Mainstream or specail school?

[Greenunistu]

I have posted this elsewhere but have only had 1 reply?
I work with an ASD child and I am also training to be a special needs teacher, for my final research project I am trying to find people to answer 8 questions anonymously about their choices of primary school for statemented children.
Please mumsnet help me out!!

Ok- what do you want to know?

Ditto. I actually helped my son's pre school special needs teacher with her Masters on a very similar subject. PM me.

I saw your post and was going to reply but then felt a little nervous about giving my address to someone I don't know! Sorry, I'm possibly a bit of a nervous character!

We've recently got a key worker set up for my son who has autism and had to do the whole CRB check so, I'm loath to give info to a stranger.

I did help my son's TA with her degree last year providing a lot of info to her, but then I've known her years.

Good luck to you.

HI, I dont need any personal information, no names or area where you live. Would it be ok to PM you the questions and you can then decide if you want to answer them?

if you post the questions here, it might help people decide whether to answer or not

I probably would, if that helps , but would prefer my answers (if they are truly anonymous questions - not that most postes here don't know everyhtign about my dd's school anyway ) to be here rather than on PM, so that it stands for other who may search and find htis thread when trying to decide for themselves

Thank you. Will give it a go!! Questions are below....

How many children do you have that require special educational needs?

Are your children of primary school age? If so please state their age/ages

Please state the nature of your child?s disability or educational need

Where have you chosen to have your child/children educated? E.g. Mainstream or Special School

Were you happy with the choices available to you and your family?

Are you happy with the final decision you have made for you child?s education? Why?

Do you feel there are more specialist schools needed in your county or borough?

Thank you in advance ofr your time.

Ellen have just realised I have PM you the qusetions twice!! Sorry.

oh, absolutely happy to answer those.

so.

1. 1, currently. am keeping an eye on the second, though, as all may not be plain sailing.

2. dd1 is 6, dd2 is 4.

3. dd1 has ASD. she is severe. dd2 is skating a fine line between NT and AS. we are keeping an eye on her.

4. dd1 is in a specialist SN school. it is an ABA school. dd2 is (obviously) in a MS pre-school. Even with extra needs (if it turns out that way), she will be ok in MS.

5)hmm a difficult one. the natural choices? no. absolutely not. we have moved house twice, across the country, to get dd1 the education she needs, and have still ended up with her being educated out of county. it took us 3 years ot ge ther a statement at all, let alone the then inevitabe delay while we argued the necessary amendments to the statement which made it appropriate for her.

originally, our choice was between MS and an SLD SN school. SLD is not appropriate for dd1. she is severely ASD, but with mild LD. but she could not cope in MS, even with full support. once we had moved, our choice was MS or ASD SN school. however the ASD school was TEACCH based, which again does not suit dd1. she learned nothign in more than a year of attending a TEACCH based ASD pre-school.

we had ot fund a home programme, and research schools ourselves. there was no interest form the LA in finding out what would suit dd1, and enable her to learn and progress. we had to research it all ourselves, and fight for it every inch of the way.

6. yes, we are very happy with dd1's school. she is finally comfortable and progressing. she has gone form being (at school) a withdrawn, passive child who could not even speak due to anxiety and distress to a child who is fully engaged with every activity and lesson. she is outgoing, cheerful, learning at a good rate, and far exceedign our expectations.

7. my county has a good number of ASD schools. many parents fight to get a place for their children in these schools. they are highly regarded. but are not suitable for all children.

so yes, more schools are needed, with a wider variety of teaching approaches. dd1 was stuck at preschool when she should have been starting Yr2 due to a lack of SN school places. so again, yes, more schools are needed to avoid children being shoehorned into provision which is not appropriate to their needs.

hth, and please do ask if you need any more info.

Thats super thank you.

How many children do you have that require special educational needs? Two

Are your children of primary school age? If so please state their age/ages DS 16 and DD 8

Please state the nature of your child?s disability or educational need They both have autism

Where have you chosen to have your child/children educated? E.g. Mainstream or Special School Ds attends a unit attached to a mainstream school and dd attends a mainstream primary with a statement.

Were you happy with the choices available to you and your family? There isn't much choice tbh pushing for Independent Special School for ds next year and dd's primary isn't local but it is the one best placed to meet her needs

Are you happy with the final decision you have made for you child?s education? Why? Mostly happy yes because mine are in schools that welcome my input so difficulties are addressed

Do you feel there are more specialist schools needed in your county or borough? Yes particularly Autism specialist schools for the more able

thanks thats great.

1. I have 2, only one is still a child though

2. No, she is nearly 15, at special school. Older is an adult

3. Complex PTSD, lots of developmental delays, and attachment difficulties

4. Special school, primary and secondary. She was in MS school when she moved in, which was rubbish, and i fought to get a move to an SN primary school as quickly as i was able

5. Luckily, yes in that both my girls SN secondary was nearby enough to get to without huge hassle, and was/is the right school for them. However, when DD2 moved in, she went to the nearest MS school (with a statement) and they were useless, and I had to fight hard to get her moved (luckily, with her and my SW's support)

With regards to the SN primary schools, wish there was more choice. Only DD2 went to the primary, and whilst it was ok, and much better than the MS school, there would have been better schools for her, we found one several counties over which sounded great - but we would have had to move, and that wasn't an option for us

6. Yes, they need(ed) a special school, and the secondary is great, addresses my concerns, listens, both girls had/have a great time and the education there that they need and can cope with

7. I don't know how many SN secondary's there actually are in the county, never needed to investigste further than DD's school. Listening to my other friends with SN (mostly autistic) kids, i think there needs to be more of them. there definitely could be more SN primary schools

Fab Thank you.