advice on helping 8 year old with Aspergers to settle into new school..

[fairylights]

we are about to move house and will be moving into a new (but nearby) area which means a change of school for our kids after the summer holidays. Our son is 8 with Aspergers and is very resistant to the idea of changing school (no surprise there!) and I was just wondering if anyone out there has any tips for how we can help him to handle this successfully? He is actually quite a sociable soul so I think he should make friends after a while, but he is very attached to his current school friends (who he will still be able to see) and I don't think he can imagine how he will make new ones.
We are going to visit the school and meeting the Head and the support for learning teacher next week so we are encouraging him to write a list of questions to ask them..

Just a few ideas and not sure if they are workable for you. We took a camera on a visit to the school and took photos of classroom, playground and teachers. We were also able to take photos of some of the children and found out their names (specialist school though and only a few kids). We also were able to meet up with a kid who he would be travelling with in the taxi. I know some of this was only workable due to specialist school but may give you a few ideas.

We also tried on the new uniform and left him wearing it one day and looked at the school website.

Lots of change for your son with the house move as well. Good luck

As many visits as they will let you before he starts.

Photo's is a great idea - classrooms and teacher's. At one school we were given the weekly timetable in advance so could discuss what was going to happen which was really helpful.

Showing him things like where toilets are: ds2 had been going to his new school a week before we realised he had not been told and was bursting when he got home because he hadn't been able to ask.

Doing a "passport" to show to his new teacher and other staff to highlight where he might have difficulties and stratagies to help. Not too long else they won't bother reading it.

Possibly getting teacher to discuss with the other children in advance peoples differences e.g. some people do not like a mob of children surrounding them asking questions (the ds's got very overwhelmed when they started a new school in year 2 as the other children were very excited about the new arrivals).

Could ask school to arrange a "buddy" for the first week or so to help him settle in.

thanks guys, that is helpful advice. We are visiting the school next week and will definitely take a camera - that is a great idea! And YES to helping him find the toilets - I think the thing he will struggle with most is finding his way around!

I have no idea but watching this thread as I have a 7 year old DD with as aspergers and we're due to move soon too.

It took DD so long to settle into reception that we're actually thinking of keeping her in her school and travelling to drop her off and pick her up rather than move her. Which would be a pain on the days I work

Not sure if this is a crazy idea or not.