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SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

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Original poster

Moving from mainstream to special school - a bit nervous

19 replies

betamale · 22/09/2010 23:05

My DS is 5.5 and has been diagnosed with ASD. He is high functioning but has big problems with socialising and communicationg with others.

After a pretty disastrous P1 year with daily outbursts, biting, hitting, kicking, running away etc, he started p2 with some trepidation.

We have now been offered a place in a social and communication unit. We have already visited the school and it looks great.

I am off work today to take him for a short visit today with a view to starting tomorrow. I hope all goes well - personally I am very nervous about the whole move out of mainstream(he will eventually go back at the end of p3)

The main worry is the distance. His mainstream school is just down the road and the unit is 14 miles away - ELB to pay for transport but still waiting for official confirmation.

Has anyone else been through this? It's like starting school all over again

OP posts:

saintlydamemrsturnip · 22/09/2010 23:24

Ds1 moved from mainstream to special when he was 5 (he is 11 now). Best thing we ever did. Everyone's lives became easier and he is a very happy boy now doing very well.

Al1son · 22/09/2010 23:34

My DD has moved from completely mainstream to a mainstream autism base. I cannot believe how happy she suddenly is. She's around staff who understand and want to meet her needs and other pupils with whom she has lots in common. She's enjoying school for the first time in her life. Don't underestimate the power of fitting in.

Original poster

betamale · 23/09/2010 06:36

Thanks for the posts - the visit went well and he is starting his first proper day today.

When we talked about the new school, the first thing he said , in a very authorititative voice: "Now I won't have to go to..[the mainstream school]" He continued this for most of the day. He also told us that the new school was "great" something he would never have said about the ms school.

The transport has finally been sorted for Friday so I will take him today. Feeling much more positive this morning.

Again, thanks for the posts, they were very reassuring.

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roundthebend4 · 23/09/2010 06:59

Good luck ,ds did term in ms reception which did not work then moved went into Sn nursery now just started in speech unit and yes I found putting him on transport hard but really am finding him happier though do miss chance to talk to teachers though there good with home school book

Original poster

betamale · 23/09/2010 14:55

First day today - went well, he seems to have been fine. He actually volunteered some information! Tomorrow is first day in taxi.

He has come home exhausted which hopefully is a good sign. It's good to have a home school link book with positive things in it.

Last year, in ms school we suggested a book but it seemed to be used to detail the many difficult behaviours which isn't particularly useful especially when not much was being done to alleviate his problems.

Let's hope the future is more positive.

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Lougle · 23/09/2010 15:01

betamale well done for surviving the first day. Are you 'AbetaDad'? Or a completely different poster? Either way, it's great that you had a positive first experience.

My DD1 is 4 and started SS this week. Sending her on the minibus today was hard - she was crying that she wanted her Mummy and would miss her , but it is in her best interests that I present this as 'normal' and she gets used to it quickly.

BriocheDoree · 23/09/2010 15:07

DD moved from mainstream to a unit this year. Different child: relaxed, happy, and actually starting to LEARN stuff. She's bright enough but mainstream just wasn't teaching stuff in a way she could "get" it! She enjoys break time much more now she has a one-to-one to help her socialise with the other kids (she always wanted to before, just didn't know HOW to!)
Actually, my only REAL problem is the school transport dropping her off at home at 4.30, just when I should be at the school gate to pick up her little brother...but fortunately I have some kind neighbours who help me out by picking him up (but I'm sad for him as it's his first year and I wanted to pick him up myself IYSWIM!)

Pixel · 23/09/2010 17:52

Brioche, I had the same problem but we were able to get round it by arranging to have ds dropped off at dd's MN school. I could then take them both home together. Dd and I had to wait outside on the pavement for about 10 mins which wasn't always that much fun in winter but generally it worked quite well. In summer it also meant that dd didn't always miss out on after-school trips to the nearby park with her friends as we would just follow on when ds arrived. I'm not sure if all transport services would be willing, I might have just been lucky with our driver (and it wasn't out of his way, he had another drop off nearby) but it might be worth finding out if you can do something a bit different.

