Moving to London Woolwich, HELP!

[wivinie1]

Hello all,

I need help with navigating the SEN system, does anyone have experience with London borough of Greenwich? Especially for nursery and primary school experience?

Context - single mum to a 3 year old son who is non verbal with diagnosis of ASD 2 months ago. I'm originally from London, moved out to Peterborough during COVID, navigated the whole diagnosis process by myself in Peterborough, I'm exhausted, we also had an incident where I was hurt and unable to get help and it was just me and him and he wasn't able to call for help or bring my phone to me. All of this has made it clear to me I need family around for support so moving back to London is the only way.

The problem is starting over again in London when there is a clear pathway and plan to follow in Peterborough, that is to get current nursery to support/submit ECHP, transfer my son from the current private nursery to a primary school nursery in September this year, with the hope that he will stay in same school for his primary education as the school has an ASD hub. I will need to push and fight for the ASD hub and extra 1:1 but it seems "doable". The primary school SENCO has offered to help me write the ECHP to ensure they get the 1:1 and ASD hub and it's a small school with under 250 capacity for the whole school.

This when compared to London seems daunting, first of all I can't find a small primary school with nursery attached, they all have a capacity of 600 children or over (I know it's the capital and schools are bigger) but I just can't wrap my head around my little boy in a school with 600 children, how will he cope? There are private nursery with smaller numbers but then he will still go to a bigger school in reception or year 1 (depending on if we defer)..if you have gone through this experience how did you and your little cope with this change from nursery to reception?? Any advice?

I'm also assuming that I don't have to go through the whole diagnosis process again but will have to go through Greenwich council for another ECHP?? Does anyone know how long this process takes? And how was your experience dealing with Greenwich borough??

Any primary school recommendations??

Final questions, any SEN support groups in the Woolwich area will be most welcomed ❤️

Sorry for the barrage of questions, so much to get my head around and not much time until I have to move.

If possible, I would move ASAP before making the EHCNA request.

If you move LA with a finalised EHCP, the new LA will become responsible for the EHCP on the day of the move if you give the new LA 15 working days’ notice or 15 working days’ from when the LA was informed of the move if you don’t. The new LA will review the EHCP and potentially amend or even propose to cease to maintain. You will get the right of appeal, but it is still something you need to be aware of. They may decide to reassess too.

If you move during the EHCNA, the new LA will decide whether to assess or not. They should take into account the old LA decided to assess and any information already gathered should be considered. SENCOP 9.162 covers it.

Unless you have to appeal, the EHCNA process takes 20 weeks. It is likely to take longer if you move during the NA. Unfortunately, many do have to appeal, sometimes more than once, and that means it takes a lot longer.

Having a setting named in an EHCP for nursery doesn’t necessarily mean it will be named for primary.

Schools don’t write EHCPs. So they may help you make the EHCNA request, but they don’t write the actual EHCP.

In Greenwich, the hubs are called Designated Special Provisions (DSPs). There are some smaller primary schools. They don’t all have 600 pupils.

Are 100% sure your family will help out? I've just gone through similar and moved me and my son a few hundreds miles only to find out that they aren't being the supportive family I hoped for, I've given up a lot and now looking to move back to where we originally were, it had much better support now and in the long run.
my advice is go where you know you will be supported not where you hope you will be 💕

I totally understand, I'm very closed to my family and our strength is always coming together when one of us needs help. They have always been great and already provide so much emotional, mental and financial support and it's just the physical support that's missing and that reassurance for example that if I'm late from work there's always going to be a family member that he knows and trust around. We've also done similar things in the past, ie lived with each other, looked after each other children whilst one is working abroad etc

Thank you, that's so helpful. Unfortunately I can't move in until September as major works needs to be done and so it will have to be a move during the EHCNA phase as I doubt we will get the full EHCP before the move.

If you can’t move before requesting an EHCNA, if possible, I wouldn’t move until you have the finalised EHCP (or a refusal and submitted an appeal).

https://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/info/200236/children_with_additional_needs/1671/about_the_local_offer this page may lead you to support groups in the area. You can ask their views on schools.

Just stay away from Timbercroft primary school, please. For your the wellbeing of your child.

Depending on the profile of your DS, have a look at Willow Dene school. This is a specialist school for DC with profound and multiple needs which also includes autism. I know several families with DC there and it's known to be outstanding. It is very oversubscribed though so you will probably need a tribunal to get it named. They also take DC from nursery up to 19 which is another reason it's so popular.

There are also several primary schools in Greenwich that have special autism units. You will need to visit them all though as they are all individual and have their own ethos and pupil profiles.

I have some knowledge of Greenwich primaries and I'm not sure where you're getting the 600 pupils from? I can only think of a couple of primaries that are that big and one is split across two sites. Most are two form entries so that would make 420 max.

I would also say that in my experience, if a DC has SEN, a bigger primary school ironically can be better. They will often have more resources and experience. It can also help DC prepare for the jump up to secondary (where 5 to 9 forms are the norm in London).
It's quite rare for primary school pupils to be all together anyway - maybe in assembly. Otherwise the year groups tend to be apart so you don't really notice the other years.
If your DS does get a place in a resource unit that will be even more of the case. Reception children don't mix with the older years anyway.

I would also warn you that Greenwich is a large borough with a very high level of DC with additional needs. Places in autism resourced units are very sought after and again you may require a tribunal to secure one.
There is quite a lot going on for SEN families in Greenwich. Do check out the local offer website posted by Needlenardlenoo.

It might be worth having a look at Riverston School. It is a private school but I know that Greenwich do fund places via EHCP - but again, be prepared for a fight!

Thanks for the heads up, I hadn't come across it but it's good to know. Hope it wasn't to traumatic for your DC

I think the profile bit is where I'm truly struggling..he is only 3 and who knows what will happen in 16 months time! I'm trying to prepare for the future but not knowing what the future holds because one minute we have no progress and suddenly we have lots or some progress and then occasionally we get regression!

It's so hard and I just want to curl up in a ball and cry.

I want to be in a position where there's a minimal amount of transition for him, it's already a big move.

I think I'm leaning more towards Willow Dene because he's non verbal, and not so social (he will play alongside his peer but not with them) and I suppose if later on he can cope in a DSP unit then we can move him. I know it will be a fight to get him in but I'm his mum and if I don't fight for him then who will?

Some of the primary school with DSP also have nursery, so I'm going to arrange a visit.

What I do know is that mainstream is not the way to go.

Thank you for Riverston suggestion, I will have a look.

I'm so sorry for long reply, the move is getting to me and I've been a mess the whole week, really appreciate your advice.

I want to be in a position where there's a minimal amount of transition for him

This isn’t something you can guarantee, I’m afraid. Even if you have an EHCP by the start of reception (and you may not), there is no guarantee the placement named for reception will be the school DS is attending nursery at.