smallworld Report post Posted March 10, 2006 Hi, I wonder if you can help me ? We are now starting to look for a suitable junior school placement for our asd son who will transfer in sept. 2007. We don't feel he will cope with mainstream juniors (and neither do his current infant school ) so we are looking around to see what provision is available. There are no mainstream primary schools within our LEA that have an autistic unit (or secondary for that matter ) I'm trying to find out just how common such units are in the UK. Could you PM me on whether such a facility exists in your LEA ? I'd be really grateful if you could all fill me in on this, cos I really see this as the best possible school situation for our son. We have such a facility in the next closest LEA, why not in ours ?? Another alternative is a NAS school nearby where the fees are sky high Thanks, wac Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zemanski Report post Posted March 10, 2006 we have 1 here at primary level for autistic children not AS. There were 2 but the LEA closed the other last year we have a unit, again for autism, due to open in Com's school at easter, there is nothing else at high school level there are no specifically resourced special schools Zemanski Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jomica Report post Posted March 10, 2006 We have one at primary level, but it is so far away from most of the district that travelling to it is an issue - central it is not!! I'm not sure I'd want to use it anyway, given the level of support we've had from the staff based there who offer support in mainstream primaries across the district. There is also one High School with an ASD resource base which I will look at closely when the time comes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CarerQuie Report post Posted March 10, 2006 None here.I believe that 2 secondary schools in West Hampshire take ASD children but ONLY 6 IN TOTAL across the whole school!!!xx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brook Report post Posted March 10, 2006 There is an autism unit attached to a mainstream primary, but it's twenty five miles away from us Have searched and searched, nothing like this nearer to us, haven't come across anything for secondary level either. Our LEA covers a very large area, I am really disgusted with the lack of provision around here!!!!! Brook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mossgrove Report post Posted March 10, 2006 In our area there his one special school that copes specifically with Autism (48 pupils, there are also 72 places for MLD children at the school , but they are not taught together). There are two units attached to primary schools (I think 12 places each). High school provision is less good, but the LEA does fund a number of places for older children at a charity-run special school in the area and sometimes outside the LEA. One High school has an Aspergers Unit but it doesn't have a very good reputation and many parents are choosing to send their children to another High School in the area that does not have a dedicated unit, but is much more 'Autism-Aware'. Simon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tez Report post Posted March 10, 2006 Nothing in our LEA. They try to send all children with AS who aren't coping in mainstream to PRUs, either one for sick children or one for EBD. Both are supposed to be short term only, neither are suitable for children with AS. The special schools on offer in our LEA only cater for children with MLD or SLD, at Secondary Level none of them offer GCSE tuition to A*-C grade. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UltraMum Report post Posted March 10, 2006 Provision in our LEA is dire (same LEA as Waccoe). I've heard Matthew Hesmondhalgh talk about the 'Resource' in Sheffield - sounds ideal ... At the very same conference I also heard one of our LEA officers talk about the 'Resource' they planned to set up in our LEA - a sop to the parents, IMO, as the only school that is autism specific is being closed in a reorganisation of special schools. They did open one at one of the high schools for 2 pupils per year! - but it closed after 3 months .. I think I'll move to the Wirral .... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zemanski Report post Posted March 10, 2006 Matthew Hesmondhalgh's book about the resource is very good but a bit depressing to think what ought to be on offer for all our kids and just isn't The new unit at Com's school is to be modelled on the resource and will cater for 30 when it's up to it's full capacity in 5 years time. When the school is rebuilt the unit will reopen in a specially built area central to the school as a full ASD unit but that's not expected till 2008 (if it's completed on time!). The whole new build is to be ASD friendly, apparently, with wider corridors, no fluorescent lighting, low impact bells, etc Zemanski Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smallworld Report post Posted March 10, 2006 Wow, thanks for all your replies It's good to know that such provision does exist somewhere ! Just need to find somone with an unfulfilled desire to start a campaign Cheers, wac Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UltraMum Report post Posted March 10, 2006 Waccoe - you may be interested to know that at the training centre/music school today, when I was attending the PCP course I PM'd you about there was also a 'meeting to discuss Asperger Day' in one of the other rooms. I didn't spot the notice until lunchtime and the meeting was over by then ... Being a nosy old cow I rang the ASD team just now when I got home to ask them what it was about ... they have no idea! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UltraMum Report post Posted March 10, 2006 a 'meeting to discuss Asperger Day' in one of the other rooms. I didn't spot the notice until lunchtime and the meeting was over by then ... Being a nosy old cow I rang the ASD team just now when I got home to ask them what it was about ... they have no idea! Big cheese just rang - it's to do with a presentation to CAMHS re ASD and AS ... well really but nothing for parents Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jen Report post Posted March 10, 2006 We have one in our LEA. I was speaking to one of the LSA who work in the unit, I ask what training had been provided for her or the other assistances that work in the unit. The answer was none, you just copy some one who has worked there for a while. My son's old lSA moved to the unit and she is the only one with ASD training that was provided by my sons school. I think this is disgusting. If they work in a special unit then they need to be trained. we are all aware of how little training LSA have. Have other parents ask there school, units or LSA what training they have received and what it included Jen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suze Report post Posted March 10, 2006 There are 3 high schools with an ASD unit attached and 3 more due to open in the next couple of years.There is a primary special autistic school.There are 6 primary units supposed to be opening if funding is granted in the spring.Our LEA are re-vamping the sen in our borough and are going through the consultation process at the moment. