Special school for a 15yro

[Seekingcomfort]

To cut the story short, my dd was diagnosed with asd last Sept and was given a EHCP. Now we re in the process of finding a special school for her. This is very new to me as she seemed coping with school very well until last summer. Just want to know from parents and teachers from special schools. What can we expect from a special school? Do they do normal exams like GCSEs? My dd quite like to be able to continue her gcse french as she was doing quite ok while at her main stream school however I doubt a special will offer any foreign language.

You need to look for a specialist school rather than a generic special school. Their offer varies with their cohort. Ds1 went to a specialist school (non maintained and did gcse, including French.) Ds2 is at a very different school, though, where the focus is very much on basic skills. Most LA and academy special schools are geared towards children with moderate or even severe learning difficulties and children with complex needs.

Mainstream secondary schools in your area may have attached units. These can be anything from great to a LA money saving exercise so they can find an excuse not to send kids into the non-maintained sector, even if the placement is entirely unsuitable. You will need to research your local offer carefully.

Is there a reason you want to move her? You don’t necessarily need to move her from a mainstream as long as it’s working and meeting her needs. I’ve found specialist schools in many cases are very generic. There’s children with a range of issues. My youngest dd is at a generic school, her sister has been in mainstream and is now moving to a school purely for children with asd who just struggle in a mainstream environment.

Thanks Pick and Always. Her mainstream school cannot meet her needs anymore as it s too late for them to start to intervene now. An independent specialist school visit is being arranged atm. My dd s asd is not very severe (I don’t think) as she passed all her tests and sats while at primary school. I believe with extra time and the right support she can achieve at least just as well as most average kids.
What should I look for or questions to ask during these school visits?

Is your daughter 15? If she is capable of doing GCSE's then the school would provide that. However, some specialist schools do not have a range of GCSE's on offer which puts some parents off. It may be tricky at the moment as some specialist schools like to admit teenage children early (cut off in Year 9) so this may not leave you with not much schools to look at.

Thanks secular, I don’t think she will be ready to take GCSEs next year. So she really wishes to be able to repeat year 10 for her to catch up. As she didn’t have much of year 9 and 10 due to ill health.

That's fine! The only issue you'll find is that very few specialist schools offer a range of GCSE's. I know a few parents have taken their child to a centre (alongside attending a special school) to do their GCSE's in their favoured subjects but don't know too much about this. You could also look into a resource base or ASD unit attached to a mainstream secondary school.

I think I may have to pay for her French lessons but still I don’t know if she can take the gcse french which was one of the subjects that she most enjoyed.

If your daughter is working towards her French GCSE this could be written into her EHC. It does annoy me that the assumption by LA'S is that if a child needs a specialist provision they are probably not capable of academic study. Also remember an EHC can remain in place till a young person is 25 allowing for catch up!

I agree with Niffler, get French GCSE written in the EHCP, you don't need to pay. If the SS you want doesn't normally offer French it is possible for the course to be delivered via a tutor, either within school or at home, or via an online school.

Can I ask why your DD's school is saying they now can't meet her needs? Do you/DD want to move school?
Trying to find a Yr11 place is potentially going to be tricky, even with an EHCP. It could take some time to sort out - especially if the setting you find says it's full.
I'm not saying that this is the case here but sometimes, schools will try and 'manage out' students just before GCSEs if they feel the student may struggle to get good grades.
My DS is about to start at a mainstream secondary but in a special resourced provision for autism. He will be expected to take GSCEs but not the full quota - whatever ones we all feel he's got a chance at passing. These settings are hard to get into though as each child's case will be assessed by a panel once a term and there are only around 4-6 children accepted in each year group.
That's not a reason not to give it a go though - or to fight for a place if you feel it's the best setting for her.
These units only go up to Yr 11 though - so even if you do get a place, she would only do a year there and either transfer to the sixth form - with support. Or move to a college/other setting.
There are some residential schools that offer a fairly full range of GCSEs/A levels that you could access with an EHCP (the council would pay if you can successfully argue it's the only setting that can meet your DD's needs). Or you can look out of your borough.

Being Y11 shouldn't be a problem, many SS sit GCSEs over a year, or post 16, or DD could be placed in out of her chronological year group in Y10.

Toomayminifigs Unless the school is wholly independent the LA must name your preference unless they can prove one of the following:

• The setting is unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or special educational needs (“SEN”) of the child or young person; or
• The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for others; or
• The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the efficient use of resources.

There's no legal definition of full. Being 'full' is not enough of a reason to refuse admission, the LA have to prove they are so full it is incompatible, which is a relatively high bar.

A couple of people I know are taking two schools to court as they're arguing that they are too full to take the children - despite the fact they both have EHCPs. I'm assuming the parents have a very good chance of winning but it's obviously going to take some time to sort out - which was the point I was (badly!) trying to make!

Thanks ladies, sorry I was too busy to come back on to this for the last few days. I had spoken to an independent specialist school they said they don’t have a french teacher though they may be able to get a private tutor in for 1-2 hours but it would not be for GCSE.
As it s already summer holiday I think the chance for my dd to have a place for sept is unlikely. Also I don’t think she will be ready for GCSEs for next year.

@ 10broken thanks for your advice re legal definition of full.
@ Toomany I don’t know If my dd can be get a residential place as it is not in her EHCPs. Although sometimes I think a residential setting may more beneficial.