Riverston School

[Frizzcat]

This will completely "out" me but I don't care I feel like I can't see straight at the moment with secondary schools choices. I had a thread ages ago where I talked about a local academy being very supportive and dc with SEN doing very well there. Some of you kindly came on and agreed it sounded good. However, when I told people I know we were considering it there was a lot of sucking in of breath etc which made me panic and now I've discounted them because I'm worried they may be over promising.

Faith school, very small (Ds very noise sensitive), very structured and rule driven which ds will thrive in. Academically they will be fantastic for ds but I worry that he's social isolation will continue and possibly not improve.

Last, we have Riverston school which I know many of you know. I felt very much that there was too much help more than ds would need, but his social skills would most likely have a better chance of improving. Academically he will probably not reach his full potential. I felt the school was quite run down, at the end of last year their very knowledgable head of SEN left. The thing that is really bothering bothering me is that I have through a club I attend, come into contact with one of the teachers from the school. Last year I mentioned the Academy I liked, she shook her head and said "oh no, they can't deliver, two children are coming to us from them". She has told me things about the school and other schools that in her capacity she shouldn't. Recently I told her the faith school was on my radar, again she said "oh we have two coming from there to us"
Now that has made me think that's a bit of coincidence isn't it . Whatever her motivations or whether her claims are true - do I want someone like this teaching my ds?
I asked the Academy outright if any of their pupils had left for Riverston and they denied this, their denial played a large part in me discounting them.

I'm sorry I'm rambling, in addition to the secondary rubbish, the LA have not properly processed the EHCP. Transfer due staff departure and I had a miscarriage abc so my head is all over the place. I can't sleep because I'm so worried about choosing the wrong school for ds.

Can any of you give me your very valued opinions of Riverston?

Didn't want to leave your post unanswered. You sound at your wits end.

Can you go visit, and go visit, and go visit some more, all of the schools and network with others in your area to get the names of others still.

(btw I discount all schools that force my attendance at only open days. I do not want a generic tour, I need a specific one to ds' needs.)

We went to see Riverston a long time ago now, and I can't remember an awful lot about it. It would have affected where we lived, dh's commute, our mortgage commitments etc. so the reason we rejected it wasn't entirely to do with the school and our child was much much younger then. We also looked at Baston House, which we did reject because of the school.

I can say though, that one teacher does not a school make.

Thanks Starlight
Am I right in thinking that you have always been a starlight but that there's been a recent promotion?

If so, then I remember when you went to look at Riverston, you really like the children if memory serves. I've seen every school in our borough and for those that only do one tour the Sencos have still had a personal meeting with me. My shortlisted schools are out of borough.

I am as you say absolutely at my wits end and no one can make this choice for us for ds, but I really wish there was a magic fairy that could .....

Have searched the school on Mumsnet, via the search bar?

The school has come up a lot in Mumsnet past discussions and the majority have said its a good school, though I don't know the school permanently.