Girl with ASD - in year school move. Would you?

[ruthietoothie]

I have an eight year old who has recently been diagnosed with asd/adhd. She masks a lot at school and we have always felt that the school doesn’t really support children with SEND. She has a younger brother with demand avoidant ASD and he’s also never been well supported.

she does have friends at the school and finds change difficult.

when things were especially bad I put her on the waiting list for another local school which is one form entry and has a reputation for being nurturing, good with SEND…

we have just been offered a place and now I have no idea what to do. Not even sure if having the kids in two different primary schools would be feasible and worried about the upheaval but also feel like it could be a chance of getting better provision…..

what would you do?

I would have her go to visit for a day or half day a couple of times if possible and then see what she/you think.

Have you spoken to the SENCO at the potential school? If not, and you have time to speak to them before deciding, I would do that. Otherwise, you risk jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. Trial days/half days are unlikely to be an option for a state school in-year transfer.

Does either school have breakfast and afterschool clubs that would make dropping off/picking up both DC feasible? Does the potential new school have space for DS too?

thanks so much for the responses!! It’s all very tricky. The first step is to go round and see the school and if it’s better than where she is currently. I’ll also ask to chat to the senco. My Oh is very against the idea of moving her as he thinks it’s too big a change for her to handle…. I feel more torn