Orange Tree School / Holmewood School

[MarthaJonesPhone]

Does anyone have children at either of these two schools or have any feedback. I would be so grateful.

DS current mainstream school placement has completely broken down. I've applied for an urgent review of his EHCP to change to special school.

DS is very shy and so anxious and I'm desperate to find a very quiet and nurturing school for him.

I wanted to write on here for anyone wanting information about Holmewood. My son has started there and has had a great experience. It's small and caring and for once in his time at school he's felt part of things, which has been great for his confidence. I used to collect him from his mainstream primary and see him trailing out behind all the NT kids in his mainstream school, often alone and being completely ignored. I only realised what kind of effect this must have been having on him until he started holmewood. Suddenly, I hear about what's happening at school and his interactions with other kids. He has friends and is engaged with learning and talks about looking forward to things that are happening that day. If you are in two minds about sending your kid to a special school, and getting them to brave it in mainstream, I say don't bury your head in the sand. The LA saying your kid can "cope" in mainstream, just isn't good enough- you want them to be happy and thriving and in the right environment it IS possible! The drawbacks to Holmewood are the tatty building (surely with those fees they can afford a lick of paint?), the lack of girls and some of the other kids have greater needs than how it was first presented to us- but otherwise I think they actually really care about these kids and set them up for a far better future than they could get "coping" in a big noisy mainstream. My son is ASD with sensory processing issues, he's not disruptive and would probably just have slipped through the cracks in another setting.

All of this is really helpful so Thankyou everyone I am currently at the stage of worrying about where my child will go for secondary school and also considering specialist schools but finding the right fit I know is challenge. My son behaviour is not challenging if he is supported and feels supported and reacts to how he is treated school are currently being much nicer to him and he is doing better there is another of misunderstanding and assumptions in mainstream and not listening to the parent who knows their child best as we have been on the journey with them faced the ups and down had the successes and the failures as well as finding new ways to parent and adapt.

As previous children have not had autism I am new to this world but not new to working in education and the send world my worst experiences so far is the disregard for autism and treating behaviours always as something to manage as a punishment instead of focusing on support.

the second has been the behaviours of Senco who should also be advocates but at times behaviour as though the role was just a step for their career and don’t really care and have intentions of listening to parents

and so here we are possible May need a specialist school and these were the two I may have considered.

Mapesbury is also a lovely school based in crinklewood I wouldn’t say it offers gcse but they have the most caring and understanding staff who work very hard they are new and only been open almost a year. They offer all subjects and have all in house ot , therapist , speech and language I would say it’s more focused on the nurturing side and offer all subjects they they throughout the day including food technology which they love.

all the best to all the mums been this or going through this.

being new to this I have realised that I may need to apply for a EHCP because it’s eels as though if you don’t have one you can’t get into the most suitable school and schools don’t always follow all advice from professionals to the T for what ever reason as schools also know support plans are not legally binding but EHCP are.

So here we are I am now apart of the club and have learnt a lot and am still learning