Small private school for A levels only?

[stickygotstuck]

If you had a 15yo with ASD, who : -

• Was in Year 10
• Was academically able
• But was struggling in a large state secondary (as in not getting the grades she is capable of and with failing MH and often anxious at and about school)

Would it be worth it moving her to a small independent school with a very nurturing ethos for years 12 & 13?

Would be great if she did well academically, but more than anything we'd like her to finish school with some confidence and feeling positive about herself, which at the moment is not the case.

(All this assuming you could just about scrimp and save/borrow to afford it for those 2 years...)

I moved my dyslexic dd to a lovely private and she is really flourishing there. I do think a calmer environment can work wonders for kids. Have you mentioned the idea to her and has she seen the school? If you can and think she would benefit you are probably right. Be mindful of the VAT though...!

How does she feel about moving @stickygotstuck?

@RespiceFinemKarma thank you (sorry I didn't see your reply until now).

Glad it worked out for your daughter. That's the key isn't it, the calm.

Frankly, I don't think we can stretch at it even without the Vat 😔. We'd have to look at bursaries, etc and it may not be realistic. But we are looking at all the options in the hope that any damage can be undone, or at least lessened.

@CadyEastman she was not keen to move at all a few months ago, but she's now changing her mind. She's usually of the better the devil you know mindset, but as she grows up she's thinking that a change may do her good.

She has seen the school (sort of accidentally, long story) and likes it, but not keen on Saturdays! Weekends are her recovery time.

I think you will have to factor in the extra and if you can't manage that how about the local college? Our local sixth is for about 150. The college DD went to was new and has about 4000 students so much, much larger.

But, they lunches and breaks are staggered and the corridors are wider so there's not the crush you get at school. The toilets work and are pleasant to be in, DD had a huge issue with the school toilets being unsafe, often locked and not working.

And you'll be thousand better off than if you send her to a Public School

Oh, god, the toilets!

Yes, I think looking at colleges is a good idea, so long as they do the options she'd like to take.

We've seen a couple of (state) sixth forms and it's a relief that they are small con comparison to the secondaries, I guess even if they are on the same site they have different times and don't really mix. She (and we) liked one where the 6th form is on a nearby but separate site. Oversubscribed, of course ☹️.

Oddly, her primary was very small and that's the reason we chose larger secondary 🙄. A crystal ball wouldn't go amiss, honestly....

A crystal ball wouldn't go amiss, honestly....

They should give you one when your DC get a diagnosis. Honestly I thought a large college would be a disaster but she's thrived away from school.