special unit or special school ????????

[andreasea]

HELLO EVERYONE

 

I HAVE JUST VISITED 2 SCHOOLS RECENTLY A SPECIAL AUTISM UNIT WITHIN A MAINSTREAM SCHOOL-8 KIDS 3 TEACHERS AND A SPECIAL SCHOOL 30% AUTISTIC 30% MILD LEARNING DIFFICULTIES 30%SEVERE LEARNING DIFFICULTIES.

I AM VERY CONFUSED,BASICALLY AFTER I HAD VISITED THE SPECIAL UNIT I WAS CONVINCED IT WAS THE RIGHT PLACE FOR DS BUT TODAY AFTER VISITING THE SPECIAL SCHOOL I AM NOT SO SURE.

THE SPECIAL SCHOOL DOES HAVE A LOT MORE FACILITIES THAN THE MAINSTREAM(SWIMMING POOL,MORE GROUNDS ETC)

BUT THE MAINSTREAM GIVES HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTIGRATE SOMETIMES??

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE IN HOW TO MAKE UP YOUR MIND.MY DS IS NOR AT THE SEVERE END OF THE SPECTRUM BUT NOT MILD EITHER,HIS NURSEY TEACHER KEEPS SAYING HOW CLEVER HE IS???

ANY COMMENTS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED

BY THE WAY MAINSTREAM IS NOT AN OPTION-NOT SAFE ENOUGH.

THANKS

[Kathrynh]

My son is at a unit attached to a mainstram primary school. He is at the severe end of the spectrum. Virtually no speech and severe learning difficulties. I believe he does benefit from being around mainstream children. He joins in lessons like PE and spends playtimes and lunchtimes etc with mainstream but supported by an adult. I think he may be missing out on some of the facilities he might have in special school. he does get regular swimming sessions and trips out though. I am sure that when he reaches secondary age he will end up in a special school so he will get the benefits of their facilities then. In the meantime I am confident that the unit is the best places for him at the moment. obviously all kids are different though.

[Sallya]

Andrea... I'm from around your way...know the special school that you are talking about....will pm you tomorrow if that's ok

s

xxx

[baddad]

Hi Andrea -

I think it's a very complex problem, and really depends on the individual school(s) and the abilities of the child. Not very helpfiul, I know, so I'll try to offer some 'general' observations.

Special units attached to mainstrams can be brilliant - my own son has attended mainstream primary via a language unit - but some I've seen (more specifically at secondary I should add) appear to be little more than "isolation units", where the implied benefits of social integration and inclusion are actually not delivered upon at all.

On the other hand, 'special' schools may have such a wide range of needs to cater for that they fail to deliver for children who are more academically able, or to provide peer based learning opportunities for those who are more socially aware/advanced.

No doubt about it, in terms of role modelling, core skills and academic achievement, my son's primary placement has achieved stuff that many special needs placements would have struggled to deliver, but that has not been without 'costs' in other areas.

 

 

Hope that's helpful

 

 

L&P

 

BD

[Bagpuss]

You are in the exact same position as us. We've looked at a support base within a mainstream primary and special school for our dd next Sept. It's so complicated, but we went with our gut instinct after visiting both. We felt the special school could offer our dd (ASD) so much more. She is bright too, and this is the dilemma we've faced. I believe, that come the annual review next month, the SENCO, teacher and EP will all be of the opinion that dd is too able to attend the special school, and will recommend the support base within the primary she is currently attending. However, the support base did not inspire us when we viewed it. You will never find perfection, and weighing up the pros and cons is so difficult......but DH and I feel that is it so important that she is taught life skills, to be independant, is offered hydro, sees other children using wheelchairs (she uses one for long distances and will deteriorate as she becomes older)......when we looked round the special school, we felt this is where we wanted our dd to be and where she would be happiest. Our eldest dd is AS and is in mainstream, doing wonderfully, without support. Unsure that will be the case come secondary school tho Good luck with your decision.

[Suze]

How did you feel about the staff at each placement?...........how were the kids behaving , and how were they treated??.........it was my sons team leader at tfhe unit he attends that made my mind up.She had a wealth of knowledge , had worked with autistic children for over 15yrs and my son instantly like her and the environment.You could try letting your son visit both placements and see how feels about each.My son attends a unit and there are 15 children in it, he has 80% of his lessons in mainstream with support.He uses the unit at breaks and dinner as he does,nt like mixing with the other kids as they are too noisy and it is quieter there.The one thing to think about aswell is how your son will feel around the other special needs kids, my son gets on well with all the kids in the unit , but 2 are very noisy(which he hates) and shout and bang about alot , they are also very physical too.This has caused him alot of problems aswell.Good luck and go with your gut instinct , hugs suzex