SanctiMoanyArse · 23/09/2010 18:02

As with MrsT's ds, ds3 moved from MS to a SNU (one alongside a MS unit but he has increasingly limited mixed teaching as was struggling). Best thingw e ever did for him. He went in year 1, easter and the transition itself was easier than the previous term!

He ahs HASD, technically HFA but severe speech issues and low functional IQ if that makes sense: the IQ is tehre but he's too absent to use it in a class of any size (can cope with about 6 maxmimum)

SanctiMoanyArse · 23/09/2010 18:04

Oh and yes, school transport drops off at MS school; if ds1 gets his AS unit place there will be two cars doing the same LOL, with diferent kids- just waiitng for Certain Mums We Encountered In MS to get annoyed the use nof their taxes

Original poster

betamale · 23/09/2010 18:52

By the way - I am completely different poster just a beta male as opposed to an alpha male.

Yesterday was my first time posting on here - my DW said there are quite a few folks on here in similar situations

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Lougle · 23/09/2010 19:18

Okay - welcome to Mumsnet, and a special welcome to the SN section - stick around and join in, it is a hive of information, and a great place to get support, whether major issues or day to day trivialities.

roundthebend4 · 24/09/2010 08:33

I found it hard accepting that ds needed to move from ms even though I was one pushing for it

think it's so normal in uk to take and collect our kids that to put them in a taxi and wave them of is hard

I admit to crying first time put ds in taxi though not till after he had gone but he is getting in it better now found turning things of stopping what doing 5 mintues before hand helps

but also know deep down that it is right for ds

meltedmarsbars · 24/09/2010 12:47

I'm glad the initial start has gone well for your ds.

No-one seems to tell you about alternatives when you first start sorting out schooling.

My dd2 has done split schooling for her whole time at school - she is now 8. She is on the register at the SN school but attends our village primary as a guest for 2 days a week. This has worked well for us, and this will be her last year doing this - then she will go SN full time.

As Lougle says - lots of info on here, even if you lurk rather than post (my usual method)

thederkinsdame · 24/09/2010 12:59

Hi beta,

Glad the first day was good. My DS is in a unit for kids with ASD. I'm so glad he's there. I don't worry about sending him and he's thriving. I take him mysefl, but plenty of the kids go on transport, some of them are really young, and the transport escort ladies are all lovely.

Original poster

betamale · 24/09/2010 15:34

Well he is back from the first day on taxi.

Just to complicate things, he leaves our house in the morning but has to be dropped back to childminders for an hour- he was a bit upset by this fact, even though he likes the childminder.

I think that after a long day he just wanted to come home. He will get used to this. Hopefully, his parents can! It was not easy this morning. It's not the taxi but more the distance - he will be on the road for 40-45 mins each way.

But this is only temporary - he will be in the unit for the rest of p2 and probaly p3, then back to ms. And it is much better than ms at the moment. It will hopefully equip him with the skills needed to cope in ms beyond p3. It would be unfair to deny him the opportunity just because we are worried about the travel

TGIF it has been a long week - thanks to all posted -it's great to hear from people in a similar situation.

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roundthebend4 · 24/09/2010 15:52

yes thats my wobble not so bad if was nearer but mornings is 90 minutes and its about a hr home .

Talked to friend in states and she like but all kids go on the school bus to them its a social normal

yep all you can do is give him as much help as possiable to it becomes normal to him just part of his day , mind with the winter coming im thinking of the advantages of door to door for him where dd has to walk home with me

SanctiMoanyArse · 24/09/2010 16:05

Distance is gahrd- ds3's school is only half an hour but next week the Ryder Cup manages to firmly establish itself exactly in teh middle (!) and I am dreading it; a trip of an hour and he's pulled until it's over, as the LEA well know

but

if the only way to get him the education he now has was a long trip then absolutely.

lobsterlisa · 25/09/2010 05:07

my son has recently moved into a specialsist provision. i know it is for the best as he is now learning rather than just managing or being managed. I am hoping not too have to fight so much too- the staff understand which is a massive bonus- that is half the battle.

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