How can I identify suitable SEN school placements for my son?

[BlueGreenMagpie]

I am requesting local authority for a school placement for my 9 yo, autistic non-verbal son. His previous specialist school stopped working for him .He will be assessed by an independent educational psychologist in October. Local authority has asked to name a few schools for consultation. I understand my son's overall needs but I am not sure what his primary need is or if he has any specific learning difficulties. I also do not know what type of school environment/ teaching approach would be best for him. After his last school breakdown, I am terrified of naming any schools.

I need to research the schools and get back to the local authority as soon as possible. Can anyone advice on how to identify my son's primary needs and suitable schools? Is there an advisor or any other professional who can help with this quickly?

Does he have an EHCP, OP?

He must have an EHCP to have been at a specialist provision. What is the specialism at that school and can you say why it isn’t working for him now?

Have the reports on your son been helpful OP, in identifying more precisely what his needs are? I would have thought the primary need should be on his EHCP, but perhaps the previous school was felt to be able to meet that and hasn’t.

@TheSquareMile Yes, he has an EHCP.

@Buscobel He has a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental delay. He was attending his previous school for 3 years. They never mentioned any specific learning difficulties but he did not actively engage in learning either. Independent OT report confirmed he has a low muscle tone. I noticed change in his behaviour earlier this year - unhappy, distressed, avoiding leaving for school, hiding his school bag. Seemed like a complete burn-out.

His previous school has ABA teaching approach. I thought ABA works for my son as he made some progress in the beginning, and I have nothing against ABA if it works for other children. Honestly, I am still not completely sure if ABA is the issue in my son's situation. He has so many other needs, such as severe speech and language delay, poor gross motor skills and sensory difficulties. This is the reason why I feel EP report is needed to identify his needs more precisely, but it just cannot happen immediately. What are my options for finding a suitable school?

@BlueGreenMagpie

In which area would you be hoping to find a suitable school, OP?

Firstly, you don’t have to state a few schools. LAs sometimes ask that, but you don’t have to. If you have a preference, one is suffice.

You can search for schools here. Don’t filter by things like phase of education or type of needs. Not all special schools have complete data sets, so if you filter by, e.g. phase of education, you may miss schools. I find making a spreadsheet can help. Starting with your LA and work outwards to surrounding LAs within travelling distance. The maximum recommended travel time for primary is typically considered 45 mins. Although some travel further.

Reading B and F of the EHCP and the evidence should help you understand what type of school and the support DS requires. Also, thinking about what it was that meant the previous placement didn’t work. When discussing things with the LA you should avoid using phrase such as what is best. There is no entitlement in law to the best possible education/provision.

Not all schools will let you visit at this point, but have you visited any schools and asked questions? That will help you understand what DS needs.

If DS is autistic, that is most likely his primary need is ASD. Not all LAs state the primary need in EHCPs. Focus on overall presentation rather than just primary need. There can be a huge scope in needs within a primary need and just because a school caters for a certain type of primary need doesn’t mean they are necessarily the right school for a child.

There are some consultants who say they provide a school finding service. Personally, I wouldn’t go down this route.

@scoopofmintchocchipicecream I understand what you mean about looking at the overall picture. As per my limited knowledge, special schools and specialist units are legally and operationally designated to cater to specific categories of need. If a school is designated for SEMH or SLD, their entire curriculum, staff training and therapeutic resources are tailored only for that specific profile. Identifying my child's exact primary functional need is the only way to ensure I target a school with the correct designation, as an autism diagnosis alone could see him mistakenly placed in an SEMH school that is completely wrong for his learning and physical profile.

@TheSquareMile Open to Hillingdon, Richmond, Hounslow, parts of Northeast Surrey.

How does the school visits normally work? Shoud I email school my son's EHCP first, get an idea if they can meet needs and then arrange a visit? Or just email my interest to visit the school and then ask specific questions about the provision, teaching approach, etc.? Won't it be a waste of time if the school say they can't meet needs after the visit?

I would contact the schools via email. Once you have made contact, you can then ask questions, ask about visiting, send documents (if the current EHCP is poor, it might not be wise to send that or to also send more up to date evidence and explain). However, some schools don’t allow parents to visit until formally consulted. Even then, some don’t allow visits until actually named. Some only allow visits on pre-arranged open days.

Won't it be a waste of time if the school say they can't meet needs after the visit?

Some schools visited may not be suitable once you have visited. That doesn’t mean it is a waste of time. Visiting schools helps you get a feel for different placements, what will work, what won’t, what types of cohorts are similar, etc. Plus, unless the school is wholly independent, just because they say they can’t meet needs doesn’t mean they can’t be your preferred placement and it doesn’t mean they can’t be named in an EHCP.

If a school is designated for SEMH or SLD, their entire curriculum, staff training and therapeutic resources are tailored only for that specific profile.

Not always.

For example, SLD schools will often have a not insignificant proportion of pupils whose primary need is actually ASD. They also happen to have SLD too or might not even have that formally identified, but it is clear that it still applies and that is the right type of school for them. In some SLD schools, most pupils have an ASD diagnosis and have that as primary need. Some SLD schools have a few MLD pupils &/or PMLD pupils because despite not having SLD, it is the right placement for them.

Plus, even within one primary need, the approach, resources, environment, etc. required can vary between DC. For example, what works for one DC whose primary need is SEMH can be actively harmful for another whose primary need is also SEMH. So just because a school is a SEMH school doesn’t mean it is the right school for the individual child.

Identifying my child's exact primary functional need is the only way to ensure I target a school with the correct designation

I disagree. I stand by saying the overall presentation needs to be looked at rather than just focusing on primary need. Just knowing the primary need isn’t going to ensure you get the right school. You need to understand all needs and provision required. Just understanding primary need can narrow the potential options, but on its own does not ensure you target correct schools. For example, ASD is a primary need. But ASD schools (not SEMH, that is a different primary need in its own right) vary hugely. Just knowing the primary need is ASD will not ensure you target the right school. Just as SLD schools can vary significantly and PD schools can and…

an autism diagnosis alone could see him mistakenly placed in an SEMH school that is completely wrong for his learning and physical profile.

For many DC with ASD, SEMH schools would be the wrong type of placement. ASD and SEMH are different primary needs. But that should be clear from B&F of the EHCP even if the EHCP didn’t state the primary need. That is because B + F = I. The placement named in section I is the logical conclusion of B&F.

@scoopofmintchocchipicecream I really appreciate the detailed breakdown, and I agree that Section B and F must align with Section I. However, these details feels too overwhelming at this point when trying to filter through dozens of schools. I am hoping to find a less complicated way forward/next steps which could potentially help me cut through the noise and identify a couple of schools to keep the LA consultations moving.

You can’t consider the placement without considering B&F. It isn’t how EHCPs and SEN law work. That is why it is called the golden thread running through EHCPs. And is why when appealing I it is wise to also appeal B&F. How are you going to know if a school can meet needs and provide the SEP required without considering B&F?

If it feels overwhelming, I would make a spreadsheet and go through the schools methodically.