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SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

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Original poster

mainstream or special school?

12 replies

twokids · 28/03/2006 22:15

I have noticed on a lot of posts people seem very keen for their dd/ds to go to mainstream just wondered why.
My ds-nt is 14 and from what I have seen of mainstream I don't think much of it. My dd goes to a special school and it is really good.

OP posts:

getbakainyourjimjams · 28/03/2006 22:17

I suppose it depends on the child. DS1 went to mainstream for 4 terms (we weren't given a choice- despite him being non verbal severely autistic- that's inclusion for you). He's been in special school for just over a year now and it is absolutely fabulous, so much better and our life is a lot less stressful!

jenk1 · 28/03/2006 22:41

I would prefer for DS to be in a special school but the nearest one that would suit him is about 20miles away.

We are going to fight for it though, might as well i fight for everything else why not this

Original poster

twokids · 28/03/2006 22:43

if you get him in there wouldn't he get transport?

OP posts:

SleepyJess · 28/03/2006 22:45

It depends on the child. and it definitely depends on the mainstream school in question!

SJ x

jenk1 · 28/03/2006 23:01

yes thats what we are hoping for, have spoke to IPSEA tonight(its on my other thread so dont want to bore you) and they are backing us all they way.
LEA are going to hate me by the time ive finished with them!!!

chipmonkey · 28/03/2006 23:50

My dsis has SN, don't think there was ever a dx, just labelled "a bit slow" (I'm a bit slow myself some mornings!) and my parents kept her in mainstream till she was 14. She was OK in primary school but was so miserable in secondary school. She knew she was different and referred to herself as "stupid". Her teachers ganged up on Mum and Dad , who basically didn't want her labelled with the stigma of having attended a special school, and they moved her to a special school. She blossomed! She felt accepted, she went from being the worst at everything to one of the best at everything and her self-esteem soared. Also the school had a placement scheme whereby at 18 she got a place in a training scheme so she could learn to live independantly and earn her own money. The mainstream school would have done nothing like this for her. She now works as a cleaner in a TV station and gets to meet celebrities; she and a friend share an apartment and she has a great life.

FioFio · 29/03/2006 13:50

This reply has been deleted

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Original poster

twokids · 29/03/2006 14:19

It is something I have always been puzzled by At my dd's school a lot of the younger kids are doing a bit of both. I just find it hard to understand. I might have felt differently if my dd had been offered one of the special schools in the area that I Wouldn't have sent her too. Not that they are bad all have good reps but her needs would not have been met. A while back we thought of moving her to a boarding school in Hampshire. But felt that she would be one of the less able there where as at her school she is one of the more able.
Is it often the case that you just don't get offered the chance of a special school??

OP posts:

getbakainyourjimjams · 29/03/2006 19:37

the ed psych told me that the policy was that if a child was coping in a mainstream nursery they had to go to mainstream school. Of course I now know that is bollocks and if we ever had to go through it again with another child I'd tell them to shove that policy (politely of course :o). We did specifically ask to look around special schools and were told that she would not recommend us (and therefore we'd have no chance). DS1 was 4 non-verbal and in nappies.

lars · 02/04/2006 17:32

I think it just depends on the child and their needs and how good the school at coping with SN. I think some main streams schools are very good but others clearly resent special needs children. Of course I do have some experience of main stream schools coping very differently with my own ds.
I can't comment on secondary schools as no experience in that area yet. I think it will depend on how my ds progresses in primary school. larsxx

coppertop · 02/04/2006 17:58

Ds1 is in Yr1 at a m/s primary school. There is no way that he would've been offered a place in a special school. There just aren't enough of them in this area and ds1.

We're lucky that his school has a really good reputation wrt SN. The SENCO is absolutely fantastic and I'm hoping that she will stay in her current job for a long time. The teaching staff are also great. Even the ones who don't teach ds1 are very good with him.

Ds1 is generally doing really well at the school but has been having a tough time of it just lately. It's a bit of a wake-up call for all of us that his SN aren't as mild as they often seem to be. Tbh I already find myself worrying about how he will cope at secondary school.

coppertop · 02/04/2006 17:59

Not sure where that stray "and ds1" appeared from!

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