mainstream or special school

[lap 68]

My son has gone to mainstream primary with limited success, he is now in year 6 and due to go to secondary school in September. I have had to fight every step of the way to get anywhere with the school. He was statemented by the November of his reception year with 15 hours. But the school would only let him do mornings despite their policy being that the older children would go full days after the first two weeks ( his birthday is 6th Oct and he is second eldest in year group). By end of year 1 I said he needed more hours and school didn't agree. By end of year 2 I asked for him to be held back a year they said no because his younger brother was in the year below him etc, etc, etc. Finally a new SENCo in year 5 who applied for 10 more hours as by now he was only a level 2 in core subjects ( this is the level expected by end of year 2) and the county panel turned them down. Finally we get to the review for transfer to secondary school and the 10 hours are re-requested. The panel agreed to 5 more but they are to start on 1st Feb.... a bit too little too late!!! My advice would be to look carefully at what your options are, how experienced is the mainstream primary? what does the special school have to offer and how much expeience do they have with autistic children? How hard are you prepared to fight? Trust me this is no easy choice and you need to look at more than just the education from an academic point of view. By the way I am a Teaching Assistant in a mainstream primary school so see it from both sides. I am now in the horrible position of being where you are only 7 years down the line. I have just asked panel to consider a place at special school as I cannot see mainstream secondary working and guess what.... they have said NO! Unbelievably the reasons given he is too able and would have no peers! So its fine to be 3 years behind your classmates and to go to secondary school with no one you know as a peer group but not to go to a school that could meet your needs and allow you to achieve something... BONKERS. I am going to appeal! I hope this helps and doesn't put you off... mainstream primary has given my son a normal start in life socially but has failed to give him a good start educationally.