Can mainstream secondary work for some children?

[User373747382]

DS 11 started mainstream secondary this week, it's still way too early to tell how it'll go.

He was diagnosed with autism aged 5, likely undiagnosed adhd, sensory processing difficulties, severe anxiety, ocd and learning disabilities - he is 4 years behind at school. The anxiety and ocd has only been an issue for the last year or two since covid so more recent. He has an EHCP and has done since pre school age. Despite his struggles he's pretty sociable and enjoyed being in a mainstream environment, he went to mainstream primary with a high level of support, mainly 1:1.

I was never told that he may need to go to a sen school or a unit, it was just said that he'll go to mainstream. I was never told how far behind he was at school - year 2 level to be precise but I've only found this out in the last couple months, too late to look at new schools or consider sen - my local LA sen team seem to be taking a long time to sort things for a lot of children and general lack of spaces in sen schools. Despite struggling academically he is quite switched on otherwise and has a good understanding of different topics and now to behave, social expectations etc. He's generally not disruptive in lessons. He's always had a simpler level of the same work given with help from TA. On paper he coped well in mainstream primary but with a lot of support, take that support away and we will not be in a good place.

at times his EHCP has not been updated thoroughly, mainly because the previous senco at his primary was incompetent. The newer one was fab but time was pushing at this point. Also, delays with the sen team!!

no mainstream secondary in my area offer full time 1:1 with the same Ta. They tend to have a different ta in each lesson if available

but after the senco at his new school met with his primary summer in the summer term she said they will increase this but I have been having a nightmare getting hold of her. His form Tutor has been amazing and they have said they have a full plan for Charlie but I have not really been informed on all the details. They haven't really been doing proper lessons yet, so lessons starting will be a massive eye opener for them I think. He has major academic struggles and can't do much without support. He doesn't really need support during break or lunch, it's just the academic side and emotional support.

I sent him to the school j thought had the best provision and now I'm not so sure.

I have had to fight for the right transport - wanted him to use a publicly utilised bus.

but is there any success stories with asd children and learning disabilities in mainstream?

should I be considering looking at specialist schools? I know it's not as simple as just moving over. I know someone who's been waiting for over a year to try move her daughter to a specialist school.

advice? What if it goes horribly wrong?

I have had to fight for the right transport - wanted him to use a publicly utilised bus.

what I mean is that the council wanted him to use the public bus but I knew it was unsafe
for him. So appealed and we won luckily.

For some DC mainstream with support is best, for others specialist provision is best. It depends on the child and the schools involved. Have you looked at any specialist schools within travelling distance?

at times his EHCP has not been updated thoroughly

The EHCP should have been reviewed annually. If this wasn’t done you could have forced an annual review via Judicial Review if necessary. Then if the EHCP wasn’t amended as you wished following the AR you would have had the right of appeal.

no mainstream secondary in my area offer full time 1:1 with the same Ta. They tend to have a different ta in each lesson if available

If the consistent 1:1 is detailed, specified and quantified in F it must be provided regardless of what is usually done. If it isn’t you can enforce the provision. What does section F state?

Being full is not defined in law, and unless the school is wholly independent on its own being ‘full’ is not enough of a reason to refuse to name your preference. The LA has to prove the school is so full admitting DS is incompatible. The bar is far higher than many realise. Obviously there is a point where the LA can prove incompatibility, but many LAs claim it when they can’t prove the high bar and parents successfully appeal.

Both my daughters who have Down Syndrome attended mainstream school from 4 years until they were 16, it was brilliant both obtained 2 GSCE's not high grade but they did it. From 11 they did use public transport but were dropped off near the school gate. For them it was the right place.

OP - it looks like you've named your DS in your original post. You can report your own thread and ask for his named to be removed.

Secondary is a huge change from primary and it's hard to predict how it will go for any DS with or without additional needs.

My DS is Yr8 now, ASD with quite a complicated profile. He's doing far better than I could have hoped for at secondary. He says he actually prefers it as there's not so much emphasis on just maths and English (which he struggles with).
However, he has full time 1 to 2 support and he's in a designated special provision attached to a mainstream secondary so there's the facility there for him to leave mainstream lessons if it gets too much for him. Do you have anything like that in the area?

I would suggest you take a look at what other provision there could be for him if the wheels do fall off. As he has an EHCP, it doesn't even have to be in your local authority. It could also be a specialist school or a private school.

There are some helpful links here so you can familiarise yourself with the law:
www.ipsea.org.uk/Pages/Category/get-support

As others have said, if your DS's EHCP says 'full time 1:1 with a consistent member of staff' - that is what the school will have to provide.

Working at four years below expected levels if it's across the board is quite a lot. Having said that, secondary schools will be used to a wide variety of abilities. It's about how they support those students.

I would keep pushing for a meeting with the Senco. Also try and find out what the post 16 pathways are for DC with SEN at the school. That can give you some idea of how they support pupils with additional needs.

What is your DS saying about how things are going?