Advice on Specialist Provision

[Tabathan]

Dd is currently in mainstream reception. She has been diagnosed with asd and speech delay. We always knew she would go to special school but didn’t have her EHCP in place before she started reception.
Her current school have suggested we name a provision for severe learning difficulties. The school we had in mind is moderate learning difficulty but the school have observed her in current setting and determined her needs too severe as she is self directed and has a 1:1 at her current setting. They didn’t have any conversations with us.
I’m disappointed because I really thought the school we picked would be great for her.
We have really struggled to get any support in place for her and thought at the right setting she could thrive.
We’ve not managed to get much speech therapy or OT, so she really does need that support in place to help with her learning.
She also really struggles to focus and listen to what she’s supposed to be doing and can be extremely hyperactive and I do wonder if she should also have an ADHD diagnosis.
At home she can follow instructions and she’s been doing some number and phonics exercises with us but none of this is happening at school.
I just wonder if they aren’t judging her accurately and they definitely seem keen to get her into any special school asap - which I don’t blame them for as she is taking up the it TA resources currently. I just want her in the right school and if that’s the SLD school, that’s fine but I don’t want to be forced into the decision by people who don’t know her. Any advice would be great.

Has she been assessed by an educational psychologist as part of her EHC needs assessment? I don’t think school are in a position to diagnose SLD vs MLD.

Thanks yes she was assessed by Ed psych but they didn’t mention learning difficulty at all, so not really that helpful.

Did their outline of her needs help you to understand what sort of setting might best suit her? If you haven’t already, I would visit the school you want and talk to the staff.

Thanks @openupmyeagereyes ed psych stated mainstream but I never agreed with that. I think you’re right the only thing to do is find out more about what’s expected the kids at the MLD school and we’ll have to assess whether it truly is a good fit for dd. I just felt a bit ambushed by current school and the assessments they have done without even mentioning any of it to us.

Visit both schools. Ask which cohort DD would be placed with. When you visit think about which group of DC you see DD fitting in with. If DD is willing can you video some of the number and phonics work she is doing with you to show the schools?

We’ve not managed to get much speech therapy or OT, so she really does need that support in place to help with her learning.

I’m unsure if you already have an EHCP or not. If you do, is SALT and OT in the EHCP? If they are required they should be. If they aren’t, do you still have to right of appeal? If you are going through the EHCP process but don’t yet have an finalised EHCP, when it is finalised you will be able to appeal if it doesn’t include what is needed.

My dd was rejected by MLD. The LA wanted the SLD school. In the end she went to an independent specialist school for kids with asd.

Thanks for the useful questions and yes I’ve already got videos of the phonics etc so that’s a good idea to show them.

Sorry to drip feed the information. The EHCP was signed off by the LA with nothing from speech or OT. I think that’s illegal but what do they care. We’re in the appeal process and tribunal coming up in a few months. We’ve had a speech assessment which will be included now and OT appointment coming up but currently they have assessed her based on not having any of these things in place and I really feel the assessment was done within unfair conditions, it just makes no sense.

I would love to find a school like that in our area. We’re considering moving areas to find something like that which may suit dd better.