Can't find a school

[BusyLizzie100]

Feeling really demoralised at the moment cos I just can't find an appropriate school for my boy.

 

We're appealing to SENDIST and the tribunal will take place in March. We want him out of mainstream, but the only alternative in Herts LEA is Moderate Learning Difficulty school. Apparently he hasn't got learning difficulties, so he isn't a candidate.

 

We went out of county and found an independent autism-specific school, which is what we want named at tribunal. This school says it can meet his needs and it has a place for him from January - but won't hold the place until the result of the tribunal is known. We can ring up a week before the tribunal to find out if there is a place. Without that, I've been told we haven't got an appeal.

 

What now? I've trawled through the NAS website, through Gabbitas, have read about so many other schools until it feels like my head's going to burst.

 

How can I find another suitable school? I just don't know what to do. On top of all this I've got a filthy cold and feel awful, so apologies if my message is garbled.

 

Can anyone help?

 

Lizzie x

[pumpkinpie]

Sounds obvious( sorry) but will the tribunal bring it forward if you explin your dilema?

[BusyLizzie100]

Sounds obvious( sorry) but will the tribunal bring it forward if you explin your dilema?

 

I think that just wouldn't leave enough time - the case statements have until the end of December to be prepared and there's no way I'm going to convince LEA to agree to hold it early cos they're fighting this all the way.

 

Lizzie x

[madme]

Have you called Ipsea for advice? Good luck

[Flora]

Lizzie <'> <'> <'>

 

I'm sure that someone recently (it may have been jenrose) got SENDIST to agree to them asking for a type of school to be described rather than a specific school named, in the event that they didn't have a firm offer on the day of tribunal.

 

I'm hopeless at finding threads otherwise I'd look for it, but I'm certain that they can do that.

 

flora xxxxxxx

 

ps... I'm having hassles with our case at the moment too.... we've had to change the date and now the LEA are dragging their feet over agreeing to the date change.

[witsend]

Hi sorry don't have much advice, we have been through similar situation and I thought it would never be resolved and know exactly what you mean about feeling like your head will burst.

What are SENDIST advising you to do? Would it be of any help to get a solicitor and or MP involved? Could you ring the people sorting out the tribunal explain the situation to them and see if they will agree to an earlier date? I know the LA are being difficult but you are involved in this not just them and the tribunal is supposed to be fair - that's the point of it.

Do you get the feeling that the independant school may have a place after March anyway or are they not commenting about that? If you got the school you want named at tribunal would they not have to make a place for your son anyway?

Sorry am prob confusing you even more these are just all questions that come to mind when I read your post.

Do your LA want your son to remain in mainstream or are they wanting him to go to the moderate learning dis one? I know you said that's not suitable but if they're saying it is then they are acknowledging mainstream isn't IYSWIM? Which helps your case.

When I thought I had considered every school poss for my son it was actually LA who suggested the (independant) school he's now at otherwise I'd never of thought of it as possible or suitable so there may yet be some options you haven't come across yet - keep looking. I think the most kids are allowed to travel (in terms of time) is an hour and a quarter to school does that make your search field any wider?

Take care of yourself it's hard fighting these battles when your rundown <'> .

Luv Witsend.

[pim]

Hi,

 

I know exactly how you feel, as with DS I don't think mainstream or the MLD school is appropriate. There's no other choice in this LEA. My Ds is different from yours in that we feel he has a learning difficulty. He can't do the work at school, but the Ed psych says his IQ is not low enough to qualify for MLD. Sooner or later we will have to fight to move him out of Mainstream, but where to.....

 

I have researched and also come up with zilch in this area, even out of county.

 

SO good luck with the tribunal and sorry I don't have any advice.

 

pim

[Kathryn]

Lizzie

 

<'> <'>

 

So sorry and wish I had the answers. I know this county as well as you do, and can't think of anything right now which you haven't already thought of yourself.

 

Don't give up hope on your preferred school. Asking for the tribunal to be brought forward may be worth at least a try - you never know.

 

Please try and look after yourself too - hope you feel a bit better soon.

 

K x

[bid]

OK, I don't know whether this will help, but my DH teaches in a special school in Herts.

 

It was MLD, but has had it's designation changed to Complex Learning Difficulties. It's a fabby school.

 

Could this designation fit your DS better than MLD?

 

I'm not sure if all the MLD schools in Herts have changed to this designation.

 

Plus, and sorry if your DS is primary, but Kellyanne mentioned she thought there is a secondary school in Baldock with an ASD unit??

 

We are in East Herts, quite near Kathryn...PM me if you need any more info.

 

Good luck.

 

Bid

[stressedmumto2]

I know when I was at SENDIST we asked them if they felt the school I found wasn't suitable then to name the type of school provison we should be looking for, ASD, MLD etc.

 

I really hope you find something and I know how stressful this dilema is, good luck and let us know what happens, Take care <'>

[andreasea]

hi there

isn't there a nas school in radlett??-i think that herts??

just a thought.

[Kazzen161]

Have you asked the independent school if there are any other cases going to Tribunal before March asking for their school to be named? (gives you some idea of the liklihood that the place will go before March).

 

I went through a similar situation, and it is not pleasant.

[kellyanne]

Plus, and sorry if your DS is primary, but Kellyanne mentioned she thought there is a secondary school in Baldock with an ASD unit??

 

 

hi all,

 

I have just spoken to the school in question and asked them if they had an ASD unit and they don't.. they have a class the kids (there are 12 ASD kids at the school) can be reffered to if it is proven to distressing to be in their main class.

[BusyLizzie100]

Thanks Kellyanne for inquiring - and to the rest of you for your replies.

 

I'm not sure where to go from here, but I won't give up hope!

 

Lizzie xxx

[scrappybunny]

I can definitely understand you feeling hopeless.

We've not been through tribunal, but ds was excluded from school in Y7, he's now in year 10, and had spent that time at home, with a few hours a week one-to-one link education, whilst we tried to find a school.

 

The LEA were dead set on looking at one school at a time, and you all know how long the red tape takes, going to panel, letters, visits, etc etc *sigh*

and they also were insisting on an EBD school - when ds is diagnosed with Aspergers!

 

At our last annual review, we got our psychologist and paediatrician to write to the LEA supporting our claim for the TYPE of school to be named as an ASD school, not an EBD.

 

I'd been searching for schools myself, and sending off paperwork, arranging visits (for me, not dragging ds round the country at that stage) etc . My ds is a bright boy, and very lively at times, with zero social skills, and it seemed everytime we found a school it was either full, or couldnt take him, or felt he was too deschooled to even try quite heartbreaking at times.

 

Eventually, we began to look at different options. Link Ed isnt available here for Year 10 and 11 students, so we looked at local colleges to see if he could start a college early, with support, or some kind of mix between college with some SALT, OT, etc.

 

We were lucky though, and did eventually find a ASD school that is great.

 

dont give up hope

[BusyLizzie100]

We were lucky though, and did eventually find a ASD school that is great.

 

dont give up hope

 

Thanks, Scrappybunny.

 

The whole process is fraught with difficulties, isn't it. We may have found an alternative school that's appropriate and may have a space ( but now we have to get the funding, which will only happen at tribunal.

 

I get so fed up with fighting every little inch of the way.

 

Lizzie

[scrappybunny]

yes, I know what you mean. Its beyond belief really. I sit back now and can hardly believe that my son was out of school for 4 years, and was only part time here and there before that. I feel like I've been battling for years! and it feel so hopeless but you just keep going dont you.

 

As I said, we've no experience of tribunal, but I'll be keeping everything crossed for you that it works out