Secondary Schools and Home Schooling and ASD

angie_baby

quinechinoise wrote: »

Can't help with the school appeal stuff. But I do know that a friend of mine is homeschooling a large family - the older kids have ASD and the eldest is mid teens, so, yes you can successfully homeschool a mild ASD teen.

If the travel is a serious issue, I'd definitely reject that school place (unless you can do anything with travel arrangements e.g. school bus pick up from home). Is there anything you could do to improve on travel issues?

Do you know if any of the nearer schools would be likely to have places later on in the year? I hear there's such as thing as... mid-year? in-year? applications for non-standard entry dates. Could you keep looking for a closer school place and apply every term till you get one? (You could then homeschool until you get a suitable place, rather than risk the 20 mile round trip.)

Thank you, i have home schooled DS for a just over a school year, while we were waiting on a placement at an ASD unit

And he did so well that he was actually offered a place at mainstream school, which he copes with very well (most of the time). He did have a huge meltdown at christmas though which is really not helping now.

angie_baby

Thank you for the replies.

I am not going to rush into anything, im waiting on his correct statement to be sent to me, the one that was sent was his July 2010, not his July 2012! I really hope that they have sent the correct one to the secondary school, is there any way i can check this?

I have spoken to the lady who checked on us when homeschooling and she has advised me to fight as things can change right up until September.

angie_baby

Frith wrote: »

Is it just the travel that is the issue with the school or are there other problems?

My son travels 30 miles to his unit and the County Council provide a taxi to get to the minibus, then minibus for the last 20 miles. There is an escort on the bus, but not in the taxi.

Not just the travel issue, but i dont think that my DS needs to attend a unit. There was a time we were waiting on a placement at a ASD unit (year 3) as he could only cope with an hour at mainstream, if that. As we were waiting so long, most of year 3 and he wasnt learning anything i made the choice to homeschool until a placement came up. Thing was he did so well that he was then offered a place at mainstream school. I know secondary school is alot harder but i still feel that he could hope, even his head teacher said she thinks he could cope.

quinechinoise

angie_baby wrote: »

Not just the travel issue, but i dont think that my DS needs to attend a unit. There was a time we were waiting on a placement at a ASD unit (year 3) as he could only cope with an hour at mainstream, if that. As we were waiting so long, most of year 3 and he wasnt learning anything i made the choice to homeschool until a placement came up. Thing was he did so well that he was then offered a place at mainstream school. I know secondary school is alot harder but i still feel that he could hope, even his head teacher said she thinks he could cope.

Okay... it's too far away, it's the wrong type of school for your son and you already have experience of homeschooling so you have a backup plan if you can't solve the school issue immediately. I'd definitely reject the offered school place.

If you are close to the border of your county/shire, have you also considered secondary schools in the neighbouring county/shire? Might be closer and/or have better travel arrangements. I believe you apply as normal via your own local council unless it's a waiting list arrangement and then you apply direct to the schools. Probably need to check that though!

You could also consider private schools, if that would help widen your school search. Mild ASD shouldn't be an issue at any school.

Good luck with your appeal and/or sourcing alternative schooling. Sounds like your local EWO is a helpful lady - hopefully she can give more accurate information than us!

poet123

emg wrote: »

They can also turn down statemented children if they dont believe they can meet their needs.

This is the criteria they have to adhere to:

https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/statements



Your local council must agree to send your child to the school you want as long as:

• the school you choose is suitable for your child’s age, ability, skills and needs
• your child meets any academic selection criteria the school has (although most state schools do not select pupils by academic ability)
• your child’s presence will not have a negative impact on the education of other children already at the school
• putting your child in the school will be an efficient use of the local authority’s resources

If there’s a suitable state school, the local council doesn’t have to send your child to a private school.
Changing schools

You can also ask the local council to change the school named in your child’s statement, if it’s at least 12 months since you asked for a change or since the statement was made or changed. This can only be the same type of school, eg mainstream school or special school.




They have to be able to prove (in court if necessary) that they have adhered to the above. In practice the LEA will move mountains before they will let it get that far.



