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SN children

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

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Original poster

Mums in Scotland-school question

18 replies

waitingforgodot · 13/01/2011 17:01

How much of a choice/say did you have or will you have re school for your child. I am under the impression that we will be told which school DS will be going to (ASD dx) and wondered if this is the norm in Scotland?

OP posts:

tabulahrasa · 13/01/2011 17:17

Pretty much...

The expectation is almost always that it'll be your catchment area school, if that's definitely not suitable they'll advise an alternative in the same LEA.

It's mostly based on Ed Psych's recommendation and whether the receiving school believe they can meet the child's needs - you can of course apply for any school you want to though and appeal if you're not successful.

It's partly because of geography, in that, Scotland just doesn't have the same number of schools as England and partly because of the difference in systems.

willowthecat · 13/01/2011 17:46

Yes - it is based mainly on Ed Psych view though school may have a view if they feel they cannot meet needs. You can request a school as said above but you may be told that it is over subscribed or that it won't meet your ds' needs. As tab says, lack of range of schools and lack of statementing system can add up to not a lot of choice in real terms.

tabulahrasa · 13/01/2011 17:49

Willow - I feel the need to tell you, because I keep seeing your name... my cat's called Willow

willowthecat · 13/01/2011 17:57

Ha Ha ! Tell her to sharpen her claws for a fight with the SN system in Scotland

willowthecat · 13/01/2011 17:58

I was thinking of the plant pussy willow

MommyUpNorth · 13/01/2011 18:22

DS is due to move up to P1 in August (or repeat nursery) and he can either go to the local school that his siblings go to or the Special Education school in our catchment area (or a split placement between the two). They're waiting on us though to say what combination we want & if we want him to move up or repeat the year.

glittery · 13/01/2011 20:50

i told Ed psych nothing in North Lanarkshire to suit ds so i wanted him to go to a physical impairment school in Glasgow, he agreed, NL agreed, Glasgow agreed, suprisingly simple for us to be honest!
there are loads of ASD schools and units in Glasgow and a fair few in North Lanarkshire but i dont know about South?
Best thing to do is to have a look at a few and if you can give EdPsych a good enough reason why one particular school suits over another you might not have too much trouble.

chorltonandthewheelies · 13/01/2011 21:27

In south Lanarkshire we got told in our area it would be between two sn schools. We visited both and hated one, but were told we could only state our opinions on the form but not say which we wanted, could only appeal if we didn't agree with the panels choice. Luckily they agree with us although we were ready to do battle!

borderslass · 13/01/2011 21:39

DS has travelled to school since he was 6 but we had to fight for full time placement he went to an EBD in primary which wasn't really suitable but the staff where brilliant and did what they could.
We went to visit several secondary schools recommended by EP went to Ochil Towers in Auchterarder and a couple in Edinburgh he ended up at Kaimes in Edinburgh in the end which is a fantastic school he's in his final year now.
In the Borders there are no SN schools just 2 which have units attached to primary and the high schools have LS departments attached to them.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 13/01/2011 21:44

I was told I coukd choose, but also told which one dd would get into so I don't feel I have too much choice, tbh.

willowthecat · 13/01/2011 21:47

How long a journey would anyone on this thread consider ? To school I mean.

borderslass · 13/01/2011 21:52

DS goes 31 miles away but when he went in the taxi he was picked up at 7.15 because the other pickups made it a 40 mile journey,he never used to get home some nights until 5pm.

willowthecat · 13/01/2011 21:55

Thanks. I want to cast my net wider so want an idea of what is possible

Original poster

waitingforgodot · 14/01/2011 12:06

Thanks for all your replies. Did you go and visit different schools to see what was out there or did you take the Ed Psychs recommendation.

Willow, where are you thinking of?

OP posts:

tabulahrasa · 14/01/2011 12:11

oh definitely visit - it might well be that the ed psych's recommendation is what you agree with as well, but there may be glaringly obvious to you problems for you child with one school that the ed psych has never even thought about for instance

willowthecat · 14/01/2011 13:05

waiting - i will email you to explain.

willowthecat · 14/01/2011 13:05

not a state secret but probably best not in public forum where these search engines pick up everything !

Original poster

waitingforgodot · 14/01/2011 13:49

of course!! No prob

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