Any cons to specialist speech resource base?

[Lovethesea]

DS (3) has phonological disorder caused by glue ear deafness.

Grommets and salt for a year now. Due to start reception in September.

Salt assessment today. Salt is recommending he go to a specialist resource base at another primary for 4 days a week. And mainstream one day a week. Probably for 4 terms. Then rejoins his mainstream class full time.

I think is sounds amazing for him given the ratio and trained speech specialists. Not sure about the logistics of getting a R child and a Y1 child to different schools at same time and picking up at same time when they are at least 15 mins drive apart ... But otherwise, any cons?

Anyone done this?

Have you been offered a place? If so, I would take it. We have just been turned down for a similar place even though SALT, HT, EP, Pead, etc said he should go.

Sorry, I'm still feeling annoyed. Actually, I think you should give the unit a phone and have a look round. Find out what the application process is. If the LA agree he should go there they may well pay for transport. Given how speech impacts so much on learning, I think anything to help at this stage should be considered.

The process is just beginning do the panel will decide in May if he gets offered a place.

Sorry you've been turned down bilberry, can you appeal? Go on a waiting list?

I'd take it for certain, just worried now that if he needs it and doesn't get a place I won't be able to get them to put enough support into the school to help him.

Unfortunately we can't appeal although we can re-apply in the autumn. We have also just applied for a coordinated support plan (Scotland - bit like a statement) so will fight to basically try and get a language unit level of support in that. Crazily, the LA said because of ds needs (speech and language) they recognise he won't cope in mainstream so have offered us a base place instead .

May is very late to start working on an alternative so I would start that now. Have you applied for a statement? Have you spoken to his primary school? What does your salt suggest?

Hello, sorry to hijack the thread but can I just ask bilberry on what grounds the speech unit place was refused? Sorry to hear of that result, we are anxiously waiting to hear whether our local speech unit will accept DS. thanks

Ahhcan we weren't given grounds but I suspect it is because there are other children with greater need taking the places (about 4 places). It was an 'in house' application so no right to appeal. If we had made a placing request there are so many grounds for refusal we would be unlikely to be anymore successful with that. The LA dispute whether we could make a pacing request anyway so would have had to take them to court before we started! What annoys me though is that they say his speech and language means he can't cope in mainstream but offer him a base place with no speech and language support.

Have you got a statement? That seems to give you a stronger position (we're in Scotland so things are a bit different).

Thanks bilberry, god that all sounds complicated. Intersting there are only four places, i take it thats availbale spaces not spaces in total? Our local unit has 20 places and apparently always have capacity to take on newbies... Best of luck trying to get that sorted out.

Yes, DS will have a statement, we have just got the draft through and we have requested the school with the speech unit is named in part 4. The stuff has been sent over to the school in question and they have to consider whether their provision meets DS' needs. The thing that complicates it is he has wider needs beyond speech and language even though it's recognised speech and language (verbal dyspraxia) is his primary need.

No statement here, the NHS salt seemed to think the school applying and her report would be enough for assessment.

His needs are just phonological disorder. He had glue ear bilaterally at a crucial language phase, his vocab and grammar are ahead of age it's just you can't understand a lot because of his pronounciation of certain sounds. He cannot do a sssss zzzzzz or shhhh chhhh etc.

They are ending statements here is what I heard? Could I apply for the new thing or is it just more health? Who could i call for advice?