North West London School PDA girl

[DervlaKeogh]

Any recommendations of where to look? Could consider Ealing, Hounslow, Hillingdon, Harrow and parts of Hertfordshire or Bucks. Maybe Brent.

Not just a sometimes demand avoidant Audhd child but properly PDA. She’s highly intelligent and also sociable. Has a big group of friends at school and friendship is very important to her.

Everywhere I look is either boy heavy, for children who are at ARE or below (she is “gifted”), or are aimed at traditional autistic kids, which won’t work for her at all. She’s creative, chatty, funny….but needs autonomy and to feel safe. Needs a nuturing place that can embrace her learning style.

any pointers? Thanks

You will really struggle if you are looking for a SS catering for PDA which isn’t boy heavy and the pupils are above ARE.

However, other pupils not being gifted doesn’t mean a school can’t cater for someone who is. There are some schools who do this better than others.

If you could stretch that far, some DC with PDA find Orange Tree a good fit. They have more girls than most SS. However, it doesn’t work for all DC either PDA and I suspect the level of autonomy DD requires means they wouldn’t offer a place.

Many with PDA end up with EOTAS/EOTIS. Is that something you have considered?

Thanks, yes I think that EOTAS may be where we end up. Orange Tree is a bit too far unfortunately.