When did you know what kind or secondary you’d need?

[Newsenmum]

When did you know whether your child would be able to cope with a mainstream secondary, mainstream with good ARP or special secondary?

DS is only 6 and it’s not quite clear how things will go so Im interested and trying not to overthink everything.

is it around year 4 or 5 when you start looking?

For DS2&3, we started looking in Y4 and decided on our preference in Y5. The right choice for DS2. At the time, it was the right choice for DS3, but ultimately a secondary wasn’t going to work and he now has EOTIS. For DS1, it was clear from reception any sort of school would never work.

I'd say year 4 or year 5. We are in a grammar area though which forced the issue.

What does he do? Homeschool?

So im guessing they were coping in mainstream?

Yes, but I had concerns that none of the local secondaries were suitable.

If my child is at a mainstream but mostly in an ARP I wonder if he’d definitely need a school with arp later.

DS1 & DS3 have EOTAS/EOTIS.

My DD is in year 5 and I still don't know! She got overwhelmed looking at mainstream schools, but it might work if she's well supported and can access quieter areas/not do PE. She fell in love with the ARP we looked at, which you'd think would make it easy but I think she may be too academic (that and I suspect she's too on the cusp of needing it to actually get a place).
It's not an absolute rule, but I was told that generally DC move up a level support wise when moving to secondary, so SEN support to needing an EHCP, mainstream to ARP, ARP to special school. From the people I know with older SEN children this does seem to be true.

Ah that’s interesting to know. Mine us currently doing the best he’s ever done at an arp within mainstream. It’s been really good for him accessing mainstream in the afternoons - mostly for social interaction. He gets incredibly overwhelmed though and does most of his academic learning in the ARP. He has a very spiky profile in the fact he is very articulate and ‘smart’ in some ways, but is still very behind in others.

So I do wonder if a mainstream secondary even with an arp is just a no go, but then aspects of mainstream have been good for him so it’s a tricky one.

@Justploddingonandon do you have an echp? We’re waiting for ours currently.

Id love to know how this looks in reality! Is jt because there’s no special school available or is there genuinely nothing that fits?

Yes, she has an EHCP, currently in mainstream with a 1 to 1.

The threshold for EOTAS/EOTIS is that it is inappropriate for provision to be made in a school or college.

For DS1, there isn’t a school who could come close to being able to meet his needs. My search extended to the whole of England. School or college is never going to be suitable.

For DS3, an imaginary school may well be able to meet his needs. He would be fine in an imaginary school - a school with no other pupils, taught only certain subjects to a high academic level in certain ways with lots of sensory input, lots of exercise/sport, multiple therapies, sensory friendly building… you get the idea. It is an imaginary school he drew/annotated for the EP, but it is never going to be real, so the imaginary school doesn’t mean it isn’t inappropriate for provision to be made in a school for him.

EOTAS/EOTIS packages are bespoke to an individual’s needs. Packages can include things like tutoring, therapies, sport, cookery lessons, music lessons, mentoring, APs, equipment, professional time and so much more. I can post an overview of DS1&3’s packages if you would like?

Im sorry that honestly sounds so difficult. Are you comfortable saying what needs your children have? I understand it not. Id be very interested to hear the packages! I was very close to homeschooling DS initially as wasnt sure anything would be suitable but we are lucky with our current primary.

DS1 has a complex mix of physical, medical, developmental and psychological needs.

His EOTAS package includes:
16 hours of 1:1 home tuition per week.

17.5 hours per week of other provision consisting of:
1 hour each of SALT, SIOT, CP, rebound therapy, lego therapy, ELSA, and swimming.
1hr of exercise of our choosing - he does things like adaptive skiing/adaptive surfing/adaptive kayaking/adaptive climbing/boccia.
2hrs ‘normal’ OT.
3 x 1hr physio (1 session with a physio, 2 sessions specialist personal trainer)
4.5hrs enrichment/mentoring/accessing the community/PfA.

