Live in Essex, would like DD to attend SEN school in Suffolk - what's the likelyhood of this happening?

[bsac15]

As the title thread reads.

Does anyone out there have a successful experience of out of county catchment SEN schooling?

Our ds attends an independent specialist school in the neighbouring local authority. We had to fight at tribunal to get it though and had to demonstrate that the local special school could not and had not met his needs. Is the school you want independent or maintained by the local authority?

I wonder if you are talking about Beacon Hill in Ipswich...

Similar story to cansu. Our LA also wrote to LA special schools in neighbouring authorities so we had to show that the special schools run by our LA and other LAs weren't suitable.

If there's a suitable school already in your county, it will be hard to show that the Suffolk school is necessary. You'll have to gather evidence to show that no schools in Essex can meet his needs - you might need an independent EP to visit the schools and give his opinion on their suitability.

It could help your case if you agree to cover the transport costs, but only if it would make a critical difference between the relative costs of the placements.

my dd1 attends an out of county special school.

we had to go to tribunal to get it named (althoguh the LA settled before the tribuna date)

firstly, we had to cross the hurdle of placement in a Surrey (where we live) SN school.

next, we had to tackle extraordinary funding for an independent SN school.

then we tackled independent school in another county (SUrrey were far keener to fund independent SN school within county, rather than out of county, despite our assurances we woudl not seek transport costs)

it can be done, but there are a lot of different arguments you need to line up: why no state SN school in Essex will do, why no independent Sn school in Essex will do, and lastly why only that Sn school in Suffolk will do.

good luck

You have no right to 'like' your child to attend an out of county school, it has to be the only viable school that can adequately meet their needs.

Thomas Wolsey is a good school too! My son attended there for four years!!!

would second Thomas Wolsey, my son has used their outreach services for several yrs. Brilliant!
They are on a new site now BUT I'm sure a mum I was speaking to said she lives in Colchester so i am sure it is possible.
Also I know of suffolk children who go to school over the border in norfolk!

Hello anonandlikeit....... Long time no speak on here.... Hows you??

fine thanks & You? I did see you in the paper the other day, horrid storyline! How is your handsome ds?

Wilf is great...... he is a prefect at school now! In charge of the library. Our doctors wife said that was the blind leading the blind!!! He is home to cause mayhem and carnage tomorrow night!!

Wow a prefect - excellent! Enjoy your weekend!

Thomas Wolsey School

Thanks anon and you xx

sorry for the hijack bsac!

THANK YOU for all your responses!