Specialist vs mainstream

[Tigers7]

SENCO at DS nursery has told me I need to start thinking about reception for him (he will start September 2025) She is currently gathering all evidence for him for a ehcp and said she is 99.9% certain he will get one. She has said whether I choose a specialist school or mainstream is obviously completely up to me but I’m really struggling on knowing which would be best.

He has come and leaps and bounds over the past 6 months or so. He has gone from being completely non verbal to having a handful of words and has even started putting 3 word sentences together. His understanding was also non existent but now he is able to bring me his shoes/coat if I ask him and if I ask him what he wants he is able to let me know. He has made huge progress but obviously there are a lot of other areas he struggles in.

I know there’s no massive rush just yet, but every time I have a meeting with SENCO they ask me if I’ve thought more about schools for him and I just don’t know what the best thing would be. I know specialist schools can be great and I would have no issue sending him there if I had to but for the moment I am very 50/50

It's great that your nursery is being so pro-active. I would still ensure that you're on top of the deadlines for the EHCP process though. Hopefully the LA will stick to the legal timeframes but many don't. I would also prepare yourself for a fight. Again, hopefully it won't be needed but many LAs turn down assessment requests, however compelling the evidence is.

There is some good basic info here. It also covers choosing a school with an EHCP:

https://www.ipsea.org.uk/Pages/Category/get-support

It's absolutely vital that when/if the draft EHCP is issued, you play close attention to Section F. This is the legally binding section of the EHCP - all support must be quantified and specified in here. Whatever school your DS ends up attending, this is where his support will be listed (eg how much speech and lang. he will get, what his classroom support will look like etc). If this section is well written then it may be that he could thrive in a mainstream setting.

I would also say that whatever decision you make, it doesn't have to be for the whole of his primary years. It is not uncommon for DC to move settings - either from specialist to mainstream or vice versa. The EHCP is reviewed every year - you can also request an early annual review if things aren't working out.

Have you looked at any schools yet? Either specialist or mainstream? If not, I would be making appointments in September. I would also try and book appointments directly with their Sencos if possible (although they can be very busy).

I take it you also know that with an EHCP you can request an out of borough school? So do look at any you feel has a reasonable travelling distance (your DS may also be entitled to transport).

You don't say if your DS has a diagnosis of a particular condition (although support is based on need not diagnosis anyway). If it is autism, my DS is in an autism resourced unit attached to a mainstream secondary and that is working well for him. It's worth looking at those too as they are offered at primary.

Your DS sounds like he is making excellent progress.

@Toomanyminifigs Thank you, very helpful. The nursery is great and doing everything for DS. I have 2 schools in mind but may look into others (a mainstream and a specialist) First choice mainstream is where my other DC attend which I am happy with but I did have a meeting with their senco not long ago to get their opinion on DS starting their nursery this coming September. They said they’d happily take him but suggested keeping DS at his current nursery while the ehcp is in process.

No diagnosis yet but it’s pretty obvious to me and nursery that DS has autism. SENCO are going to get the ball rolling on a diagnosis. They also think he may have adhd too.

It’s incredibly difficult which you probably know yourself but he really is doing so well and I never thought he’d be doing the things he’s able to

Request an EHCNA ASAP. You need all the time you can get. The legal timescale is 20 weeks if you don’t have to appeal, but many do have to appeal even if everyone else involved things DC meets the legal criteria, sometimes more than once and appeals are taking a long time.

Rather than just seeing it as a mainstream vs special school decision look at the individual schools. Contact the mainstreams, speak to staff. Some schools are more supportive than others. Then investigate what special schools are available within travelling distance. Ask around locally. Many won’t speak to parents until they are further along in the EHCP process, but do any have an SN playgroup or open day?

As well as the additionally resourced provisions for autism, some LAs have speech and language units.

What do other professionals e.g. SALT think?