School refusal

[thedevilinside]

DS is not happy. He has a dx of asd/adhd and before he got into year three had a brilliant TA who supported him through years one and two.

Fast forward to year three and he hates school, feels sick every morning, climbs on the roof, up the tree to avoid going, bolts at the school gate, has missed school on several occasions. Says his teacher is mean and they make him write all day.

On 'P' levels for writing, so no real progress there, A year behind for reading. Average levels for maths, but falling.

Just been awarded a statement for 25 hours. Too intelligent for special school (they say) Only other option is the NAS free school, which would require more hours on the statement, we could fight for that, but have reservations.

Is HE the only option for children like this? or should I consider the NAS free school, don't know what to do anymore

Poor him and poor you.

How will he respond to having support all day? Will it be less stressful for him?

What are your reservations about the NAS school?

Sounds familiar although actually ds2 (AS, 11 years) is academically able just has a lot of anxiety about doing his work. We have just got a place for him at an independent on the grounds of high anxiety leading to school refusal and attempting to jump from the classroom window (not good as it was on the first floor). If the LA has no schools suitable then they should fund an independent (you will probably have a bit of a fight on your hands). We were lucky that both schools which ds2 attended prior to this were extremely supportive and we did not have to go to tribunal. We also had three different psychiatrists from CAMHS saying he needed a specialist placement which added weight to the argument so worth getting into the CAMHS system if he is not already. In truth he is still very anxious about attending the new school but it is early days and we hope it will work.

Lougle the reason I have reservations about the NAS free school is that they are only taking 'excluded' pupils, which I assume means that they have severe behavioural difficulties or have been violent. Ds is more of a passive type, he will 'shut down' or run, rather than melt down.

The other problem is school are saying he's fine once he gets into the classroom. Their definition of fine is that he's not causing any trouble, however, he quite often refuses to participate in the lesson, is anxious going in every morning, refuses to do homework. Plus the fact that he is either not making progress or slipping behind in every subject, shows me he is not doing 'fine' at all.

He will get additional one to one support once the statement is in place, but I suspect it will be too little too late. He responds to very few of the teaching staff, and doesn't like the TA who is being earmarked for him. The Year two TA he loves has to remain in year two, according to the head, so she won't be able to move up to be with him. None of these TAs are autism specialists and it's luck of the draw if you get one who can engage with your child

OneinEight, hope your son succeeds at his new school, DS is with CAMHS, as he only just got his ADHD dx from them last week, So I could go back to them for some supporting letters, also the OT was unable to assess him, as he was so hyperactive in her office, so I could get a supporting letter from her.

A statement is about more than hours of support. he clearly has lots of needs beyond having an adult breathing down his neck every moment of the day. He is unable to cope with a school day because school, as it is, is not meeting his needs, regardless of how many hours' TA he has.

DS1's old statement doesn't even specify 1:1, but does specify TA assistance through the day, and, after the customary argy bargy, I've just got him a place at a non-maintained specialist school because he isn't coping with a MS school.

Look at the NAS free school and look at other LA/academy free schools in your area so that you know what is on offer.

other LA/academy special schools.

My fingers and brain aren't talking to each other properly

If you can, push for the statement to specify that the teaching assistant should be experienced and trained in working with children with ASD and ADHD, and that she should get further training now. Additionally if DS is getting and speech and language or occupational therapy input (and he should) then she should work with the therapists so that they can advise on what she should be doing with him in class.

'Too intelligent for special school'

Specialist education has absolutely nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with need.

'the NAS free school, which would require more hours on the statement'

Why would it? That makes no sense. If his needs could be met with more hours on his statement, he wouldn't need the NAS free school.

Personally (And this IS personal), I would steer clear of NAS schools.

starlight, every special school we have phoned have said that they won't accept my son as he doesn't have learning difficulties ( I have explained what levels he is on) Also, I meant the NAS school would need to be written into the statement, why would you steer clear anyway? I have my own reservations, but interested to hear yours

If he is on P levels in year 3, he has most likely has learning difficulties. The LA and Academy SS's I spoke to about DS1 wouldn't have ruled him out on the basis of ability - one of them recently worked with a MS school to get a boy through higher level GCSEs, which is what we envisage for DS1.

NAS schools tend not to use the best methods. They also don't value their staff at all - they've been cutting back on staff and working conditions and there has been a degree of disquiet, as a result. There is much understatement in this paragraph.

The issue with "excluded" pupils, mind, is that this is what it has to get to, very often, before it is accepted that a placement is failing.

I would over the moon if he could get a place at a special school, where he was happy to go in each day, and not running off/feeling sick and refusing to leave the house, putting him self at danger, bolting from school back to the car.

I really sympathise with you! My DS is in year 3 and every day is a struggle, he doesn't hate school but is far behind academically and has been excluded for violence.

He is currently working at levels 1c for reading and 1b for writing, I really really hope we get a statement for him. I'm also considering moving schools and have the same worries as you, which school do I pick? Will he like it and make friends etc.

Hope you figure it out x