Autism / Aspergers - choosing junior school

[MINIBondGirl]

Hi All,

I'm after a bit of advice with regard to choosing the next school. DS is currently 6 and in yr 2. He is waiting to be assessed for Aspergers and is in the process of getting a SEN but which I fear will not be in place in time for applying for his next school.

We have been advised that a small school is better as he has a meltdown over long corridors and playing fields etc and is used to a very small school.

My question is - if you have a child in a similar situation, what criteria are you using to choose a school and if its an oversubscribed one do you have any pointers as to help them get a place.

Any advice much appreciated.

Hi MiniBondgirl
My little one is too little still but he is due to start next year. In the school application forms it says under special health needs - if the assessor deems that your DS should go to a school on the grounds of his condition then the school will almost has to accept him even they are oversubscribed. Why not talking to someone in the admissions department of your local authority who can explain this to you more clearly. Best of luck!

When I was deciding I had a potential list of 4 schools. One I ruled out becasue it's reputation is just rubbish by everyone I've ever spoken to. Of the other 3, I put them in oder of preference, based on local knowledge, ofsted etc etc. One was a massive school, with an intake of 60 in recpetion. (this was my second choice) One was much smaller with an intake of about 22,(1st choice) and the other was our catchment school which didn't have a great reputation, but a head who's son has asd and who I felt would provide reasonable support for the sen kids. (3rd choice).

After that I went to meet the heads and sencos for each school. I quickly discounted choice 3 after visiting, mainly due to the set up of reception and year 1. All running around together in , not a huge space. Seemed quite manic and loud. Which left choice 1 and 2. I was really impressed with the heads and sencos at both schools and was leaning towards my 1st choice smaller school.

However, I then spoke to my son's portage worker, salt, OT etc as well as the local secondary that the primaries feed into. I asked them what their opinion was. All of them said school 2, without question. I also asked other local parents of sen kids and got the same response, so against my orginal feeling I went with my second choice (large school).

It has been fab, the school are brilliant and every issue I've had so far, has been dealt with promptly and efficently. If I'd gone on ofsted ratings and school league tables, I'd have gone with the smaller school, but I don't think it would have been as good as where we are. School tables and ofsted are hopeless, when it comes to finding a suitable school for a child with sen.
Out of interest if I was my daughter I was deciding for, she's have gone to the other smaller school. Some schools are better for some kids and others aren't. The trick is to find the right one!

If I were you, as a starting point, I would decide what schools might be options then ring and ask to go and speak to the head and the senco. When you meet the senco, take a list of questions you've thought of before (as you always forget things you want to know). Ask them if there are other parents with children with similar issues, you could talk to, and take if from there.

HTH

Sorry meant to say, my son has a statement. Statemented children will always be in the first or second 'catagory' when allocating places, so will always get a place at the school of their choice (providing it's a suitable school). Without a statment, then it would be down to catchment etc etc, you can ask potential schools for their criteria and numbers form the last few years, so you have an idea of whether you are likely to get a place without a statment.

You will only get a place becasue of sen, if the school you have asked for is the only one that can provide it. I would think this is unlikely to be the case for Aspergers unless you can give specific reasons, why you need that school and why others are not suitable.

Thanks so much for your advice. We looked at 4 in the end and was offered places at my 2 favourites despite not being in catchment and both being oversubscribed, so we were very lucky.

Still waiting for the SEN to be sorted and the waiting list for assessment has now gone up by another 2 years :( but at least we have a school place we feel happy with.