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UltraMum Report post Posted March 10, 2006 Slightly off-topic but: Saturday 1 July 2006 The Resource Centre at King Ecgbert School presents: 'Twelve years down the line, the struggle continues' One Day Conference 9.20am - 4.15pm Speakers include: Dr Patricia Howlin Pep Livingstone Genevieve Edmonds This conference gives you the opportunity to: Learn more about our work and approaches Hear some excellent speakers Participate in useful workshops For more information and a booking form please contact: Rachel Leader or Leanne Brown Tel: 0114 236 9931 Fax: 0114 236 2468 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kirstie Report post Posted March 11, 2006 We have 3 units here in Edinburgh. Lewis attends one of them. There's one special school specifically for Autism which has a high school attached to it. And there are various other special schools in the city where kids on the spectrum attend as well as kids with various disabilities. There is one high school with provision for AS kids that i'm aware of which isn't much. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Malika Report post Posted March 12, 2006 Hi <'> As far as I know there are two schools for children with autism one is for severely impaired children from 5 to 18 where they learn sign language and picture to teach some form of communication it is a very specialised school another is more for AS ASD children who cannot cope in main stream there are 60 places for children between 5 and 18. if not there is a language and communication unit attach to one of the primary school, and a high school (church of England) which has a very specialised SEN department catering for AS children from 11 to 18 and there is as well a college for 18 19 years old for young adult with AS or ASD attached to another high school. In the borough next to mine there is a school (primary) with a language unit for all form of language impairment with some children admitted with "pragmatic language disorder" kind of DX there is as well a school for AS children, that one is quite far from my home but would be ideal for H. What I have been told is that special school or unit are sucking all the budget and this is why there is nothing more which can be done in creating unit or giving training and trained TA for AS ASD children in mainstream. Malika. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
helenl53 Report post Posted March 12, 2006 One way around the training issue is to have it written into the statement. One of the professionals wrote in the report that anyone coming into contact with J would need to have good knowledge of ASD. Another report mentioned keeping abreast of latest training etc. LEA said no - this was unreasonable tp expect this to be written in to the statement!!!!! - I fought - it had been written by professionals during statutory assessment. - LEA still said no - said a basic knowledge was good enough!! Perhaps because our LEA hasn't yet rolled out the whole school awareness programme for schools in our area, then it was not possible to put 'good knowledge' on the statement, because it was impossible to fulfill!!! Scandalous HelenL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
something vague Report post Posted March 12, 2006 Hi, In the Lea that I work in there is only one mainstream primary with an autism base and no secondary mainstream with specific autism provision. There are special schools. I work in an MLD school with an autism centre which caters for AS and ASD (including SLD). Our staff are given basic inset training on ASD and are allowed other training opportunities on request. Myself and a collegue have been lucky enough to be sponsered by the school to do an online university course in ASD studies. However, training is only good if you get the day to day experience of working with our pupils. Still, I think that some of our staff could do with more training to raise their awareness as to why our pupils behave the way they do. I honestly dont know what happens to the pupils in mainstream comprehensives. I would hope that they are supported by knowledgable staff but having read all of your experiences and studied inclusion on my course, I doubt it. Lets start the revolution now!!!! SV Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
helenl53 Report post Posted March 12, 2006 Yeah SV - the revolution starts here - can anyone join? I have loads to tell you but ill and busy at the mo! - will catch up with you tho Love Hen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
something vague Report post Posted March 12, 2006 Yeah SV - the revolution starts here - can anyone join? I have loads to tell you but ill and busy at the mo! - will catch up with you tho Love Hen Ill? you and me both. I cant wait to catch up so get well soon. When and where do we meet up for this revolution then? I think I'll nominate you as our leader SV (avoiding her uni work again) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
helenl53 Report post Posted March 12, 2006 Hen - also avoiding her uni work as well!!! May go back to bed this PM with a Beechams and the Module Reader - haven't got past the index yet Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smallworld Report post Posted March 13, 2006 Thanks again for all your replies, It's really useful to know what provision is out there cos if you look in our LEA it's zilch. Our LEA will spend thousands sending kids to another LEA school when a much cheaper alternative is on offer by setting up an autistic resource base in a local primary. I was talking to a HOY at our local comp who told me that staff there thought we had an asd cluster in our area. I think teachers just do not realise how common asd are. We currently have 4 children in our infant school with dsx asd, average over one for each year (3 classes) ta for your help, wac P.S. hope everyone suffering from the latest cold/flu buggy feels better soon <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted March 13, 2006 Hi Waccoe, Sorry I'm late to this! There's nothing in our LEA either which provides specifically for higher functioning children. Apparently there is funding to set up 2 primary and 1 secondary unit in mainstream schools. The money has been around for a while but this has not happened because no school will accommodate them. K Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
