Aspergus high functioning school for 14 year old

[KMA1969]

Hi there, Please can anyone recommend a high functioning aspergus school for my 14 year old son? We have just got his EHCP approved and need to move quick to find somewhere for sept and year 10. Ideally in Berkshire, Oxon, Surrey or Hampshire.

Thanks in advance, a worried mum x

No personal experience, sorry. Google suggested this one
www.lvs-oxford.org.uk/about-us/10602.html

You might have more luck searching by using the term Asperger's

Have a look at swalcliff I’ve heard great things about it, there is nothing in Bucks, unless you want a base provision. There is also Egerton Rothesay, and a few more in Oxfordshire, there is TVS in Reading, don’t know about Hants. Good luck

Great thanks for your thoughts on this

Have a look at the Priory schools. Our son is in one of their colleges which is fantastic.

Brill, thank you for sharing. Yes we put the priory services on our list. Can I ask which one he is at?

Farleigh College in Frome, Somerset. They take students from 16 up to 25.

Great to know. Does he board there?

It's 160 miles away so yes! He comes home every other weekend -it's part of their travel training.

Great thanks so much for sharing

And they live in proper houses, so they learn independent living skills in a real setting, which is better for when they move on to supported/independent living in their own place.

Sounds ideal. Does you local authority pay for this ?

He has an EHCP so it is all funded by the LA. He has direct payments from Social Care and most of these go towards the residential accommodation. Not sure whether social care pay it directly to the college or to education.

We have had a huge fight to get this though. DS was out of education for a whole year while we fought for an EHCP (it took 71 weeks), then we had to fight for the placement.This has involved a judicial review, 2 appeals to the SEND Tribunal, engaging solicitors (DS being over 18 with no income or savings to speak of qualifies for Legal Aid), involving the local councillor at one point and several formal complaints, one of which was upheld by the Local Government Ombudsman. The LA conceded both appeals.

Earlier this year the LA refused to fund for next year, and tried to tell us they were ceasing the plan. Their idea was to fob him off onto Social services.

We appealed to the Tribunal and got solicitors involved again. The LA didn't have a leg to stand on, so finally caved in again last week.

It is exhausting and extremely stressful, but it seems this is the only way to get what your child needs.

Yes we've just gone through a battle to get my ds's EHCP approved and we achieved this last week. We are now frantically trying to find the right school for him with the hope he can start in sept but I think that's a long shot! As you say, it is hugely stressful and takes over your life. Thank you for sharing and I certainly empathise 😫

I'd be looking at school websites and getting prospectuses first, then making appointments to visit the likely schools asap.

Farleigh assessed DS for a place after the college had closed for the summer, and offered a place for September, so it can be done. We had been earlier in the year though, and seen it when there were students around.

More House, Frensham, Surrey

You could try The Romsey School - they have an ASD unit as part pf mainstream. Hard to get a place though.