Advice on good mainstream secondary schools in Bexley for ASD DS?.....

[whitechapelgal]

Im new here so I hope im posting in the right place.

We are considering moving into Bexley Borough and we are currently looking at the Mainstream schools in the Borough with a good ASD provision. DS is 12 and has a diagnosis of ASD / ODD / ADHD but no statement. He's currently in a mainstream school and copes reasonably well with some support.

We are in the process of getting all the Ofsted reports and are whittling down that way and are in contact with Admissions at the local council but I would love to hear the experiences and advice from any mums/dads who have children in the Secondary schools in the Borough.

Thanks
cc xx

Bexley Grammer are good with AS boys but it is selective, or Thomas Tallis (mixed & located in Kidbrooke Greenwich). Other than that sorry not the best area. Privately Riverston in Lee is worth looking round. All my rec's are for kids at the HF end of the spectrum.

In general Bexley concentrates on it's Grammer intake and everyone else gets left behind, (NT kids as well as SEN). It's a political thing with that council. It's not an area I'd choose to move to tbh with a AS/ADHD child as it's not an LEA with the will at the top to do much for these kids.

Ofstead reports are useless for sen school selection in the mainstream - they just don't measure the key things you need - a willingness to learn on the part of the staff, kindness and understanding. In fact a school can lose out at Ofstead for not taking it's kids with behavioral challenges offsite on a "trip" on inspection day (a VERY common practice!). Truly inclusive mainstream schools lose out under the current inspection regime, much to my own disgust.

The only way to find a suitable school is the hard way - on foot by visiting. Some parents on here have visited up to 30 schools to find the right one.

Also if you move LEAs without a statement there is no guarantee that the support already in place for DS will continue as it is. It could all too easily be curtailed.

I would be applying for a statement in your case from the current LEA and ignore any naysayers who have perhaps tried to put you off applying.

To move a 12 year old with this profile you NEED a statement for Bexley or he'll be shunted off into a "dump" and forgotten about.

It all depends on if your DS is deemed grammar/selective. BETHS have a designated ASD provision if you do which looked great. I know that there is a waiting list for admission post yr 7 even if you have passed 11+.
My ASD DS didn't pass (had to go to a strange place for the exams so no real suprise!) and so we have to chose from secondary schools in the area. We're going for Welling as their learning support were very positive and have separate areas for internal exclusion (naughties!), quiet areas and group/individual support. Very happy with individualising DS's timetable too, but then he does have a statement.
Hope that helps.