smalls schools

[star]

I wondered if anyone with AS or HFA children has any experience of a small school with mixed aged teaching groups. A school we are considering has 4 classes within the school. One class foundation stage, one class of Key Stage One children and two classes of Key Stage Two children. Class sizes are between 17 and 26.

 

There are probably 8 reception children joining the school each year which is smaller than the larger schools with have upto 30 or even 60 but I suppose it would be a closer knit community.

 

I just wondered if socially it might be easier within a smaller, mixed age class - than a larger group of peers - or whether it might be easier to make friends within a large class.

 

Thanks for any thoughs

[oxgirl]

I wondered if anyone with AS or HFA children has any experience of a small school with mixed aged teaching groups. A school we are considering has 4 classes within the school. One class foundation stage, one class of Key Stage One children and two classes of Key Stage Two children. Class sizes are between 17 and 26.

 

There are probably 8 reception children joining the school each year which is smaller than the larger schools with have upto 30 or even 60 but I suppose it would be a closer knit community.

 

I just wondered if socially it might be easier within a smaller, mixed age class - than a larger group of peers - or whether it might be easier to make friends within a large class.

 

Thanks for any thoughs

 

 

Unfortunately, I don't have experience of this kind of school. I say 'unfortunately', because if there was one in my area and I could get my AS son in I definitely would. Being at school is the only time when large numbers of people the same age are forced together, this never happens in 'real life' outside of school. It sounds like this school reflects much more the reality of life, getting along with different aged people with different abilities. I would think that in this environment it would be easier to make friends rather than in a large class of children who are all the same age.

 

Good luck! I'm very jealous!

 

~ Mel ~

[Ohforaquietlife]

Hello Star.

 

This kind of set up can be good for the reasons that you mention BUT the one thing that you really need to consider is that they may have had very little experience of working with an ASD child before. Therefore the staff would be on a very steep learning curve and your child could be something of a guinea pig/pioneer and often this leads to the kinds of difficulties that many on this Forum report.

 

Do you want to spend time waiting for them to get up to speed before they can effectively help your child to learn? In the meantime things can go badly wrong. It depends on the complexity of the needs of your child as to whether they will cope whilst the school muddles along waiting for the right training courses. You really need to talk to them in depth about how many ASD children they have worked with. If it's very few or none, then be wary. If they are clueless but keen to learn, then it might be ok but if you don't get the right vibes then look elsewhere. They will also have very few staff and if the one that they've trained up leaves or is ill, they may not have anyone suitable to step into the breach!!!

 

Having said that, that is the case in many mainstream schools but larger ones in general will have had more experience, having had a greater volume of pupils through their doors. There will also be some excellent small schools out there who have met just these kinds of challenges before. You need to investigate any near you thoroughly.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Ohf!

[ullean's mum]

Hi,

my 3 asd kid's have all attended a small rural school,the school has a round 8 kid's all taught in the same classroom with ages ranging from 5 to 11yrs and their teacher and classroom assistant have been more up to speed with autism than any teacher in my sons high school which is still a small school compared to some high schools(108 pupils).

I have arranged various asd talks for teachers and have found that it is only primary school teachers that attend and it is really disheartening,especially when you have all these primary teachers putting in the effort only for it to be lost when kid's reach high school.

[JsMum]

Hi J moved from a school that was large to a smaller school and for him it is better than his prevous one though he still hates school and doesnt really cope he still copes better than when he was in the bigger school the small school seem to be very experienced in all kinds of SEN and they focus very well on Autism and especailly ASD as their seems to be a high number of children with higher functioning autism.

 

The nice thing about the small school is it is a bit more private and personal and a home from home feel and I like the support that J recieves because of the mix ability in his classroom and theirfor he doesnt feel different like before in the big school.

 

There is still some work to be done around playtime and understanding what to say to J and to have clear statements ready so he understands.

 

I think small schools are better for children with ASD but no place can be any good if the staff dont recognise and understand the complexaties of ASD.

 

 

Have a visit and talk to other mums and see if there is any local ASD groups where their children attend this small school and get their feedback.

 

 

Good luck

 

JsMum

[anewor]

Hi

 

My Asperger's son has just started year 7 in a small, Independent church school in September this year. although I can't predict the future, I can say that in the last couple of weeks he has astounded me every day. In his junior school (which was very caring, 350 kids in the school, 30 in a class) after every break (and most Monday mornings) it was a nightmare to get him back into school and his "worry book" was filled to overflowing with daily worries and anxieties. At this school, he has made regular visits - about 10 days in total since January of this year, and these visits have obviously paid off. He went on his first day, albeit crying and frightened to death, but came out smiling. We've had the usual "notes" to the teachers to explain his particular worries that day, but with only 60 teachers from nursery to Year 11, 120 pupils in the whole school, 8 in his year group, and a very quiet, relaxed and extremely friendly and caring environment, he has settled really well in less than a month - far better on a day to day basis than he was in junior school. I am convinced that I made the right decision for him. He did comment yesterday that all the children already know each other and therefore it was hard to make a friend - but this was a passing comment and I'm going to revisit the subject occasionally to see if things change. He only had two close friends at junior school (with whom he still has regular contact evenings and weekends) and I therefore felt the "bigger picture" was more of a consideration for him than making new friends. I stand to be proven wrong however!

 

Hope this helps.

[madme]

Our son went to a large city primary school that had an excellent ofsted for SEN. It was awaful. He hated it and we had to withdraw it. From day one the writing was on the wall but we were naive and didnt want to believe that they didnt understand. He then went to a small sen independent school and flourished. We learnt the hard way. No school is perfect but I knew at the smaller school that they tried hard and cared. To be honest when moving him all we wanted was that they did no more harm. A friend has just removed her child from this supposed excellent large primary for the same reasons. My other child is in KS1 at a small school like you describe. Suspected ASD they have called in their Social Comms expert. The teachers take the time to talk to you. They may not be experts but they try. I believe that asd kids are better off in smaller schools.

[lil_me]

My sons school is a small one, there is 8 in his year, each year it is growing more popular as the nursery now offer full time care (since about 2 years ago) and are a special needs nursery, and parents are choosing to keep the children in the school and travel the extra distance, some have even moved closer, we have had 13 start this year inc 3 with special needs. I find it helpful as everyone knows each other, all the staff know my son well, and so do the children. Last year my son was in a class of 2 years, his being the oldest, and this year he is one of the younger ones. I am not finding it effects his progress so far, in fact the class he is in now seems much better as the older children are extremely supportive. A girl this year offered to dictate for my son with spellings etc, several more offered, most of the children are lovely with him, especially the girls. I would also say abot 30% of the parents are now aware of my sons special needs, which also helps if I have to deal with any issues, and their children look out for him at school.

Edited September 30, 2006 by lil_me