Full time HLTA hours (actually more than one HLTA because it is too much for 1 person) to cover the whole package to enable all the above in a cohesive bespoke package. Some of the provision has 2 HLTAs at a time. TA time on top to cover (an extended) lunchtime.

Then other provision such as:

• a science lab practical per half term
• equipment (e.g. sensory, physio/gym, technology and accessories/software/assistive tech, desk, specialist seating for DS1, ergonomic seating for those working with DS, noise cancelling headphones.)
• membership/subscriptions (e.g. MEL science chemistry and physics, Lego magazine, bbc history magazine, national geographic magazine, tassomai, national trust, audible, Nintendo switch online.)
• budget for resources, sundries, etc.
• budget for PfA/life skills, accessing the community/trips/enrichment, etc.
• EP input time, QTVI input and ToD input/training/provision.
• Careers adviser input (DS1’s needs mean he will never work but careers advisors help with things other than employment. For example, they help with looking at further study/next course or unit.)
• Lead professional time for leading, co-ordinating and overseeing the package.
• Professional time - e.g. for planning, report writing, termly MDTs, updated advice and information, ARs, summary communication post sessions, time for professionals to access advice from each other.
• Exam entries, EAA, mocks.
• Travel costs/time - for professionals and for DS1’s provision outside the home.
• Training for professionals.
• Insurances.
• Payroll company funding.

Some of the package is for 38 weeks, some 48 and some 52 weeks. And we have the flexibility to spread the hours across the year.

DS3 has ASD (and some co-morbidities) and some medical needs.

His EOTIS package includes:
2 days a week at an outward bounds AP
14 hours of 1:1 face to face tuition each week
1hr each of SALT, OT, SIOT, CP and 1:1 music lesson per week.
1.5hr weekly cooking lesson

physio - 3 x 1hr active sports sessions for 39 weeks/5 x 1hr active sports sessions for the 13 weeks outside of the AP’s term time provision.

LSA time to cover all the provision except the AP. Second LSA to cover lunchtime to ensure he still has 2:1.

2hrs per week mentoring/PfA/accessing the community/enrichment term time 39 weeks per year/5hrs per week outside of term time 9 weeks per year.

Other provision such as:

• A science lab practical per half term
• equipment (e.g. sensory, gym, technology and accessories/software/assistive tech, ear defenders, noise cancelling headphones, desk, ergonomic seating.)
• membership/subscriptions (e.g. gym (gym/swimming/courts) membership, MEL science chemistry and physics, KiwiCo crate, tassomai, Audible.)
• budget for resources, sundries, etc.
• Budget for PfA/accessing the community/enrichment/ingredients, etc.
• EP and physio input time and ToD input/training/provision time.
• Careers adviser input
• Lead professional time for leading, co-ordinating and overseeing the package.
• Professional time - e.g. for planning, report writing, termly MDTs, updated advice and information, ARs, summary communication post sessions, time for professionals to access advice from each other.
• Exam entries, EAA and mocks.
• Travel costs/time - for professionals and for DS3’s provision outside the home and taxi for travel to/from AP.
• Insurances.
• Payroll company funding.
• Training for professionals.

Other than physio/mentoring, it is all for 39 weeks per year, but we have the flexibility to use the hours across the year.

Thanks @2x4greenbrick Im glad youve been able to get that support and I really hope it’s working for them.

Thanks. EOTAS/EOTIS works for DSs. DS3 is thriving. He is happy and healthy and making outstanding progress. DS1 is more of a work in progress, but it works for DS1 too. It has been significant work to get to this point, but it is absolutely worth it.

all secondary schools have open evenings/tours in September/October each year. We first looked in yr5 but there were yr4 children on one of the school tours we did when dc was in yr6. They are really aimed at yr6 obviously but you do get a feel for the schools when you look round

if you take dc be prepared for the fact they may get the feels differently to you (mine did not like the air in my first choice school 😳)

all secondary schools have open evenings/tours in September/October each year.

This isn’t the case with all school types.