herts primary schools - recommendations

[Skylar123]

Considering new mainstream school for Ds (hfa)

Does anyone have any experience or info please with the following schools and how responsive they are with SEN and an all round nurturing ethos

St. Albans - margeret wix, camp, maple
Harpenden - saunceywood, the lea
London Colney - bowmansgreen

Or any others you would recommend or schools to absolutely avoid in or around herts, hatfield/St. Albans/ WGC

THaNkYou for any help

I'd move out of Herts. Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear.

That's fine to hear I've heard it before.
Do you have experience with herts?

The Lea very clued up on SEN but bear in mind there is a shortage of places in Herts in general and you may not necessarily get a place in a school you choose.

You've done your research well. Herts is a pig of an LA to deal with and they have a very heavy controlling hand over their schools so even the best ones have to work within a system that believes your an entitled and greedy idiot in denial about your child's difficulties.

However, those schools you mention are ones I would consider if I was stuck there.

Add How Wood.

Absolutely avoid Aboyne, Roundwood, Crabtree, but DO consider Maple. They are used to dealing with children with communication difficulties as they have a hearing unit, and therefore don't automatically assume communication difficulties = can't learn.

(I don't have any experience of Saunceywood).

However, if it is all a possibility, I would do as MeirEyaNewAlibi advises and move out of that hellhole. They are only clued up on how to manage parents expectations and bully them out of having any aspirations for their children.

Can I ask why Herts are deemed to be a LEA to move away from?
I live in Herts so it's a worry for me that they are perceived so negatively.

I too live in herts, and I need to agree with StarlightMcKenzie and
MeirEyaNewAlibi if at all poss move (we dont have this option) I can only give you a list of schools to avoid based on personal or friends experience

marsh a list of schools to avoid would be appreciated if you don't mind. Thanks choc. and meir
Thanks star were going through SA what happens with the statement if we move out of the borough, does it just come with is as it is, do we have to go through it all again.
I already consider I will be moving out of herts in time for secondary school.
I've been pleasantly surprised so far by herts LA I can feel the shit will hit the pan soon they have been far too nice so far.

star maple reads well on paper I may take a look around however it is full as are all the schools mentioned. I will look at how wood , thanks, is that WGC?
The things is with maple is that it is a sought after school in a middle class part of at Albans ( hope this isn't offending anyone, not intended) we are not from at Albans but close. Sometimes there is stigma with not being from St A (again apologies if offending, personal experience with dd)
I'm guessing not all children from sch can be from the few roads around the school If they have a hearing unit and possibly a good amount of statemented children.
The school looks perfect, I'm going to look round.

If I were going to choose a school in Harpenden for a statemented child, I would choose The Lea or Sauncey Wood. Sauncey Wood used to have a language base, so the expertise and expectations used to be there. I'm not up to date with primary schools, so I don't know if the language base is still there.

I personally would not choose sought after schools - that usually means high achieving schools, with their main eye on performance in the league tables, which is at odds with SEN children, who would probably pull down their results. I would choose schools in poorer areas, who are more used to SEN.

If you can, stand outside the school (like Maple), you're considering and ask mums what they think of the school with regard to SEN.

Oh dear, I am also in Herts, but Dacorum side not St Albans/WGC. Not had to deal with LEA yet as DD starts this Sept at local primary. Got me a bit nervous now!

Although I don't have any direct experience of Maple, I have heard that it is not good with wider SEN issues.

Or you could say the Lords Prayer:

Our Herts, the Armagedon,
Shallow be thy name,
Thy meeting come
But nowt will be done
Except CPD
In Devon

Give us this day
Our daily stress
And give us our PECSeses
As we lose the TAs under mountains of laminate
And lead us to low expecations
and deliver us from hope.

For thine is the Education Kingdom
The power and it’s gory
failing my son
Again.

IPSEA receive an awful lot of complaints about Herts as a county.

BTW if you do move do not move to Essex (my home county). Were dire to directly deal with several years ago and I do not think that things have changed much since.

Statements move with the person if changing counties, no need to reapply.

I am in Herts, dd2 is in mainstream without statement. Her school doesn't sound quite as bad as your ds current one Skylar123 but doesn't have enough to recommend moving out of area (I am north Herts).

A friend of mine has a ds who is being royally shafted by the LEA. Their tactics have been (and continue to be) beyond belief. They are trying to do anything but meet his needs. Hope your statementing process continues to go smoothly.

Thank you all for your replies.
I have been told by LA that Proposed statement will
be with us next week!
I am wondering if the fact that the school
Suddenly turned on us with regards to Ds attendance has anything to do with knowing Ds is getting his statement, something they told me time and time again he would never get, even a blind child couldn't get one (yes that's what they actually said) and actually I know the child they are referring to and the mother has had no problem getting statement for her child.
What impact does having a statemented child have on a school. Ds goes to a very large primary school which had a very low number of kids on school action plus and wh have statements, IEP's are extremely rare. Yet both the school and the paed tell me the school has a very high number of kids on the spectrum. Poor them is all I can say. I have had to fight tooth and nail to get this far with them and I have made enemies on the way, now head has turnt on me too.

The school have to fund the first £10k of statements usually. It woukdn't surprise me if that figure was higher in Herts.

Don't feel guilty though, they are given that money in their budget in order to be able to do it. If it isn't enough they need to take it up with the LA, not take it out on you.

Agree with Star, def not your issue the school has money funding issues! (ds school tried this with me and actually had the nerve to suggest I should donate around 10k to them) but am glad they are making progress keeping my fingers crossed that the proposed statement is useful

Thank you marsh and star
It's all been a bit too easy iyswim with LA so far I'm sure the statement amendments wil be a costly battle.
If it hadn't of been for this site I would have never fought the odds I was told I was up against to even consider applying for SA, thank you all! Your great people x

Ohmarsh I can't believe your sch had the nerve to say that to you!
I love half term, Ds is so much easier to deal with.
Not looking forward to Monday.