Hi,
Our son who is in year 5 has a Receptive Language disorder. He was denied for a statement and so we have gone the route of getting him privately assessed by a SALT. He is currently receiving SLT at school (funded by school) for 12 weeks once per week and we are also paying for him to see someone privately once a week.
We now have to consider secondary schools and my husband and I would like to begin visiting schools in order to assess their respective SEN policy. We currently live in Putney and we would be willing to move out to Surrey for the right school. We would also consider sending him to a private school if that is what would best facilitate his needs and give him the best opportunity from an educational point of view.
I am not however sure where to start looking and how to go about the sorts of questions we need to be asking the Senco or head teachers re being able to get a good understanding of the level of help the schools will provide for children with SL issues. We have emigrated from Australia, so the school system is not something I am familiar with.
Do certain private schools make concessions for children in terms of writing the common entrance exams?
Does anyone have any recommendations of schools state/private or specialist in the Putney/Richmond/Barnes/Hampton/Twickenham/Hammersmith area or out towards Surrey who cater to the needs of children with Receptive language disorder?
Can anyone who has had to find the right school for their children advise on the types of questions we should be asking the respective principals or SENCO as the schools?
Is there an organization that could provide us with a list of schools and recommendations for secondary schools?
Would anyone with children of the age of 10 with the same disorder only think to go private or would a good state school suffice?
I am feeling quite out of my depth and we simply want to give out lovely son the best opportunity we can. He has been coping in school but this is due to the fact that he has a good memory and because we have been doing lots of work with him at home. As the work load has increased and the work becomes more complicated it is very obvious that he is struggling more and sadly becoming quite aware of his difficulties as other children have started making comments. He keeps saying he just wants to be like everybody else!
Any advice would be very useful.
Many thanks