Good luck Claw!

[fightingtheLA]

Hi Claw
Have been following your sorry saga with school for a while now. Just wanted to say good luck with the meeting tomorrow and hope you get more from it than the usual clap-trap,fob-offs etc. etc. I find it difficult dealing with everything even with a very supportive school so am in awe of your tenacity. Knowledge is strength and posters such as yourself, Debs, Star,Attila etc..have really given me the confidence to fight for my ds!

That is just the best news ever - so very pleased for you all!!!

That's brilliant, the school sounds perfect. Well done for taking the plunge and moving him!

Claw I'm sitting here with tears streaming down my face.

I'm so unbelievably please for you. You and your ds deserve a new beginning. I hope it all works out for you.

I just cannot believe how wonderful it must have been to say 'We've done the evil deed and applied for a SA' and for the school to say 'welcome, come in, make yourself at home'!

Amazing!

CLAW thats fantastic news for you and your ds.

Brilliant news, just brilliant

oh how fantastic

I hope your dsloves it as well.

sounds brilliant, and great understanding re: taking pictures too.

don't forget to make a map of it with him!

am dead chuffed now, will be grinning away while I cook tea

OMG!! Claw that is incredible. You have landed back on Planet Earth where people speak your language rather than some alien wank-speak which equates to 'F**K OFF SN kids are too much bother!'.

So pleased for you. You'll be posting telling us 'in DS's school we do x/y/z next' and we'll all be saying 'WHERE do you live?'

WELL DONE - THE GIRL DONE GOOD!!!!!

Oi, Fighting, start me a good luck thread will ya!?

Not yet, I'll tell ya when.........

That's fab Claw! I'm so pleased for you and ds. School sounds brilliant - I'm jealous

Thanks everyone, i feel like i have just been on my first date and i cant wait to see them again

SENCO also asked me to sign a permission slip, so they could call in ASD advisor to MET ds! I was gobsmacked, they want to call in ASD advisor just to met him, i dont have to drag them kicking a screaming

The Head Teacher also encouraged me to contact them if i had any worries, no matter how silly they seemed. At that point, i almost fell off my chair!

Oh and SENCO is contacting LA to ask them what help ds is likely to need. I asked would they tell you that before a SA, she said oh yes Mrs X owes me a favour!

Oh and Head happily told me they have 12 children with statements and 9 of them have autism. She volunteered this information, I did not have to put in a request to Governors to find out!

I am so impressed, i couldnt be happier

Oh and SENCO said she would have to introduce ds to another map reader they have!

I will shut up now!

Claw this is a lesson to us all about schools really. Stay with the devil you know and fight or go or somewhere else, where you still might have to fight the LA for a statement, but where you don't have to fight those who look after your child too.

I have just made a request to see the Head and SENCO to go through all our reports and for them to tell me how they are going to meet the recommendations with provision.

I have my youngest starting this year too.

But we can't move yet. DH needs to get himself sorted jobwise so that we can get out of this grammar school riddled, competitive academic hell hole!

Star - let me know! I might need one myself soon - waiting to hear whether LA will assesss ds.
Claw - Really delighted for you. It must be great not having to think about that awful school. Have you sent your letter in yet? If it was me I would be going to the local press about that place too. Feel sorry for all the other SN children there.

So let me get this straight:

They're supporting your app for SA.
They're openly acknowledging your ds might occassionally need time out and have just the room.
They are on drinking terms with asd outreach experts
They actually WANT children with asd and are building a unit, training their staff.
The Head actually KNOWS the children with autism, in that she knows thier hobbies and interests.
They are talking about actively nurturing a friendship.

Where the frig did you find THAT school?

sounds amazing, claw - so glad for you

sounds as though they are really going to make sure oyur ds fits right in - brilliant!

Good luck fighting When do you find out?

Star purely by mistake, i cant believe my luck!

I phoned another school with an ASD unit attached, their waiting list, ds would have been 13th. I stated it wasnt such much the unit i was interested in as such, but just the understanding that would hopefully go with it.

She immediately said have you tried X school they are well known for their ASD knowledge and are in the process of building a unit.

I phoned about the waiting list, expecting it to be long. She said yes we have one place in year one

Not only are they open about their SN's, they also dont hold back on vacant places.

Head Teacher also 'looked' nice, nothing at all stern about her look. She even looked friendly and welcoming if that makes sense?

Ex Head had 'hamster eyes' black, cold, no sparkle. She was also very uptight and stern looking. She always looked, well, stiff

Debs, i know i cant believe it took me this long!

I just know that ds will be happier there, even if this school is not perfect, i know they will understand.

I know that ds might never enjoy school, in the same way 'nt' children do, the same way he may never enjoy eating in the same way, but he has the right to feel safe and enjoy things in his own way.

Fighting, im still adding the finishing touches to my letter, im too busy gushing about this new school on here

CAMHS phoned earlier and i told them my good news. She thought it would be a good idea for ds to go back and say goodbye.

I dont think that will be possible after my letter!

What do you think?

It might help him with the transition. Perhaps you can hold off the letter and then give it to him to hand to the HT!

I made a point of giving dd a "last day".

we talked it all through from when she got up - last time wearing uniform, last breakfast before XXXX school, last time parking at the school, last time going into XXXX class, etc etc.

and then made sure she said goodbye to teacher, salt, and TA at the end.

I do think it helps with transitioning.

I also had pictures form the school, to reinforce when talking htrough with dd1 that it was finished - pics of teachers, class activities, etc.But I know you won't get that!

Star I should hear by 5th July at the latest. Sent off the paperwork with parental views - can only sit and hope now!
*Claw*I don't think I would want to set foot in that place again but if you think it'll help your ds then maybe he should say goodbye. I don't think the school will be bothered if he does or not tbh. Know what you mean anout HT's with beady eyes - ds's old one is scaring some of the new parents already. She is evil - must be from the same mould as your one! Was telling dh about your good news and ds said - sounds like my old school
I've cracked open the virtual bubbly for you - enjoy!

"but he has the right to feel safe and enjoy things in his own way."

Too bloody right. This is what makes me fume about ASD issues. Schools think they are managing them by basically not helping children eat, or facilitating their attendance on trips or their inclusion in school. Because they can. Because there is no consequence. You can piss off a quiet, passive child with ASD and the parents pay, but they're good as gold in class. Who gives a toss if they're not actually focusing/learning?

If DS likes the new school and feels excited about attending, don't feel obliged to go back for a last visit.

Yes, it might be better for transition but he'll be ok. Think about what is best for you all and I bet you'd feel liberated if you never had to go back. A happy mum is worth her weight in gold and after an afternoon of eating Ben and Jerry ice cream with my sickly youngest, that would be quite a lot of gold!

In my case obv