Tell me about your ideal school situation for your AS/HFA child

[potoroo]

DS is in Y1 and is AS.
After a few incidents this week that highlighted how the LSAs were not getting enough training support, and that DS's social skills had not progressed as much as we had hoped, DH and I had a meeting with the school to explain that inclusion was not working for him.

I was extremely anxious about it, because his teachers/LSAs are enthusiastic and caring, but the "normal" 1:1 arrangements aren't working.

But the head teacher/SENCO/class teacher were all really receptive and we ended up brainstorming about ideal situations for him, and by extension the other children with ASD in the school.

Some of the ideas we discussed were part time HE (eg 1 day a week), making one classroom ASD friendly for shared use in the school, reducing DS's normal classroom time down to one lesson a day.

In addition DH and I and another parent will be running a sort of ASD workshop next week (!!) and we are planning on starting a parents group to liase with the school/SENCO - a sort of SN PTA.

So come and tell me your ideal learning environment for your child with ASD!

Well done for being so proactive in making the school better for your SN dc and for others.
Even with the same diagnosis, kids are all so individual, it would be hard to make a one-size-fits-all suggestion. For my AS boy, playtime and group sports are the most challenging areas, being chaotic and crowded. The playground has less supervision than the classroom, too.

Thanks Swiddle. This is useful.

I know they have different areas in the playground. Maybe we could have a "quiet" supervised area - not just for the ASD kids necessarily.
DS struggles in PE too - I'll need to think about that one.

Balancing organised games and chill out time during playtimes.

My DS was one of the many (not all) ASD kids who don't play football at playtime and this restricted his potential friends hugely. In his class of 14 boys (and 16 girls,) 12 boys played football at every opportunity. The other boy became DS's friend by default. (At least there was 1!) If football could have been banned for one day a week at least and other games organised by a TA, and DS encouraged to join in, that would have been brilliant. Schools don't get involved enough in the playtimes, as it's not needed in 90% of cases, but a child with ASD needs some support. A 1:1 TA alone can't change playtime policy, it needs to come from higher up.

DS also needed chill out time, when he could do pretty much nothing, talk to no-one etc, just wander about the playground. He really needed time to relax in this way and not be forced to interact. This enables him to get through the afternoon, (just.)

This is really useful.
Another parent and I think we're going to ask for an ASD unit at the school :)
DS will kick off when he is stressed, but some of the other children with ASD will shut down - so they don't get the funding - and I think they are falling through the cracks.

I agree! I fear my AS boy looks like he is coping but the agonies, alienation and confusion are all inside.
At our mainstream primary they have a 'hut' in the playground with quiet games: chess, connect 4, etc, which is good for all kids who prefer to escape the other kids letting off steam!

According to the school my DS is the only one with complex needs (possible AS) I know for a fact there are some children with ADHD but maybe it is not so complex to them? I have a meeting today with my school as I took my son out whilst they have agreed to make a new timetable and discuss ideas with another teacher from SS. I did suggest giving a chld a place to go when he is overwhelmed. Have a few spaces that they deem safe and let him/her choose wether it be under a particular table or cupboard that my ds pefers to hide. Also a sensory room where they can bang and slam when in overload, ie drum kits, a trampoline, and other sensory fiddle objects, music stereo so they can dance if they have excess energy. They could use encouragement by saying they would prefer he/she stayed but also encourage the child to walk to these areas when anxious instead of running riot and paniking all over the school and also not be embarrassed or made to feel that doing what they cant help is wrong.

My DS had a 'time out' card he could show his teacher and was allowed to go to the sensory room

He used it twice in 4 years but just knowing he could go if he wanted to was enough for him