MS indep schools in north/east London that would be open to ABA programme tutor involvement

[theDudesmummy]

Hi, just wondered if anyone had any experiences of getting their ABA tutors into private primary schools. We are in north London. DS is 3 and on quite an intense home ABA programme, we want him to continue this once he goes to school, with 1:1 ABA tutor support continuing at school (we already send our tutor into his nursery one day a week, which is working well for him). Anyone got any ideas about schools that might be more flexible and open than others to our approach?

I have emailed lots of schools, had very few replies so far, only the Montessori ones and Goodwyn and Hendon Prep have given any kind of positive reply. A couple of others have been clearly not able to help us (fair enough, we are looking for something quite special, don't expect the academic hothouses in particular to go for it).

The only private mainstream school I know of that has allowed ABA tutors in is quite the wrong end of London - Kingswood House in Epsom. I hope someone lelse can help. State schools - I hear fantastic things about East Sheen Primary in Richmond, which seems actually to 'get' ABA!

Hmm, not the right area! Encouragingly, Goodwyn mentioned in their email to me that they had had an ABA child there before, so we will be meeting up with them in the new year. I have also had a nice reply from the "alternative" Sunrise Montessori in Tottenham, don't know how that one will pan out yet but we are looking for something different, so may fit the bill!

I am going to be optimistic and believe we can do this!

I'm in south London so don't know specifically, but ime generally, private schools are much more open to the idea of ABA shadows (presumably you're funding the shadow? or have LEA funding to do so?) than state schools. Partly as they don't have to follow LEA guidance (which is on the whole anti-ABA out of cost/ignorance/prejudice reasons), so are much more open-minded.

But I think your best bet is just going round and seeing them all, taking ds with you perhaps (we did this and it did help as they could actually see who they'd be having!), and explaining to them as much as you can how it would actually work. Don't rule out the academic ones, they might not be as resistant as you think. But generally I think few schools would agree without really understanding what's involved.

If you're a member of the ABA yahoo group, there's a file you can download on the role of a Shadow, which might be useful too.

Thanks for that. We are trying to get LEA finding for ABA (in early stages of getting statement assessment) but whether we do or not, we will be continuing with ABA, and also trying to implement my plan re private school (provided we find the school who will agree). Paying for both school and ABA will be very difficult indeed, but if there is no alternative that is what we will do. (I plan to fight hard for some funding though).

I have had some rather discouraging replies from some of the more academic schools but not all. Keeping an open mind and planning to do visits/touting DS around in the new year. (Of course we believe he is the cutest and loveliest little love there is, and any school would just die to have him around once they have met him, but I will grudgingly acknowledge that I may be based!).

Yes I am a member of the ABA Yahoo group, will look for that file, thanks.