Special school for social issues only

[lollipoprainbow]

Has anyone moved their child to a special school for social communication issues only? My dd is in mainstream school and currently being assessed for autism, she is ok academically but struggles with social communication issues. Would a special school be better for her ?

You're very unlikely to find a state LD special school that will take a child without a learning difficulty. They just wouldn't have a peer group. Similarly, state Emotional Social and Behavioural Difficulties schools tend to be for children who have disruptive behaviours which can't be managed in mainstream. However, there are some independent special schools for academically able but socially struggling children. The rub is that to get that funded, you'd have to prove it was necessary, which often costs a lot.

My friend's son is autistic and moved from mainstream to a school for autistic children last year. He was academically fine but was unable to manage at secondary even with lots of support including a 1:1. Part of the problem was social communication but a lot was down to sensory overload (it was a huge school). She did have a battle to move him and the secondary had to put I place various types of support and show they were insufficient before she won her case (at appeal). He was Y9 at the time.