Current school situation

I was asked to look into J moving schools on the Friday before the last week of School. I took the decision to keep him off from School for the majority of the last week as I felt one more fixed term exclusion would signal the end of him being on roll at his current school.

I’m approaching week 12 of the EHCP process and draft *should* be in place by week 16, if they agree to issue one of course. I’m quietly hopeful as we happen to have a very good Educational Psychologist on board and going on her report I’ll be very surprised if they don’t agree to issue. Although in the back of my mind, I know that one mustn’t count their chickens lest they fail to hatch!

I spent the entire of the last week of school ringing round every LA specialist provision in our city. The consensus I got, which was verified by the LA Autism Education Team, is that there is a lack of provision for academically able autistic children. According to figures on the National Autistic Society, ‘63% of children on the autism spectrum are not in the kind of school their parents believe would best support them’. I find this both a travesty and sadly, not a surprise.

I cast the net wider and began to contact Section 41 schools and Non-maintained Special Schools. I found a Section 41 school which I felt would be perfect for our son however I was told their next planned admission for a PDA child is September 2020! Even if they had places, it would then mean a fight to get the LA to agree to fund the place.

J’s Dad and I went to visit a school last week which falls under the NMSS category and we both thought this would also be a good fit so I think that will be the school I name if and when the EHCP lands. I keep trying to put it to the back of my mind but when your child’s future is uncertain, it’s impossible to do so.

I’m hoping and praying he will be offered a place at this school and as they don’t take children under 7, and J isn’t 7 until October, we can do a gentle move from his current school into the new one and he can say his goodbyes to his current staff and classmates. Essentially it’s heartbreaking but I have to remind myself that I’m his advocate for the time being and I have to try and keep my own emotions aside.