State Schools in and around St Albans

[mrslaughan]

We are thinking of moving DS from independent into the state system. At the moment we are looking at Bowmansgreen and how wood. What other schools should we look at? DS has moderate dyspraxia and very poor working memory. He also has SPD - but this is very much under control (modulated) now.
Any pointers would be really appreciated

PS - he is going to be year 4 in the next academic year

The Lea, harpenden and Margaret wix (although reception is massive so might get lost).

Tbh, if you have a statement I woukd go for Maple.

Thanks starlight - no, no statement, and been told he is probably not bad enough....though not sure what that means.

Oh another question - we are London colney side of st Albans - the lea (it's in harpenden isn't it) and harpenden (primary?) are a wee way away.... So miles away from those two, how would we get into them from here?
I have no idea how the system works , but don't you have to live close?

Not for the two I mentioned as they're never oversubscribed.

Mrs. EVERYONE in Herts is told they won't get a statement.

Perhaps he doesn't need one but I wouldn't just take what they say.

How wood is a sensible school with a sensible HT and is fairly good at working in partnership with parents.

You might want to also look at Camp for the same reason.

We're not ruling out a statement - the comment about not getting a statement was made by the professionals who assessed him.
But he is actually doing well in independent school this year, with just a little extra support (instructions repeated for him- but then he is in a class of 12) , however the school is very competitive academically and becomes much more "chalk and talk" as you move up through the school, which probably won't suit him. Plus the school is really not set up for SEN, and the just don't have a real understanding of dyspraxia. We have been really lucky with his teachers (they have been fab) so far, but think we probably need to be somewhere where there is a little more institutional understanding.... If that is possible

I think it might be helpful to start a thread with 'should we move from Indi to state in Herts?'

State Have a legal obligation to meet a child's needs, but this can often mean an incentive to deny the needs.

Have you ever researched ABA?

Oh God lord Starlight - that is my biggest fear, esp when some advice is that you will spend what you don't pay in school fees, on lawyers.....

The problem is, I don't think staying at his current school is an option,- they have made it very clear that they don't feel it is the environment for him, and we sort of agreed, but that he would do one more year, while we sorted out the best options for him. I don't know if any other independent school around us would be any better/take him.
We did look at Egerton Rothesay, but at his age, the year groups are tiny, and we felt this would be socially limiting.
I do know abit about ABA - the last country we lived in a very good friend was an ABA therapist....but we can't afford another therapy.....

Any suggestions of non-competitive independent schools around this area gratefully received!

I have seen some fabulous schools (just looking online) in kent, surrey and sussex, that cater for children with moderate dyspraxia....but that means moving the whole family.............

Also Starlight - I am really interested as to the suggestion of ABA - what would you use this to target? and who would you recommend in our area? (I presume you are from these neck of the woods)
DS has OT once a week in London, and we are looking at doing Cogmed training over the Xmas holidays (he is on the 6th percentile for working memory - and we really can see now, that this is impacting him- we feel it is time to tackle this)
I also want to do something with him on retained reflexes - as he definately has this (identified this at assessment) - and was thinking of Hemispheres (I believe they offer therapy in St Albans), that would probably be next thing we would tackle after Cogmed.
But I am interested in suggestion of ABA

I am not getting the best picture - but anyone else got any suggestions?

My DS is at Margaret Wix and they have been great with him he has autism the Senco is superb and very on the ball. The school is less well attended as you get to the higher years, I would say go and see and speak to the senco. xx