None of you can give me advice just need a rant.
Ds is in Ms yr5 and I'm out looking for appropriate secondary schools. I am astounded at the shit that is out there. Here's what I've seen so far:
Nearest school, walking distance from our house, decided to introduce a grammar stream, to pay for this, they got rid of I'd say, 95% of their SEN department. The Outreach team have discreetly said that unless ds gets into the grammar stream in that school, he will learn nothing and the children in the lower streams are utterly failed (last bit told by parents)
Second school - ds will take two buses to get there (he bloody won't), we won't get transport and the LA has no transport program for independent travel. I had been told this was s supportive school, inclusive and small. Went to see the Senco, they don't buy in ASD support in terms of outreach or EP from their SEN budget. Vulnerable children with Sen can go to the Sen room instead of the playground if they choose, but there was no social support. When I asked about the transition any special arrangements, he'll get an extra day there, one more than the NT kids. When I asked would there be additional support for the first week, someone go meet him etc - a big fat no
3rd school - Local academy, run a travel program, have SLT support, social groups, large Sen department. I really like this school, however I did a bit of research and discovered they had been taken to a JR. for refusing a child with dyslexia in one of their other schools. It was a few years ago but it leaves a bad taste. Plus it's an Academy and outside of LA control.
I have two more schools to look at both out of catchment and borough and one is an independent. The state school will get him the best exam results which is great but he if can't speak to people then it means nothing. The independent will be a battle and he will be wonderfully confident but won't have the same exam success.
I want him to stay local too because I've stayed out of work for 4yrs to support ds, but financially we could do with that second wage and for my sanity I really need a break, if he's local I have more chance of training/supporting independent travel.
Rant over. Thanks for reading 