AS many of you know our school has been horrendous: argued that ds1 had no issues and then that they coudln;t teach him, tried to block statements with both, refused to put changing in place for ds3 even when staff would do it and it meant I had to crouch in a corner of a medical room to change him at 8.5 months pregnant, ds3 was sat at the back crying and ignored- etc.
Well, ds4 has reached nursery school application age (kids here attend a nursery class at their school) and I don't know which way to turn.
The Infants has a new Head who, whsilt having a rep for being ineffectivem, is someone I always got on with and liked and certainly is not the evil cow the old one was.
However, although the SENCO from old has gone part time, she is stil, on the premises, and the horrible teacher who shouted that 'your son (ds1) is unteachable' across a yard is still there (also PT).
OTOH, there is a nice schoolon the estate up the hill; i;ve been going to exercise class there and the facillities are great, dispalys etc seem much better and just more welcoming. Still faith based but not half as intense (it's not that we're anti faith, indeed quite the opposite, but old school was cancelling SN provision schemes to make way for extra church worship and buying faith ed equipment whilst getting the kids to read books ending (I jest not) with the 'hope that Daley Thompson will do well in the challenge of the 1988 olympics'...)
Thing is, the school will mean I need to drive rather than do a 2 minute rtoad hop; it will mean if I get back to work we cannot use our bloody amazing Cm as she picks up from the other (they have school wrap around but the CM hs been ours for eyars and is a good friend). It will mean I am dealing with four separate schools next eyar and combing in transport pick ups (ds3 in an SNU, ds1 maybe next eyar if not will need dropping off, ds2 can walk himself next eyar I think). DH will help when he can but is not always about and there is not anyone else. When the SNU pick up is on time (not often atm) it should be doable albeit with +++ stress, but...
Another factor is that I simply do not wish ds4 yto followe in the other's footsteps; I had to fight the school several times over, that pout people's backs up. DS2 and ds3 have good reputaions but ds1 categorically does not. All three have needed extra input to various extents (ds1- AS, half time statement, aggressive to an extreme; ds2, used to get reading help but school missed dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADD; ds3, school ignored a non verbal, non toilet trained child until forced to take action- ASD). Does ds4 have any SN? Don't know- nothing obvious but there are small signs with traits; I would say he ahs ASD traits but nothing diagnosable or of huge concern (so far).
The nursery placement is half time- mornings or afternoons- and in fairness both have good facillities. We get automatic admission to local school based on catchment and it's a very popular palce but .... useless when challenges rear their head.
So, WWYD?
Ta