Which school would you choose?

[Sprogonthetyne]

We're in the process of sorting DS's (5yo with ASD) ehcp and by some miracle he has been offered places in two different provisions. His teacher is amazed, as normally they have to fight for years and are relieved when a child is offered any special school place, so we are remarkablely lucky.

Option 1 is an ARP (additionally resourced provision). He would spend 50% of the day in a unit being tough in a small class, and 50% in the mainstream class with 1:1 suport. The 1:1 would be full time for at least the first year, but would be reviewed annually and possibly reduced later.

Option 2 is a special school, so he'd spend all day in a class of around 8. They have 2 classes per year, and the one I'm hoping he'd go in is specifically for kids with ASD but without learning disabilities, so they fallow the sandard curriculum but in a less sensory overloading environment.

Both can offer a place from September, and have said they think they can meet his needs.

Ds is academically able, but easily overwhelmed by too many people. At his current mainstream he can tolerate been in the class for a short time, but is spending a lot of the day in another room with his 1:1. Either option could probably work, option 1 would be close to the edge of what he can cope with, but if he manages there it leaves the door open to mainstream secondary. He would probably be happier in option 2, but if he's never outside his comfort zone, he's less likely to increase his tolerance, which could be more limiting later on.

Apologies for the massive wall of text. Any opinions/ advice would be very much appreciated as I keep second guessing myself and going round in circles.

If DS is receiving 1:1 now and spending the majority of the time outside of the classroom is he going to be able to spend 50% of the time in MS with 1:1 at the ARP? This is especially true if DS is 5 in Y1 rather than 5 in reception (some DC who don’t cope in reception cope better in Y1 onwards because the class becomes more structured etc.).

I would check which class DS would go into at SS so you can make an informed decision.

There’s a lot to be said for a happy child. A child pushed to their limits regularly is likely to suffer with MH difficulties. Regularly putting someone in a situation they struggle to cope with won’t mean they will eventually learn to cope.

A child who has needed an ARP in primary is unlikely to manage MS secondary.

Thanks for replying, he's reception so we're hoping he'll find it easier in year 1, once the class is sat a desks more, but that's not garenteed. He also did much better in nursery when he was only in for 15 hours, but everything's went down hill pretty quickly when he went full time in reception.

I think I'm leaning towards the special, as he deserves to be happy, but I can't shake the doubt that I'm giving up on his future for an easier time now. His difficulties are predominantly linked to the sensory environment, but when he's not overwhelmed his behaviour and understanding is good. He's very borderline, on a good day you'd look at him and think he's mainstream, but on a bad day he's like an entirely different child, it's just difficult to know what his needs will look like in a year, let alone 6.

I suppose it comes down to, is it better to risk over supporting and stifling his development, or risk under supporting and damaging his mental health.

The decision you make now doesn’t need to be the school DS stays at forever. Even if you chose the SS it may be the case DS moves to a different SS when older. And SS doesn’t necessarily mean the child has a more limited future. Some people find their child blossoms in and after SS because the SS gives them the skills they need to cope whereas they were left to flounder in MS.

If DS struggles with the sensory environment in MS primary that makes me think even more he will struggle in MS secondary. Even the quietest, calmest mainstream is still a busy, noisy place, particularly at secondary.

Thank you, I think your probably right.

I foolishly have already looked at local secondaries and there's a 3 class entry ARP that specialises in ASD, that I would absolutely love him to go to when the time comes. But to go there he would have to be able to be in a mainstream size class for at least part of the day, so that's probably what's making me pause. But I guess I need to go with what's right for him now, and deal with the future when it happens.

The secondary ARP may not even exist in its current form by the time DS is UKS2. ARPs especially seem to change regularly depending on current local policy/thinking/funding. But there’s the potential for DS to move to an ARP in KS2 if after a period in SS you think a move would be best.