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Choosing a school for a child with Autism or ADHD

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There is a huge amount of pressure when it comes down to choosing the right school for your child. This pressure is compounded when you are choosing a school for a child with Autism or ADHD.

The priority of course is understanding the child’s individual needs and choosing the right learning environment where they can learn and thrive. The challenge is finding the school that will meet your child’s needs and help them to flourish.

 

Choosing the right school for your child

 

ASD & ADHD

Here are three areas that may help act as a starting point in your journey.
  1. Listening to personal experiences and accounts from friend and other parents
    1. 1st hand experiences and recommendations are important
    2. remember your child’s needs and expectations may differ
  2. Research
    1. Look up the school’s individual policies around SEND
    2. Their approach to pastoral support
    3. Focus of the school on academic and personal successes
    4. Visit schools’ and council’s websites
  3. Visiting the school itself with your child
    1. Use the open days to look around the school with your child and get a feel for the school spirit
    2. Review the facilities and layout of the school
    3. Look at the size of cohort
    4. Indoor and outdoor space
    5. Proximity to the transport
    6. Ask to speak separately with relevant, knowledgeable people i.e. the class teachers, Heads of years and SENCo

Areas to consider when choosing a school for a child with Autism or ADHD

  • Consider what support your child needs and will their specific learning needs be met in the right way?
    • Pastoral support
    • SEN approach and integration in the classroom
    • Day in the life of a student?
    • OFSTEAD report results
    • Academic success has the school had
    • Resources and facilities are available in school
  • What will the transition look?
    • Familiarity of other students from their current school be going
    • Do they know anyone already there?
    • Can you organise a school visit – with peers and parents?
  • What are the practical logistics of the school?
    • Working independently
    • Class and school size
    • Logistics of getting to and from school?

Considerations for choosing the right school for your child

If you’re children are a little way off ‘big school’ and you are wondering where to start, then below are a few considerations
  • Talk to your child – what do they think, what have they heard, where are their friends going, what concerns do they have?
  • Research local schools via their website and local social media forums on Facebook
  • Visit schools / virtual open days
  • See what your existing SENCo or Head thinks
  • Meet with new staff who would be working with your child to understand their approach
  • Talk to other primary and secondary school parents
  • Read OFSTED reports
  • Speak to the SEN team
  • Visit resources such as SENDIAS http://sendiassnorthyorkshire.co.uk/
  • Choosing a school England (autism.org.uk)

Neurodevelopmental assessment and emotional wellbeing therapy support

We understand that the school transition can not only be exciting but is often unsettling and challenging.
If you need to talk to us then please get in touch.