Get the school named on the statement and I don't think you will have an issue. If you do ask them to say which criteria he doesn't meet, that should make them realise you know your rights in this regard. If they put obstacles in your way ask for a meeting, ensure all the relevant agencies attend along with the Head and Chair of Governors of the school.

thegirlintheattic

angie_baby wrote: »

This is what the chosen school have said, but to be honest DS needs to be in mainstream school and not a unit. Whats quite funny is the chosen schools motto is All Can Achieve.

I dont mind if DS doesnt go to this school but he must go to another mainstream school closer to home, i have at least 5 others that are closer.

Are you sure he'll be in the unit all day? We have a resource unit but only a few students are in there for all lessons. Most do all the normal lessons but have access to the unit at break/lunch - but are still considered as part of the unit.

raq

emg wrote: »

They can also turn down statemented children if they dont believe they can meet their needs.

My ds is actually going through this. We have our annual review next month and I am trying my upmost to keep him in mainstream school. He is also very mild autistic. Head teacher have informed us as parents, "He isn,t learning to the standard that they want him too " I have rang my second choice of school but them informed me they are way over prescribed and we have no hope and taking him to that school and to keep him where he is.

DS also has full time one to one.

Frith

Of the 6 primary schools I have looked round for my son (just got a statement with full time 1 to 1) 3 have said they would appeal if I named them as his school.

Their reasons have included being full and having a lot of SEN children in that year already and being short of money.

poet123

raq wrote: »

My ds is actually going through this. We have our annual review next month and I am trying my upmost to keep him in mainstream school. He is also very mild autistic. Head teacher have informed us as parents, "He isn,t learning to the standard that they want him too " I have rang my second choice of school but them informed me they are way over prescribed and we have no hope and taking him to that school and to keep him where he is.

DS also has full time one to one.

It is a slightly different situation if the school have accepted him and they are now saying that despite their best efforts he is not progressing. At that point it is much more likely that they will be able to prove they cannot meet his needs.

Frith wrote: »

Of the 6 primary schools I have looked round for my son (just got a statement with full time 1 to 1) 3 have said they would appeal if I named them as his school.

Their reasons have included being full and having a lot of SEN children in that year already and being short of money.

They can try, but unless they can prove what they say, and get the LEA solicitor to risk losing in court ( unlikely, as they will be risk averse) they won't win. They will be hoping that just telling you that will put you off. Choose the school you feel best fits his needs and get them on the statement. They really rarely go the whole way with this kind of appeal.

stuliet_2

poet123 wrote: »

It is a slightly different situation if the school have accepted him and they are now saying that despite their best efforts he is not progressing. At that point it is much more likely that they will be able to prove they cannot meet his needs.



They can try, but unless they can prove what they say, and get the LEA solicitor to risk losing in court ( unlikely, as they will be risk averse) they won't win. They will be hoping that just telling you that will put you off. Choose the school you feel best fits his needs and get them on the statement. They really rarely go the whole way with this kind of appeal.

The thing is, it is not you as a parent that would be able to actually name the school, it is the SEN panel at your LEA. Yes, you can express a preference, but the panel will decide based on the professional opinions of those involved in the Statement (ie teachers from previous schools, psychology assessments and other professional recommendations). They will then decide what they think is the best provision suited to the child's needs (which may or may not be your preference.)

If the school feel they are unable to meet the needs of any SEN child (or do not want to accept that child), the placement will often be unsuccessful anyway - the school really need to be on board with wanting the child to succeed, so I would never advise trying to push a school to accept a child they feel they cannot (or do not want) to manage.

With regards to the OP, most statement panels will always choose a mainstream school where at all practical (this is by far the cheapest option for them to deliver - even with a full time 1:1). Someone involved with the statementing process must have recommended this type of provision as being most suitable for your child - do you have all the professionals reports that support the statement?
Also, have you been in contact with Partnership for Parents? - they are a brilliant organisation who support parents with school and statementing issues regarding children with SEN.