Anyone cited AS as medical need for school admissions?

[Swiddle]

Hi, I've touched upon this before in an earlier thread, but I'm obsessing! Sorry!

My ds has Aspergers, no statement, but significant social/anxiety difficulties. Secondary school transfer is looming, and it terrifies me!

There is a nearby school that would suit him better than most, but we're outside the catchment. They do prioritise children with a medical need, however.

Has anyone cited autism (without a statement) as a medical need, as part of the school admissions process? Any success?

Any thoughts much appreciated...

Hi, I'm sure someone will be along shortly with much more experience but just wanted to say in the meantime that AFAIK for medical/social you must demonstrate that this school is the ONLY one (underline that bit again...) that will meet your ds's particular needs resulting from his AS. (A friend of mine didn't get her AS ds in under medical/social as the LEA said she hadn't demonstrated this). So the emphasis is not that your ds has SN so must have the choice to attend this school but rather in the light of his SN he therefore must attend because of . Give very specific reasons for this and only this school. In my LA apparently it helps if you put in something along the lines of 'any other school would be detrimental to his education' after you've explained your reasons. You'll need supporting letters (consultant, SALT etc.) Good luck!

I was told you needed to prove 3 things.

1. His Disability.

2. Why your chosen school is the best school for him.

And 3 the one i missed and hence had to go back to appeal.

3. Why OTHER school's can not support him

The 3rd one is a killer as the LEA will often try and argue other less adiquate schools can do the job unless your chosen school actually has provision for your specified disability. As they often try and play the "all schools are equal" bollock's.

Watching this thread with interest as I plan on citing this reason for my DS's admission to primary school: His preschool is physically attached to a very small infant school and it's really important for him to go somewhere familiar with people he knows and crucially the fewer children the better (there are 68 on roll).

Hmmm, not sure of my chances though...

We didn't get our 1st choice primary school despite it being our catchment school and her already being comfortable within the setting as dd attends the pre school.

I wrote very clearly that she had a dx of autism and that a change of enviroment would be to her detriment and gave as much detail as the small box would allow also ticking the medical needs box.

We were lucky as had already applied for a statement and the SEN officer rang allocations and put her through as a named child despite us only being at the beginning of the process.
I would love to see how these allocations are made as they clearly take no notice of what is written down or take into account the effect it will have on the child.

I don't understand why a local authority would want to place a vulnerable child in the wrong environment. Surely that would help the teachers and fellow pupils, as well as the special needs child, if the needs are best met?