SEN statement & private/independent schooling

[sjaj123]

Hi there - just wondering if there is anyone out there who has experience of our situation.

We have an 8 year old girl who was diagnosed adhd at age 5, and dyslexia at age 7. We always suspected from her very early years that there was something there so opted to go for a private school as we new the small class sizes were going to be essential for her. The school very quickly (within 4 months) picked up on her special needs and thus we began the process of seeking professional advice. We decided to use medication as without it she would not have been able to stay in her school and we definitely felt the small class sizes were for her.
As she is getting older, and thinking about the longer term, we are hoping to send her to a state secondary school as we are really not in a position to fund private secondary schooling all the way.
I understand that if she was in a state school and had a SEN statement we could then have input in to which secondary school she attended.
But my question is this - how does one get a SEN statement if they are already in a private school, but wish to transfer eventually to a state school??

Any advice would be welcome - especially if someone has been in the same situation.

Many thanks in advance!

Actually you could get a private school funded in an EHCP if you can prove your local authority has no suitable provision of its own

Not quite what Polter said!

Small class sizes have been very important for my DS and DD - together with the other factors Polter lists like quality of teaching and support. For my DS we didn't have any real quibbles with how he was being supported in his MS state secondary but for him the large class sizes and large year groups were overwhelming, especially sensory-wise. And he now feels much more 'secure' in a school with small classes and much smaller overall (160, rather than 1500) - for him it is important he knows and is known by most of the school community.

DD has ASD and selective mutism and for her small classes in a specialist school have been transformative - now year 6 she is speaking in school for the first time.

As regards getting an Education and Health Care Plan for your DD you can apply as parents - have a look at the info on www.ipsea.org.uk/. Being in a private school isn't a bar to applying.

Both my DS and DD have an EHCP and my LA pays for their independent school fees as their schools are the nearest suitable to meet their needs - both schools are outside the LA area.

Thank you all for your advice / input. Thanks pannetone also for the Ipsea referral, I wasn't aware of that site. We have thought about changing her earlier to help with the later transition but it just seems so wrong when she is happy and settled in her current school. Ugh too many decisions.
Wishing you all well for the future and fingers crossed we can get her in to the best state school for her. Really appreciate the advice.