Aspergers son starting senior school

[MissPitstop]

My DS1 starts senior school in september after a nightmare time at primary school. I have asked the lea to pay for a taxi for him to get to and from school but they have said no. I will be unable to take him as my DS3, also ASD starts nursery in sept too so will be taking him to nursery. DS says that he will walk on his own but I knnow that he is just not ready or able to do this. I had an idea for his direct payment worker to pick him up from home and take him into school and then collect him at the end of each day and bring him home. Something about this really scares me but I cant decide whether it because its the daftest idea I ever came up with or because Im finding the idea of him going to senior school so scary. Can anyone have any ideas? What would you do?

You're bound to be nervous. My experience is that DS is much happier in Secondary school after a nightmare time in primary. Primary head recommended that I did not send him to new school on the bus, but he's fine, more than fine, he's great.
HAving said that, they have removed his diagnosis last year, although on his statement it says he has AS tendencies.
Secondary school is easy compared with his time at primary.

Its great to hear that your DS has settled so well into his new school.
My DS thinks that all the problems he has will go away when he leaves primary school and Im really hoping hes right. Half on me thinks a bit of independence and a larger school where not everyone knows him and the problems hes had will be the making of him.
Hes really unsettled at the moment doing his transitions stuff with the outreach worker, hes got visits next week and then every week till the end of term so I know we are in for a rocky patch for the next few weeks. I hope hes like your DS and loves the routine and indepence of senior school.

I'll cross my fingers for you x

I think it's a good idea tbh.. Maybe you could mix and match it about a bit as he gets ( you see him get) more independant.

Ds2 is Asd/As and moving up to secondary in September as well. As it happens I can drop off and pick up .. But I want him to have a bit of independance so he'll walk to from and back to dds school ( not that far but a lot closer than getting all the way home).

I'm a bit worried as the route is really busy with bustling teens ( including ds1) and he still panics if he can't see me in the primary playground...

We are going to do lots of trial runs!

I have lots of trial runs planned too. Just found out that he is at senior school for two days the week after next but that his primary school wont be sending anyone to support him even though he now has a statement. I dont think sink or swim is a good tatic at the moment so will be speaking them and the senior schol on monday am.
Times of mixed emotions, I cant wait for him to leave his primary school where they continue to be useless at supporting him and scared about him starting senior school.

Here is our list of transitional work for going to secondary that has been put in place for ds.. Feel free to pinch it to suggest to school.

? additional visits during quiet and busy times
? a learning passport, which contains information about the pupil, identifies challenges and situations and has stratagies. To be completed by pupil and sen team of both schools. And shared with all staff in new school.
? being shown where pupils safe space is, a card and well communicated system for pupil to move through school without being confronted by staff.
?both schools to use the counties understanding aspergers document.

?further individual and group work on increasing ability in social and communication skills
?new school to provide structure and provision during unstructured time and role of resonsibility for pupil.

? EP reviews during transition until early October

Hope that might help you have an idea of what to ask for

Can u not walk the school route with him several times before he starts ( maybe through the summer holidays ) and plan the route well with him, maybe getting the bus part way? My ds has AS and although he was a bit nervous about the walking to and from school has been doing so since 2008. My ds walks to school which is just over a mile through town and then after school he walks into town and catches the bus home.Its getting a routine with them, Maybe after a while there be someone else to walk with. x