Thinking about changing from special school to (sort of) mainstream school - advice anyone?

[twoisplenty]

My nearly 8yo ds with cerebral palsy, has always been in special school since the age of 3yo. But we feel he has "outgrown" special education and needs the company of mainstream children. We feel he also needs more challenging education, even though he has learning problems.

When he is in the company of mainstream children he loves it. He goes to Beavers and he has the biggest smile and loves their company.

Would anyone recommend mainstream ed for sn children? It makes me nervous because of the academic side of things, as well as the social aspects. Also worried about if he will become overwhelmed with the change from sn to mainstream.

But we feel sn school is giving him no challenges, and is stunting his progress because the lessons are so easy peasy.

Loads of advice please!

well, her work is differentiated, so she does tracing or colouring work for instance when her classmates do writing, that kind of thing. She doesn't really have much speech as she also has a hearing impairment, but the whole school have been learning Makaton ever since dd2 started and the other children use that a lot with her. Being at m/s has helped her speech no end though and she is on to two word and the occasional three word combinations. I don't think she feels overwhelmed, she is always full of beans at the start and the end of the day and seems to really love it there, but of course it's hard to tell. She brims with confidence whenever I see her there - they introduced a very set routine in her class when she started, with a visual timetable, so she always knows what's going on and that has really helped her.

She might be miles behind academically, but obviously in other ways she isn't - for example, she likes to keep her classmates in check and makes sure people tidy up or shut the door behind themselves . It's hard to describe how she fits in - she just 'mucks in' as it were and everybody just accepts her as she is.

and just to add - I've been to a few social events at the school like discos and Christmas fairs, and she just dashes off like all the other children (leaving me sitting on a gym bench with a cup of squash). The older ones at the school also like to involve her so that's nice. TBH, I don't think she aware of the fact that she is different.

Hi again. I think you should suggest a split placement at this meeting. What about a split placement at the deaf school? Basically, you won't know (and he won't know) what he is capable of until he is put in that situation, so if your gut is telling you that he needs and could cope with more stimulation, then give it a go. Your husband thinks that friendships will not be formed if split school is the way forward? well, I can tell you that my ds (who cannot talk!!) has made a good friend (who incidently is so hyper and is always in the kids faces, probably why he is paying ds1 attention, but who cares ). I think no matter how many days a sn child does in school, there is always someone to be friendly with them. My ds1 has attracted a little fanclub of girls . And anyway, I don't think you can compare non-verbal friendships to verbal ones if you see what I mean. In fact, I think that the simple reason that ds1 is in ms school for only 2 days of the week, maybe somehow makes him more interesting (or so I like to believe anyway).

Your ds will have an individual education programme and will not be expected to keep up with the rest of the class. Obviously, they will not 'get' everything they are tought at ms, but I think the challenge in itself is a good spur for them to try harder. I know that my ds' frustration at not being able to talk is making him vocalise chat instead of sign it, (even though it is incomprehendible) but it just shows that being around 'chatter' is making him try harder to talk .

I do not even think about my ds following a cirriculm and don't care a jot about the level of his work and his ability. I am just giving him the chance I think he deserves. His understanding is just below normal so we are told, so we cannot ignore this fact. Let us know how your meeting went xx

Thanks so much everyone. I really strongly, passionately believe going ms for some of the time will do him tonnes of good, I'm almost tearful thinking about it...I just hope they take me seriously about a deaf school, I'm so serious about this. Wish us luck for next Thursday, and also for discussions with the LEA!!

Geekgirl, that sounds so lovely, its sounds a lovely School

twoisplenty , she has to have different work to the others, although she can get join in the colouring, crafts etc

She has an IEP from her SN School, but the teacher at mainstream doesn't think much of it!!! and is working on the Early Years goals which I prefer

In turmoil at the moment over where she should be but will start my own post so don't pinch yours lol

Plus the mainstream teacher is fantastic and really loves her which helps!!

Well, we have come back from the meeting with the headmistress of our sn school.

It went really well. She was very supportive of our idea to start the process of assessing our ds to see if the school for the deaf would be appropriate. She understood our reasons and was positive about this.

If it doesn't work out (ie. the LEA doesn't think it appropriate for our ds to attend a school for deaf) then plan B would be to ask the LEA to provide a support worker to teach our ds SSE (sign supported English, like BSL but in word order).

She also agreed to move him to another class which is more challenging. She wants to keep him in his present class for the literacy lesson, which I agree with because he really hasn't grasped reading yet. But I'm really pleased he can join in with more challenging lessons. It will be a chance to see how he copes.

All in all, very pleasing. And we can start the ball rolling with the LEA to see if our ds would manage at a sort of special ms school!

It's such hard work!

Also! Not finished yet!

The headmistress said something interesting. She said that some children with cp or learning problems don't fit in with sn school or ms school exclusively. They can't be pidgeonholed so to speak. Our ds is typical in that he is good with some aspects of sn life, and not others. With ms school he would miss out on some very good aspects of sn school, but be challenged in a different way with ms shool. So whichever school is chosen, there will be compromise. We as parents, with the help of staff, LEA etc, have to choose which area of school life is to be compromised, and which is to be focussed on. In our case we have chosen communication to be the main focus atm, then later on, review this.

Pheww!!

Hi twoisplenty.
God, I bet you two could do with a Brandy after today!!!
Sounds like you have a very productive and helpful meeting. Its very true that whichever school is chosen, there is some compromise. I wonder what the LEA will decide about the school for the deaf? interesting. I think you are totally right in that communication is the key issue which should decide the outcome.
Its good though don't you think that we can change things when they are not working?
And now you two, crack open the wine, turn on the telly and relax...........