Schools for ASD, north London

[theDudesmummy]

Hi, grateful for any advice. I feel rather stressed by all this.

Our DS is only 3 but I am beginning to think about school options. He is on a home ABA programme and we feel strongly that we want to continue to ABA approach when he goes to school. We do not have a statement yet but I am in the process of applying. We have decided at this stage to go and look at all possible school options we can (even non-ABA ones) just to have the information and be fully informed. We are in north London. I have contacted Treehouse, Kestrel House, and Radlett Lodge (the first two have arranged for us to attend open days, Radlett weren't very helpful and said it was not worth visiting them as they were too full). Has anyone got any other suggestions?

I have also noted that there is a state special school in our borough (The Brook at Broadwater), although this is not ASD-specific and I do not believe we would want to send him there. For completeness however I have contacted them too and said I wanted to have a look at the school (I fear that the LEA. which is Haringey, will be pushing this school onto us as it is their own one). Has anyone any experience of this school?

Did you tell Radlett about the ABA?

Have a look at Woodcroft.

And Hillingdon Manor

Hi thanks for that Star! I had looked at Hillingdon Manor but it seemed a little bit far to go every day. However, it might be worth going to see them anyway, in the interests of info gathering.

I did not know about Woodcroft, it is also a little bit far but I think I will contat them anyway as well.

I didn't really get a chance to say anything to Radlett about the ABA as the woman did not really give me much chance to talk, just seemed really strangely negative about the chance of anyone ever getting into the school!

Another question if anyone can help...the statementing assessment process appears to be likely to be pretty drawn out from what I believe. They are dragging their feet. Now, we have not yet completely decided whether we would want DS at a special school or at mainstream with support. The local mainstream state primary is called Tetherdown, which is apparantly very highly thought of. (We were, before we knew he had SN, going to send him to a private school, but that does not seem a very good idea now, unless anyone knows of schools that are private, can deal with autism, and don't cost about twice what a normal private would cost, I can afford private school but not extra on top, such as extra ABA tutoring as well etc).

So, the cut-off date for applications for Tetherdown is 15 Jan. If we have not got a statement in place and other schooling arranged by then, do I go ahead and apply for Tetherdown as a backstop? Sorry, I am new to all this and don't really understand the ins and outs of how it works.