Would really appreciate people's thoughts on this as it is going round and round in my head.
Saw Ed Psych yesterday at last re DD's school for next year. She was very very good indeed, welcoming of my opinion, knowledgeable and aware of DD's needs and issues.
I half wanted to keep her at nursery for another year (it's easy to defer here if they are still 4) but sort of knew that although she enjoyed it it was perhaps just the soft option and not best for her in long term (she doesn't sit still and just plays on her own and joins in the songs).
The Ed Psych basically said that she needs more input than she is getting now, and needs to go to special school, one for children with severe learning difficulties, for at least a couple of years, to work on her language. The language units attached to mainstream here, where she would love to place DD, need a child to have SOME language and conversation and even the moderate special schools here require a child to be able to sit still and turn-take.
This concerned me slightly as I have always felt DD is very bright and the professionals don't seem aware of this. DD appears like a small toddler with no understanding. I didn't want her to be consigned to a school that wouldn't push her enough later, when/if she starts speaking.
She was starting to read at 2 before she regressed, knew all her shapes and numbers, and generally seemed like a bright child. Now she has physical difficulty in speaking as well as having had an ASD-type regression (no DX yet).
However the Ed Psych was great, took this all on board, said she would make it clear in the application that DD has great potential and she doesn't see this as a long term placement, she might move later to a language unit or the other special school, definitely by age 8.
The school they are talking about has small classes of 6, pretty much 1 to 1, and desks are separated so children don't get distracted. On paper it is perfect for DD..as the Ed Psych said her number 1 problem is her total distractibility.
On the other hand she loves mainstream nursery and the other children, and a lot of the children at this school will have severe behavioural issues (DD doesn't and is gentle and quiet). I feel she will be missing out on interaction, although is this a moot point as DD doesn't interact, just smiles shyly at the children? The children in mainstream love DD at the moment and try to play with her, which is great, I am aware that this might not be the case as she gets older though!
Also, the Ed Psych said she might not like it as they will have to work hard on getting her to "dance to their tune" (accept instruction) and not just do her own thing. Which is true, but DD might suffer and be unhappy.
I do want to do the best for her though, she is starting to speak, she is bright IF she wants to learn and I know she has potential with the right input.
Any advice MOST WELCOME.
