bevalee Report post Posted December 13, 2004 Well, i visited the unit today. The head mistress was very nice, straight to the point and didn't try to gloss over anything. The unit is for 21 pupils on a part-time basis, where they study for 4 GCSE's. Art, English, Maths and Science. They can also do Food Hygiene and Social Skills. All classes have no more than 7 pupils. They have had 2 pupils in the passed who had AS. Ryan would receive 1 hour and 30 mins tuition per day, for one term. This would take him nearly to the end of yr 10. Year 11 he would receive 2 hours a day. Seeing that he has been out of school 6 months and missed half of year 9 through anxiety and depression, its pretty poor i think! There wasn't any provision for AS, only the benefit of smaller classes and a small enviroment. Not the best education on offer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted December 13, 2004 Ahhhh Bev - <'> Not what you were hoping for, I'm sure. Still, trying to look on the bright side, do their 'goals' (the 4 GCSE's) get the OK, or are they not appropriate to your son? Could this have legs? Cos if it could, and there's nothing else immediately available it's got to be worth signing on while you look around, yeah? It may be that, what with the reduced hours and greater teacher/pupil interaction, this could produce some results, and if the other option at this point is zilch, that's got to be a small step in the right direction... Really, really hope that something better does come along, but if it doesn't I hope this proves to be 'better than the rest'... L&P BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted December 13, 2004 Beverley, I'm sorry and not surprised at your frustration. It could be OK as a stopgap and a way of easing him back into the school environment but it seems hardly appropriate as a long term solution. 2 hours is way short of what he should be getting. I have been told that there is something similar in our area which my daughter could go to but I am also worried at the lack of specialist help. How does Ryan feel about it? Would he be motivated to do the subjects on offer? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elefan Report post Posted December 13, 2004 Bevalee,...I do not have the experience to offer you any helpful advice, but want to send you a <'> and hopes that he gets his needs 'appropriately' met, somewhere!! Good luck. Exx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nellie Report post Posted December 13, 2004 Bevelee, Tricky one. If you accepted this provision you might find it difficult to get the placement you hoped for. One other point, he might be able to study for GCSE's, but would they be able to meet his other needs, would they be able to meet his SEN needs as documented on his statement? Good luck with whatever decisions you make. Nellie xx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted December 13, 2004 Hi Bevalee, I think Nellie has a very good point...I would worry that he would then 'stick' in this unit. You know you've found the right placement for him at the specialist AS school. If it were me, I would hold out for that. Good luck, Bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bevalee Report post Posted December 14, 2004 Thanks for all your comments. The unit would be until Ryan left school and not used as integration back into mainstream. Its not good enough and i am just going to hang out for the tribunal in January, and go for the specialist placement. Ryan doesn't want to go there anyway, especially as its mostly girls, only 2 boys out of 21. He's in the gifted range and 4 GSCE's are a waste of time when he could do so much better with the right support. I don't like the idea of all these pregnant girls being around him either, especially when he's so vunerable. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
puffin Report post Posted December 21, 2004 I wouldn't accept this and would be inclined to hold out and see what the tribunal brings. I was offered a similar placement for my 8 year old daughter - the LEA seemed to focus only on the problems of sitting still in class and not on the AS needs at all. We agreed to 1 month trial and at the end of the month I refused to let her go back (much to the LEAs shock as they had taken it for granted) although the staff were lovely it was not the right placement for her. She was frightened by the the volatile behaviuor of some of the others and because she is also in the gifted range she had no intellectual benefit from being in a group where the others tended to have learning problems (although she was much in demand for homework help by the older kids). We demanded reintegration at a new mainstream school - this has worked really well. I have come to the conclusion that about 90% of success/failure of school placements comes down to the school's attitude. It is also interesting how the old school had NO SEN kids in her year - they have all moved to the new school!!! So she is now in a class of 21 with 3 full time adults (1teacher and 2 LSAs) plus a part time SEN specialist. Hold out for what you think would be the best option - I would not be inclined to accept 4 GCSEs if he is gifted. Have you considered legal action? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sam Report post Posted December 21, 2004 Hi A similar unit was also considered for my son. The children there had emotional difficulties which were not brought on by ASD and I felt the whole approach was very different to what he needed. Although I am sure this place did take some with ASD, my son had reached a point whereby his emotional needs were of more importance than his academic needs. Anything other than ASD specific support would have exacebated his difficulties and confused him even further. However, you know your son best and what would be a positive move for him. I know it is hard but I think you are doing a brilliant job. <'> Sam Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aspieknee Report post Posted December 21, 2004 I don't trust adolescent units. Was in one 20 years ago, no specialist AS schools then. Units that want to cure schoolphobia and reinstate school compliance are not on our side. To define "schoolphobia" as a psychiatric condition is like defining dislike of the Soviet Union as one: it's a destructive authoritarian institution, thinking minds fight it. Want to hear more about specialist AS schools. Do they defend the kids' right to make it as authors, instead of doing homework that would clash with writing books? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barefoot wend Report post Posted December 24, 2004 Bevalee Can certainly sympathise with your disappointment. Your son sounds not too dissimilar from my own and I am really struggling to think of appropriate educational setting. For what it's worth, it sounds like your right to hold out for specialist placement. Good luck Barefoot Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
