residential options in the South East?

[clangermum]

Hi

dd (11, Yr 7) needs a nurturing special school focusing on ASD and able to help with related pragmatic language issues and anxiety.

She currently travels to a BESD school that doesn't fit at all (ASD diagnosis was late and recent) and is so tired in the evenings she does nothing once she gets home.

We're looking at the idea of Mon-Thurs boarding so she has the chance to do activities in the evenings with a peer group. She's also keen on the idea. She needs a lot of help with social communication and I wonder if the only way to make any headway is to have this kind of immersion. She feels isolated at home as she has no friends locally and is scared of most of her classmates. She's at an age when she wants to have friends though and is by nature very sociable, so she's aware enough to know what she's missing.

A school that is for HFA, with the emphasis on vocational training rather than GCSEs would suit best. She may manage some entry level GCSEs but probably not much more.

Has anyone been down this route?

We really can't find anywhere within travelling distance that suits either. LEA is fine about out of area as there's nothing within our LEA. She's currently at an independent school.

TIA

Doucecroft School in Colchester Essex does weekly boarding. It is an ASD school. I think they have children from across the spectrum. Might be worth a look.

Depends where you are. Is Brighton a possibility? You could look at LVS Hassocks. Or if you can manage further west, there's Grateley House in Dorset.

Thanks cansu and nennypops will look into those

I went to look at www.limpsfieldgrange.co.uk/ in Surrey for my DD (though she is not secondary age yet.) I loved it, definitely a nurturing school, although I am unsure if it would be academic enough for my DD who is above expected NC levels. I am not sure that they offer Mon to Thur boarding though - I think the idea is all the girls (who want to) get to do 2 nights boarding a week as this is regarded as extending the curriculum. And it seems to be done really well. AFAIK they will only take girls who reached NC level 2 by the end of Year 6 in primary.

I wonder if that means they don't effectively get their own room? I suppose they couldn't really if they each do 2 nights. dd likes the idea of being able to personalise a room a bit, which some schools say they allow them to do. Interesting that it's all girls though - will investigate, thanks.

I read the website again - some girls do board all 4 nights a week. But I don't think they get their own room - there are photos on the website and the rooms are definitely shared with 'room-divider' furniture. I imagine for girls on the spectrum it would be important that they had the same bed in the same room each time they stayed, but I suppose there wouldn't be scope for much 'personalisation' if that bed was for another girl on the other 2 nights of the week!

My DD would love the pygmy goats and the alpacas! They have a 'reading' dog too!

Alpaca agility - how fab is that

New School at West Heath - absolutely brilliant for kids needing nurturing. I would rate it as being one of the best in the country.

Looks interesting - hadn't heard of this before

Ooh why?

My ASD child attended the New School at West Heath and it has done him a LOT OF HARM.
Some staff are not trained in Special Needs, (as an independent school there is no legal requirement for it to have trained staff), and some have proven to be totally unsuitable.