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Post by lankelly on Oct 17, 2015 0:08:25 GMT
Has anyone experience of the Ruskin schooling similar to Steiner. I looked at one and feel Moptop would love it...but it's SO different to his mainstream I just don't know if it's a step too far. All activity based, mostly crafts and Making, nature. Eurythmy, Art therapy, etc. Small very small class groups student led, tutor focussed . High functioning children asd, attachment etc. VERY hard to get funds. Most families have been in crisis to get there via council funds. It seems we are constantly approach ing or leaving crisis. But I appreciate these maybe far less than others experience. How does a mum judge the fight worth fighting for? We cud probably remove adhd meds there tho and that would be fab.
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Post by pluto on Oct 17, 2015 7:55:55 GMT
I do not get the impression from websites this are schools geared towards children with special needs?
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Post by monkey on Oct 17, 2015 18:43:49 GMT
Sorry, no help but just looked up eurythmy - I've learned something!
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Post by mudlark on Oct 17, 2015 21:30:38 GMT
Its hard isn't it thinking about which school might work for our children. I ummmm'd and ahhhh'd about sending Lapwing to the Steiner school which we are lucky enough to have a mile away. But I imagine a bit like the Ruskin school, the Steiner school was mainly has kids from middle class alternative parents who wanted something more creative and holistic for their children, who did not want to follow the conventional model of achievement based education, instead children are allowed to flourish in their own time. All wonderful....
But my kids need boundaries and rules.. they need their creativity funnelled not let loose, they need certainties not blue skies, they need to feel safe and contained, not free floating and without focus....so for me good old fashioned church of England primary did the job!
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Post by esty on Oct 17, 2015 22:14:41 GMT
Oh Pluto - I'd have paid money to have seen that with you doing it! ;-)
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Post by pluto on Oct 18, 2015 0:29:35 GMT
I'm elegant enough lol and should really have made my profession out of it, but I hated the shoes who were part of the deal so after burning them I followed my heart and did something else what did not involve dancing around dressed up like an angel while the teacher was reading one or other artistic poem what made it difficult for me to stay serious. I still remember most letters, you see every letter has a movement.
Some Steiner schools will work for our 'sort of children', The same that some COE school will work while others will not. The routine wHen coming into class in the steiner school was lining up in front of the classroom door, everyone quiet, teacher opening the door, children giving the teacher a hand and greating than one by one to their chair in the classroom. That is structure in my books....... and a personal approach.
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Post by pingu on Oct 18, 2015 12:01:39 GMT
Would they let your child do a trial day? We did that with youngest before he started at his present school . He was very nervous going in , but It gave him a chance to see how he liked it, them a chance to see if they thought he would fit in and thrive there. and us a chance to see if it " worked for him" He came out at finishing time looking happy , chatting to one of the boys in his class, and looking totally at home there and more relaxed than we had seen him for quite some time.... I know that one day is not always enough to know for sure, but it might give you a better idea of whether it is worth " fighting for" the funding or not. I couldnt have grovelled for funding, the way we did, unless i had been sure it was the right thing to do for his future.
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Post by lankelly on Oct 27, 2015 21:30:33 GMT
We are going together to look around next week. He is very keen to go there. Can't work out what HE thinks he will gain. Be interesting to see how they relate to one another.But I am told that local authority need to refer in. They won't do that I'm sure, not at this stage. So we are finalising the home ed debate after Christmas break. How difficult did anyone explain home to ed to child who was mainstream?
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Post by pingu on Oct 27, 2015 22:58:14 GMT
Hope the visit goes well, Lankelly. I am a bit puzzled as to why you think his chances of going there a slim. Are you saying that Moptop wont be allowed to go there unless the LA referred him ? ( presumably this would be the school saying this) but who in the LA would be qualified to make that judgement ? I thoight he was post adoption order and therefore which achool he goes to is your decision not the LA?
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Post by lankelly on Oct 29, 2015 6:39:47 GMT
Aha Pingu it's a fee paying school and typically the children are there as school has failed them it specializes in asd, adhd, attachment etc. It is budget blowing though, local authority typically pay after a huge fight and very clear diagnosis and direction from mainstream that they can't cope. Well Moptop s school have no issues perse he is coping in junior's and possibly would in secondary but at cost of home life. It's more a question of matching his learning style and preferences for small= relationship/quality to a venue. He is merging yr two in some areas and close to five in small areas (he is in yr five.) We really want an investment in his identity as a valued person . As do we all I know. It's not a strict model aka Plutos experience LOL.! Most likely he wouldn't be deemed suitable anyway by the school . Can but try.
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Post by pingu on Oct 29, 2015 8:23:09 GMT
Thanks, Lankelly, i get where you are coming from now ! recognise the " copes at school but comes out ( with bells on) at home. And that small and relational work hetter. School stress , fusses to get him into the building, etc In our case local comp. would be a disaster but were told " has to go there and fail first, before they would think of funding anything else." a shaky combination of partial bursary and Adoption allowance presently exists but can change yearly.It is an ongoing struggle but worth it, because he thrives both there and at home now ( not perfect but we have seen huge progress emotionally and confidence) and it is vastly better to have a school you can work together with on supporting any issues that do arise at school. The right school definately helps a lot. It is worth striving for, if you think that this school is right for Moptop. Let us know how it goes. Best Wishes Pingu
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Post by ham on Nov 11, 2015 18:36:56 GMT
My dd went to glass house college based in Stourbridge when she was 16. She struggled with boarding there. And i had to go and do a talk on attachment as they did not get it at first. However she did learn lots of new skills while she was there. They had some good strategies like the students did not do cover the core subjects as such as at that age the students would not have gone to lessons but were covered in topics like meteorology and barge .They thought they were having fun but were doing English and maths. I do not know about the school as it was something they were setting up while dd was at the college.
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