Planning for independent secondary - how?

[bochead]

Mark College (priory group) looks like it might be almost be a dream come true for DS.

He's year 4 and there is NO way he'll cope in a comprehensive for sensory issues alone, add in the fact that in this neck of the woods there is a subject TA system as a opposed to a child one and I predict a disaster in the making. He needs somewhere heavy on the OT support (dyspraxia/OT specialists) and these seem to be in very short supply generally.

Are there any state schools anywhere in the UK that follow the Mark College Model? It would be easiest methinks to move to an LA with state provision.

How do you juggle moving LA & the battle for an independent place?

I need to get my strategy in place, or a repeat performance of the lost years of KS1 looms.

What are you looking for? That college and remaining where you are, a different LA with good enough state provision or both a new LA and that college you named?

Watching with interest Boc - as you know my ds is in yr3 and I have Riverston ear-marked. I've never heard of Mark College???
Also have you looked at Trinity in my borough - it's really small and they've made real headway in improvements...
The secondary question keeps me awake at night tbh

For my own sanity I want to move away from this LA. Our home is too small and I want a bedroom of my own. House prices are silly.

A different LA + state provision that equals Mark College
A different LA + Mark College.

I was leaning towards online HE, but am gradually being forced to accept that DS will need ongoing OT input & the only way to get access to this is via statement part 4 + school. (assessment/discharge on rinse repeat is not what he needs iykwim).

DS was one of those kids who didn't get any school placement for reception admissions, so started at the first school where a place became available via the waitlist. At that time there was no official acknowledgement he has any SN's whatsoever. The next 3 years was just one disaster after another.

I'm paranoid now I guess about a Ground Hog day experience at secondary transistion.

So PM me a list of the potential new LAs and I will submit a FOI regarding how many places are funded respectively. I can also ask any other question I.e how many of their schools have an onsite/visiting OT, specialist equipment or whatever.

How far are you willing to travel/move?

They look good - they don't look like they deal with dc with ASD, or am I reading that wrong?

I'll be cheering you from the sidelines, bochead. We're at the same stage with DS1, in year 4 and looking at an out of area Independent, if not for ASAP, then at least starting from Secondary.

Unlike you, though, we have ascertained that we stand more chance of getting a place from where we live than we would if we lived in the county where the school is. There's only 40 places at the school and up to half a dozen are usually filled by pupils from our LA, since they have no specific provision for children like DS1. Even if we thought he could cope with the sensory and organisational demands of a mainstream secondary with a unit, there are none within the LA.

Cheers zzzz - Riverston still ear marked for me then. We have an ASD dx here.
Boc - are you going to try and get LA to pay fees?

LA funding is the only way I can access an independent place. If I can't then it'll be home ed as I won't put DS thru the comp experience after his KS1 experiences. It'd be hell on earth for him, and it's always us Mums left mopping up the mess alone.

Sensory and motor-cordination/dyslexia are the issues he has that need to take priority in my school selection next time round. these require levels of OT style input. If he can't tolerate the environment noone would be able to work on social stuff with him anyways iyswim?