Excellent MS school for ASD child..

[want2sleep]

What qualities do I look for...

This will be 3rd school and want it to be last.., any tips/advice/what to look for/avoid

TIA

TBH I think the ONLY thing you look for is general attitude of the staff towards an open and communicative relationship with the parent.

No 'we're all experienced and trained and your ds will be fine don't worry'

more of 'We've had training and really hope we can meet his needs, but all children are individual so we'd appreciate any tips that will help him settle and we'd like to keep in regular contact so we can update ourselves and work together'.

iyswim.

Really, really hard to say.

We moved school for our DS who has ASD. And the new school were very off putting and didn't want him - but I'd heard enough good things about the school, and was desperate to move from our previous school, so just didn't listen to them trying to put us off.

Anyway, luckily I was right, and once he started they have been absolutely brilliant to him. He's a totally different boy now - and even prefers school to home!

So, I guess I think you need to somehow find parents of other SN kids at that school and talk to them. Maybe parent parternship can put you in contact with them?

Unless you're lucky enough to find a school like Claws new school where it is just obviously good (:

I would look for a school that talks about individual children and their needs e.g. 'for one of our children with ASD we've done this...for a child with X we have implemented Y' rather than 'we use visual timetables to benefit our ASD children'.

Ask about pastoral support e.g. what happens at lunch/playtime for those children who find unstructured time difficult(not just ASD children, lots do), ask about the use of contact books/similar, flexibility on the part of the teachers when it comes to flashpoints such as PE changing/assembly and how the school ensure that children with SN access school trips etc. - this should help you to determine whether or not you're going to be asked to collect him regularly because staff can't cope/accompany him on school trips/have to deal with an uncommunicative teacher etc. etc.

If they talk lots in general terms then I'd avoid them - your child is an individual, not an average!