ERP or Special Schools Altrincham/Hale

[FuzzyLollipop]

My son is 8 with profound ASD, ADHD, GDD. Mostly non-verbal and not toilet trained. We've had a terrible time getting him into a school with ERP in Derbyshire where we're at now, and we aren't happy with the special school in our area. The Derbyshire LA is in such a dire situation that we've been thinking about moving to Altrincham/Hale area, but this is based on us liking the area and our assumption that the LA would be more organised and our options greater.

Does anyone live in the area with a similarly profoundly disabled child and have any insight they could offer?

I'm heartbroken because we found a school in Derbyshire we loved, but they are oversubscribed and our LA says there's nothing that can be done except try and move onto special schools in Stockport which are also oversubscribed and most likely won't have a place for him. I saw non-verbal children like my son using PEC and was in awe. The difference for him learning how to communicate vs not is crucial to his future. I feel like I keep being given a map to new doors only to find out they've all been boarded and bolted shut.

Don’t move if you are just moving because you think the LA will be better. It isn’t.

Is the school you loved wholly independent? If not, on its own, being full is not enough of a reason to refuse to name your preference. The LA has to prove the school is so full admitting DS would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for others or the efficient use of resources. The bar to do this is higher than many LAs and schools admit. However, many have to appeal.

If you do want to look at schools in Trafford, you could look at The Orchards or Delamere. I have helped parents with DC happy at both. Although both are only primary schools.

You could look at Inscape House, Cheadle. It has secondary provision too. A Together Trust school.

Have SALT not introduced PECS for use at home? Has he not had access to an effective communication system in school? No wonder you are frustrated.

Another school you could look at that would cover secondary too (although there’s no guarantee the LA would continue to name the same placement at the phase transfer) in a similar area to Inscape House is Royal School Manchester - you might hear it called RSM.

It seems that the school has proven it can't take any more children in the ERP, so the woman from the LA (not our case worker as the case worker has disappeared and it's all management) has said that the next move would be to look at special schools which also might not be possible with the oversubscription problem. It used to be that the LA would just tell the schools too bad, this kid is coming, but that's not happening anymore. At least not in Derbyshire. No is no now.
I did see Delamere when I was researching. It's good to know that it's a good school. Thanks for your input!

SALT were horrendous. They came to school without telling me what day they were coming, gave the teachers advice which the teachers appreciated, and then when the teachers asked when they'd be back: a fortnight or month? SALT said that was it and he was discharged until he made significant or notable progress where they would come and re-evaluate.

I tried doing PECs myself just based on things I've read, but he shows no interest when I use them. School has a limited amount that they use (toilet, snack, outside) and they've been using them since 2023 and he still doesn't use them himself in any way. He will listen when you say to go to toilet or sit for snack, but he still drags people to things that he wants rather than use the PEC. Maybe he's just significantly worse than others.

If SALT is required, and it obviously is, it needs to be detailed, specified and quantified in F of the EHCP. Then it can be enforced. Is SALT detailed, specified and quantified in F now? To get it in F, many have to appeal.

Looking at non-wholly independent schools in general, schools saying no doesn’t always mean no. This applies whatever the LA because despite what LAs think, the law is the same. Even if the LA won’t name them, you can appeal. You do not need an offer of a place. The LA has to prove the school is so full admitting DS is incompatible. The bar for this is far higher than many LAs and schools admit. It has to be something tangible and specific and is more than an “adverse effect”, “impact on” or “prejudicial to”.

For most ERPs, the mainstream school is named in section I and the ERP provision included in F. This is because most ERPs aren’t separate registered institutions.

Have school been using them as timetable symbols for snack etc? Maybe he isn’t ready to use line drawing or picture symbols to request yet?
The order is objects of reference, photographs ( of favoured activities or items ideally taken on a plain coloured background) then symbols/ symbols with words.
You could try choice boards too.
Special schools often have their own SALT or ones who visit regularly.