MumTee Report post Posted February 8, 2006 I know I've seen some good resources but now I'm looking I cant find them. What I was hoping for was an idiots guide to choosing the right school and maybe some help with the kind of questions I should be asking? We are just entering into the statementing procedure as it is likely he will start school at 3 in September and I already know he will not be referred to the specialist autism school right near me but an LEA one further away. So, I guess what I'm asking is - with your experience guys, where should I start? Who are people I can talk to who will have the best interests of my boy in mind instead of budgets or is that just going to be me?! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phasmid Report post Posted February 8, 2006 Have a look at this thread and my post on it. Although I aimed it at secondary schools you can adapt it for primaries. It might give you a few ideas. HTH Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phasmid Report post Posted February 9, 2006 Don't know why that link won't work so here is the post I was talking about in full: Transition Advice. For Parents: The following is based on our experiences as parents and Mrs Phasmid?s role as a governor, my experience?s as a SEN TA and our joint knowledge generally of SEN issues. All we can say is it worked for us. Even before admission papers have been issued asking you to choose schools start doing your groundwork. Visit all the schools you are considering. Arrange to go round them on a normal day and see the school at work. Do this without your child. Ask to speak to the Senco, get copies of the SEN and any other policies you want as well as a school prospectus. Most schools will be happy to do this. I'd be very wary of any that won't! Once you have done that, compare your thoughts on them. Then arrange for you AND your child to visit on a normal day. See how the staff re-acts to them and your child to the staff - likewise the pupils. Then, yet again, sit down and compare notes. If, when the forms come out, the schools have open evenings go along. Take a list of any questions you have and take the time to speak to the staff. Then sit and talk it all through (AGAIN). After all that, fill in your form and wait for March (normal time for being told whether you have got the place in the school of preference). Once you know the school, get talking to them. Identify asap the names of important staff if you don't know them already. At this point we took Phas Jr's new school a letter describing him. His likes, dislikes. The sort of things that would upset him and how he would react - how they should react to him. We also arranged for him to have visits to the school in the summer term so he could get to know the staff, layout of the building, noise levels between lessons and so on. This was in addition to the between schools 'Transfer Day?. Through all of that, and the normal academic exchange of information between the schools they had a very good idea of what Phas Jr was going to be like. They told us the 'this is Phas jr' letter was brilliant, what?s more, they circulated it around all staff who he would be taught by - we know this as we saw the copies! We also made it clear we wanted to work with them. If anything happened at home that might affect his mood at school we phoned them. Likewise if anything happened there that we should know about. We got talking. We all knew each other well long before he set foot in the school as a pupil. It was really worth the time and effort. We knew exactly who to contact when there was (is) a problem and they knew we were there to back them up. Basically be careful when choosing a school - don't go on other people?s opinions, what?s right/wrong for their child may not be the case for yours! Once you know the school it's COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION!!!! For teachers: Try and prepare the child in advance as much as possible of what to expect in your class by providing a booklet detailing the following: Pictures of: You. TA (and any1-1new to the child) The classroom layout. Doors. Toilets. All other ?significant adults? likely to be a part of their day-to-day school life. Give details of normal day-to-day routine in a clear timetable provided in a way accessible to the child. Invite them in when school is finished one day. Introduce yourself to them. Get talking to the parents and ask them what you can do to help - show willing. Useful websites: www.nas.org.uk http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/s...istant/ASDKS34/ http://www.aspergertips.com/ http://www.simonmidgley.co.uk/support/asd.htm http://www.tonyattwood.com.au/ http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/s...istant/ASDKS34/ http://www.thecbf.org.uk Hope that helps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canopus Report post Posted February 9, 2006 1. If it's a secondary school then find out what GCSEs they offer and any potential clashes. Not all schools offer all subjects and sometimes a school won't allow kids to take certain subject combinations for GCSE. 2. Examine the facilities for different lessons. Schools have to teach in line with the National Curriculum, but in reality, facilities for different subjects vary from school to school. Some are better than others for a particular subject. 3. Find out about clubs and extra curricular activities. 4. Investigate the food if your kid is likely to be eating it. The quality of food varies from school to school even in the same LEA. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
