Post by serrakunda on Oct 6, 2014 14:45:55 GMT
Review meeting and discussion re secondary school today
after much agonising and soul searching I had decided I wanted Simba to go to a specific mainstream secondary next year. I visited one of the specials and whilst impressed with it, decided it wasn't the best long term option for Simba.
The mainstream school is relatively small, he would be able to get the ordinary bus there, super SEN set up. High number of ASD kids and the highest proportion of children who are or have been LACs of any school in the city so they have expertise. The school is 15 minutes on the bus, Simba would at last be able to make friends who live in our community and it would move him on greatly to more independence. Everyone I have spoken to speaks highly of the school, Simba's cub leader who is a former sen teacher thinks it would be perfect for him. This is really the only mainstream option I would consider for him.
Today the education officer decided to drop into the discussion, school C, a specialist autism school. This school is miles away, would entail long journeys, it isn't part of any community, let alone ours. As now Simba would be bussed in and out, his friendships would be confined to school, the level of independence he could achieve would be pushed back. It's quite an academic school, but Simba has more social skills. Two children from his class went there this September so I have other children for comparison. I've had mixed reports from people I've spoken to and a friend has removed her son from there.
Academic achievement isn't the be all and end all for me in this. I'm looking at how Simba will develop as a whole person. Id be willing to sacrifice some academic achievement if I got an independent young adult with a secure base in our community. I don't want Simba spending 2 hours a day travelling to and from school. He does this now and it's not good in terms of the impact on his behaviour.
I don't want him going to a school where a significant number of children sign or use other forms of communication. I don't want him going to a school which in effect isolates him from the community in which we live
I want him to go to a school which understands ASD and adoption
i want him to go to local school which he can get to by himself
i want him to go to a school where he can make proper friends
i want him to go to a school which is part of a community.
They want me to visit this other school. If I did I know it wouldn't be with an open mind. It's not where I see him. If he stays cosseted in autism land for another 6 years where does that leave him at 18?
He is doing very well with his mainstream junior placement, we are going to increase it to two full days after half term and probably 3 after Christmas. I think he can do it. The easy option is the autism school, particularly for the LA as they wont have to do anything.
Or or am I thinking more about what I want for him and not enough about his needs.
after much agonising and soul searching I had decided I wanted Simba to go to a specific mainstream secondary next year. I visited one of the specials and whilst impressed with it, decided it wasn't the best long term option for Simba.
The mainstream school is relatively small, he would be able to get the ordinary bus there, super SEN set up. High number of ASD kids and the highest proportion of children who are or have been LACs of any school in the city so they have expertise. The school is 15 minutes on the bus, Simba would at last be able to make friends who live in our community and it would move him on greatly to more independence. Everyone I have spoken to speaks highly of the school, Simba's cub leader who is a former sen teacher thinks it would be perfect for him. This is really the only mainstream option I would consider for him.
Today the education officer decided to drop into the discussion, school C, a specialist autism school. This school is miles away, would entail long journeys, it isn't part of any community, let alone ours. As now Simba would be bussed in and out, his friendships would be confined to school, the level of independence he could achieve would be pushed back. It's quite an academic school, but Simba has more social skills. Two children from his class went there this September so I have other children for comparison. I've had mixed reports from people I've spoken to and a friend has removed her son from there.
Academic achievement isn't the be all and end all for me in this. I'm looking at how Simba will develop as a whole person. Id be willing to sacrifice some academic achievement if I got an independent young adult with a secure base in our community. I don't want Simba spending 2 hours a day travelling to and from school. He does this now and it's not good in terms of the impact on his behaviour.
I don't want him going to a school where a significant number of children sign or use other forms of communication. I don't want him going to a school which in effect isolates him from the community in which we live
I want him to go to a school which understands ASD and adoption
i want him to go to local school which he can get to by himself
i want him to go to a school where he can make proper friends
i want him to go to a school which is part of a community.
They want me to visit this other school. If I did I know it wouldn't be with an open mind. It's not where I see him. If he stays cosseted in autism land for another 6 years where does that leave him at 18?
He is doing very well with his mainstream junior placement, we are going to increase it to two full days after half term and probably 3 after Christmas. I think he can do it. The easy option is the autism school, particularly for the LA as they wont have to do anything.
Or or am I thinking more about what I want for him and not enough about his needs.
