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SEN EDUCATION OR MAIN STREAM
Hi lm looking for abit of advice so if anyone out there can give me some ld be greatful. My youngest son goes into reception next week. He has alot of problems hearing walking speach n using the bathroom. (hes still in nappies. Now he come on atreat in nursery but we have been asked to think about letting him go to a special. The teachers say they could cope with his problems in the small class, yet think they wouldnt be able to do the same in this class? Now hes settled well last term n is looking forward to going back, so we are unsure of what to do next. Should we be leaving him here or thinking about a special school? They havent given us much time to think about this since we only recieved the letter today!!!!. Any advice would be more than welcome please. Thanks looking forward to hearing from u all. X
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Replies
If he is happy where he is and doing well I would keep him at the main stream school if possible.
Both my older boys have ASD and we sent them to a mainstream school because we felt they'd be better there.In a special school there are children with varying special needs.Don't know how bad your son's needs are but with ours being more behaviour they might be "forgotten".Also sounds a terrible thing to say but I wanted mine to mix with "normal" children.My son's specialist thought it would be lonely,and he'd benefit socially from a normal school.At nursery he played with no one,there was little interaction with other children and staff.He couldn't sit on the carpet for quiet times,he couldn't work in a group,and being autistic,he was "a flapper" too.He's starting his final year at primary school now,has loads of friends,knows how to behave around others and mostly fits in.There's very little difference between him and any other child his age.He's doing really well,he's even taking the 11+ this year.I don't think he'd have reached his potential in a special school.
It's not always easy having a child with SEN in mainstream school,sometimes the support isn't all it should be.The biggest problems we've had are with other members of staff,unfamiliar teachers,teaching assistants,and particularly lunchtime staff at playtimes,which is common with other people I know with similar situations.It's taken a long while for the school to get it together and we had lots of problems for a long while but at the moment Harry's doing fine.
My 4 year old ,also with ASD starts reception next week,at the same school.This time the school know what they're getting to a certain extent.
I know every child's needs are different.With hearing difficulties,walking difficulties,you may find the special school will provide better one to one care.Does he get that in mainstream school,and if the teachers are saying they can't cope,then maybe that's not going to do your son any favours.While mainstream school was the right decision in our case,with both our boys,your son's needs sound more severe than either of mine.It's possible a mainstream school can't give him all he needs.