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Post by Ad-minnie! on Apr 17, 2014 14:44:50 GMT
Hi,
I think this may have been raised before. I am just about to start looking at primary schools for my LO. I would so value any thoughts/advice about what would be helpful for me to consider and also what might be helpful to ask the school.
Before having LO home, I would have been happy to send him to the local school. Now he is home and after hearing various adopters experiences I feel I need to go and look, and do my homework etc. But I feel totally out of my depth on this one!!!
Any help/thoughts/suggestions/advice greatly appreciated!!! Or any experiences that helped you come to a decision?
Minnie x
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Post by corkwing on Apr 17, 2014 14:51:34 GMT
One thing, to me, would be how flexible they are if your LO isn't coping. Could they do part time, for example? What about the run up to Christmas? One of ours ended up not really going to school at all for the month beforehand. Even if your child's not going to need that, you can tell a lot from the way that they respond.
All the best,
Corkwing
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2014 15:57:17 GMT
Hi Ad-minnie,
I've bumped Knight and Choti's threads on the School/Education Board for you to read, entitled "Visiting/choosing a primary school" and "0pen Days" as there are a lot of good suggestions already in there which you might like to read.
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Post by swimchic on Apr 17, 2014 16:12:02 GMT
I was in the same situation last year..
So, my advice to ask would be as follows -
1) Do they have recent experience with looking after Lac/ adopted children?
2) Can your child do a gradual introduction into school life? ( e.g, just mornings for a while and build up to a full school day)
3) who is the SENCO co - ordinator?
4) What is there policy on confidentiality ?. This was a big issue for us as Pinks birth name was put on line and caused a lot of problems.
5) Is there a buddy system
6) who will organise pupil premium plus ( pinks school were useless and she didn't get it!)
7) Are they happy for your childs social worker to go in for a chat and meet the teacher?
8) what support will your child get?
Good luck, pm me if you have any other questions.
Swimchic
x
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Post by moo on Apr 17, 2014 17:39:26 GMT
Love swimchic's list....
I am also with Corkwing.... By asking them those Q 's you are getting them out of their comfort zone.... So yep spot on their reactions , body language & actual answer to the Q will be a dead giveaway.....
My top tip after all the 'madness' here a little while ago is.... 'Atmosphere' your mummy radar will pick up on smiles easy chats at the classroom door.... Something that is such a breath of fresh air now.... At new the teachers are even in the playground before the bell, laughing joking &  Happy to see the children each day.... Brilliant & such a wonderful change!!! 
Hth....
xx. moo. Xx
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Post by Ad-minnie! on Apr 18, 2014 20:31:26 GMT
The schools I am looking at are church schools ... rather a lot of church schools in area!!! Does this impact on an adopted child having priority? As in, are there different "rules"?
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Post by leo on Apr 18, 2014 20:59:52 GMT
It depends on what type they are. If they have VA (Voluntary Aided) after their name then they should still have a 'general' admissions policy. You need to get a copy of their individual policies (should be on their websites or your LA may produce a booklet covering all the schools in their area).
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Post by gilreth on Apr 18, 2014 22:26:05 GMT
Around here it is only the catholic schools that have different priorities (LAC/PLAC from Catholic families, other Catholics, then LAC/PLAC from non-Catholic families). CofE schools have same general admissions policies - well LAC/PLAC at top, followed by various levels of church involvement (with CofE then other churches) then suiblings then others living in catchment based on distance from school. So Sqk right there at top of list - and we know school is learning about adoption (my nephew is there) plus one of the governors is one of the adopters we know from prep-group.
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Post by sivier on Apr 22, 2014 17:55:33 GMT
We have Voluntary Controlled and Voluntary Assisted schools in our local area, all of which offered LAC, SEN and adopted children priority.
Good luck - did you find those posts that jmk bumped? Happy to write more here of not.
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Post by kstar on Apr 23, 2014 15:52:44 GMT
I agree with going with your gut... One of the things that attracted me to the school I chose was the fact that the head said pop in any time or several times if you want for a look around - nothing was hidden. It just all felt very open and warm.
I wouldn't necessarily be put off by a lack of experience with LAC or adoption - it's the first time Starlet's scho have ever had a LAC and they have been amazing. For me it was important that the head was open about having no experience and that she would need me to be straight with her about Starlet's needs.
Definitely the flexibility, that was majorly important.
Small class sizes are nice, as are full time teaching assistants in each room.
A curriculum that allows for more freedom - starlet's first week was sports week, with taster sessions in all sorts from football to archery to crown green bowls to Zumba!
But above all, gut instinct!
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Happy to see the children each day.... Brilliant & such a wonderful change!!! 
