Finding a SEN school

[JDaSilvs]

Hi, I am new to this site and moving over from abroad. I am trying to find a SEN school for my son in/around Woking, Guildford, Westbyfleet (any good areas anyone can recommend?). My son is turning 6 soon and has ASD, global delay in development, dyspraxia and ADHD. I also need to be zoned for a good school for my daughter who will need to start her reception year in September. Any help will be appreciated.

Your DS will need an EHCP to attend an SEN school. The assessment won't start until you move into the area.
Re your DD, The normal applications for reception have closed for September 2016, and places will be allocated next month. You will have to apply for a place once you have an address in the area, and hope she is allocated a good school.

When are you hoping to move?

I forgot to ask how old your DD is; children born between 1 September 2011 and 31 August 2012 (can) start full- time school in September 2016.

Hi
This website might be useful for schools www.nassurreybranch.org/home.html
Also check out the IPSEA website as to how to apply for an Education Health and Care Plan. You will need one of these to access a SEN school or SEN unit in a mainstream school. There'd are also private SEN schools in Surrey. These are very expensive but if you have an employer paying for relocation may be possible. You may apply for a EHCP yourself. There are templates on the IPSEA website. The process can take several months.
Do you have a preference .Special school. Special needs unit in mainstream school. Mainstream with 1_1.
For your NT child you will have to apply as a late applicant as soon as you arrive in the UK. There is a limit of 30 kids per class under 7. If a class is full it is full so you will be dependant on schools being undersubscibed or waiting list places. Saying that people do move and people apply for both state and private schools then turn down state. So waiting lists do move. Also LEA's do have an obligation to find your child a school place. However this doesn't have to be at your closest school or at a good school.

Thank you for this valuable information! I'm so grateful. My DS will be 6 in May and my DS will be 4 in April. Ideally DS attends a special school- I feel it will be beneficial to him.
There is a way to apply to schools from abroad so I will just have to look into that some more.
We are going to find a place to live based on the school (although that is a bit of a catch 22 as we need an address to apply). How would one find out which areas are zoned for which schools? - we will try look in a zone for a good school for both and hope for the best.

*Sorry, DD will be 4 in April (born 2012).

If you go into the council websites you can usually check the postcodes of the catchment area for each school.

I googled Woking, and came up with this information by Surrey council:

www.surreycc.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools/school-admissions

This is what they say about in year applications from abroad:
www.surreycc.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools/school-admissions/apply-for-a-school-place/in-year-admissions/applications-for-an-in-year-school-place-for-children-from-abroad

Schools that cater for SEN within that council website area:

online.surreycc.gov.uk/education/schools.nsf/SSByProvision?OpenView

To some extent parents don't have a lot of choice about which SEN school their child goes to. Once the EHCP is completed it will probably detail the sort of education the child needs. At that point the local authority will usually suggest the option that is most cost effective. If the parent disagrees then they have to appeal.
Education transport is usually supplied if the child lives more than 3 miles away from the school.

Wow, thank you so much for all your help! I have a lot of homework to do.

Just one last question which might seem silly but I don't know... when we arrive in the UK, will my son stay at home with me until he is placed in a school? (What if that process takes months for them to decide on his EHCP? Does he just get left behind? He does not do well with change so putting him in a school only to move him a few months later will cause him to regress hugely).

Thanks again for the help!!! :)

Theoretically he could be placed in a local mainstream school whilst they assess his needs. You could choose to keep him at home instead.

Yes, to get an EHCP can take months.