into mainstream in year 1 or 2. The classes are smaller with a lot higher staff to children ratio activities are play based and varied for ability the children built confidence and developed skills which helped them transition into mainstream. It all depends on the child and the school ethos.

You can search for schools here. What do the professional assessments indicate DS needs? Have you considered ARPs? Most ASD specialist schools require a diagnosis so without a diagnosis you would be looking at generic SS.

Thank you @Anunusualfamily that sounds great - just need to find one near me!

Thank you @Thatsnotmycar we are still waiting for professional assessments - though have had some advice that it might be better to pay for private assessments (and some advice that says they can't be used?). I don't know what an ARP is - so not yet?

I have seen the search tool for schools but was hoping to get some personal recommendations.

An ARP is an additionally resourced provision, a specialist unit within a mainstream school.

Where are you in the EHCP process?

LAs can’t refuse to accept independent assessments just because they are independent. If you do go down the independent assessment route you need to make sure whoever you use has SENDIST experience and the reports are Tribunal standard otherwise they are useless.

Personally, I wouldn’t get independent assessments yet unless money is no object. Reports are expensive and you don’t know whether e.g. the LAs EP assessment is OK but you need an independent SALT assessment. Also, if you get independent assessments now and you have to appeal the EHCP they may be out of date by the time you get to the hearing (the wait for a hearing is around a year and ever growing). It used to be the case reports were considered up to date for 2 years but over the last few years SENDIST have considered reports much younger out of date.

Thank you again @Thatsnotmycar

The nursery are just starting the EHCP process - the paediatrician said she would support it? The paediatrician has just referred to S&L therapy and a clinical psychologist. We are waiting for OT.

Is it worth getting independent assessments in an attempt to get a good EHCP without the need to appeal? Or is that not really a guarantee?

School for him will start Sept 2023 - so obviously we are a bit behind and want to catch up and get everything in place as soon as possible.

If the LA agree to carry out an EHCNA you don’t need to sit on the normal waiting lists for SALT, OT or clinical psychologist. You can request the LA seek advice from them during the needs assessment and there are statutory timescales in which the assessments must be undertaken.

Personally I wouldn’t get independent assessments now unless money is no issue. There’s no guarantee the LA will agree to assess, many LAs refuse the vast majority of requests as a matter of course. If they do assess there’s no guarantee they will issue an EHCP even with them, or they may issue but not with the provision or setting you want, and any report done now would be out of date by the time you had an appeal hearing.

Make sure you apply for a school place via the normal route as well in case an EHCP isn’t issued and you have to appeal.

My sons LA reports said 4-6 sessions per term (30 mins each) of SLT and nothing else. Got private reports which were very costly but state 1 hour per week SLT with similar OT, plus he has extra diagnosis which were missed by NHS/LA therapists. LA may not accept private reports unless you go through tribunal (tribunal accept them). LA therapists dont always do full standardised assessments and are just trained to state the least amount of provision in my opinion or leave it upto the school to decide.

LAs can’t lawfully refuse to accept assessments/diagnoses because they are private, although they often act unlawfully and tell parents they don’t! As you say SENDIST do accept them.

Have a look at Eastwick School in Great Bookham. I have heard very good things about it.

Sorry - wrong side of Guildford for you but I think it might be the sort of thing you are looking for.

Hi OP, i dont know if you are still looking, but worplesdon has a 'high coin' unit called the haven, which has a good reputation. You would need an ehcp for this.