Background - DS is 9 and has AS. He has been permanently excluded from school (appealing but don't want him to go back there, just want the px off his record) and has been at home since the start of November. I am desperate to get him back into school (mainstream) asap. LEA have been a bit rubbish at helping us to find somewhere although our Inclusion Officer has been great at suggesting places to look.
We want to find somewhere for him that is experienced with children who have complex behvioural issues and ASD and particularly somewhere that actually 'wants' him at their school - we have had a lot of experience of school not wanting him there and making it pretty clear to us and him.
I have been speaking to various schools, and had a lot of fobbing off - 'we are full' 'our classrooms are too small to accept more children' 'there are other children in that year who have very extreme behaviour' - as soon as they hear about the px. And this has put me off insisting we go and see them anyway as it is obvious they will not be coming from a position of wanting him. However, as he has a statement we can name any school we like and they pretty much have to have him. (Sorry long background )
Been to see 2 schools this week as possibles. And having liked both of them am in a bit of a quandry , should I look at more and drag it out, or decide out of these 2? And which one to choose? We liked both and DS liked both.
School 1: Close by, medium sized, two male teachers in his year group, 3 children with ASD already in school, good clear behaviour system, on way to and from DD's school and times fit in well for taking and picking up DD. Slightly circumspect about having him, made it very clear that they would have to consult with governors and that it was not an automatic 'yes', but not negative about having him, Head was nice. Behaviour TA's in school well trained and teaching staff well into positive behaviour management. They do t'ai chi every week.
School 2: Small school with catchment within quite a deprived area. In opposite direction to DD school, would mean serious juggling to do DD's drop offs and pick ups but not impossible. Lovely Head who seemed actively to want DS and had already spoken to the Inclusion Officer about him, keen to see his statement, really switched on about SEN. SENCO relatively young, new to school but from a Special School background, lots of TA support in his year group, lovely nurture group, just setting up own positive play rooms (next few weeks). Excellent clear, behaviour system. Lovely calm environment in school. Loads of experience of complex children and it was recommended by the Inclusion Officer.
So do we decide from these 2 (I work in a school as a TA so have seen several other school locally anyway 'professionally', who I would not consider) or look further - and have to listen to lots of excuses about why their school is not right for him without having met us? If we do decide on one of these which?We need to decide soon and get the ball rolling as it will take about a month to get it sorted and DH is currently at home looking after DS but will shortly be starting a new job and I would have to give up work if DS is not in school.
HELP oh wise ones!!!!
(ps sorry for the length but I needed to get it down right!)