Choosing a school

Choosing a school for a child with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)

One of the questions we are most frequently asked is "how do I know that I'm choosing the right school for my child?" The answer is that you probably won't know until you have tried it. This question is usually closely followed by "can you recommend a school?"

As an impartial service, we are not in a position to recommend specific schools; we don't know your child or have intimate knowledge of the schools in your area. However, we can suggest a number of issues you might want to think about and questions you could ask when you are looking at schools, to help you make your decision.

The LA must take account of your preference as a parent. The Education Act 1996, states:

9 Pupils to be educated in accordance with parents' wishes.

In exercising or performing all their respective powers and duties under the Education Acts, the Secretary of shall have regard to the general principle that pupils are to be educated in accordance with the wishes of their parents, so far as that is compatible with the provision of efficient instruction and training and the avoidance of unreasonable public expenditure.

Education Act 1996

Types of school

• Mainstream schools are local, maintained primary and secondary schools or church-aided schools and include academies and free schools. All children have a right to be educated in mainstream school.
• Special units and facilities: some mainstream schools have special units attached to cater for children with particular types of need, such as autism or visual impairments. Such units offer children the opportunity to spend some time in a mainstream setting, but also to receive specialist teaching. Your child will need an EHCP to be considered for a place in one of these units.
• Maintained special schools are state-funded schools for children with more complex needs that cannot be met in mainstream. Your child will need an EHCP to be considered for a place.
• Non-maintained special schools are special schools (local or further afield), run privately or by charities, some of which are residential. A small number of children with an EHCP may go to one of these schools, where it has been established that no local school can meet their needs. In the case of this type of school, the onus is on the parents to prove that no other school can meet their child's needs.
• Section 41 schools are non-maintained, special schools that have opted to be bound by the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice 2015. If your child has an EHCP, you can express a preference for him/her to attend a Section 41 school.
• Non-maintained or Independent School (NMI's) is an independent school that is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operation and is instead operated by tuition charges, gifts, and perhaps the investment yield of an endowment.

Types of specialist centres

Our specialist centres cater for the following categories of need:

• Specialist centres for Learning and Additional Needs (LAN)
• Specialist centres for Communication and Interaction Needs (COIN)
• Specialist centres for Sensory Impairment (SI)

Specialist centres for Learning and Additional Needs (LAN)

These specialist centres are designed to meet the needs of children with general moderate learning difficulties who will benefit from attending mainstream classes and social contact with their peers in mainstream schools.

To achieve their educational outcomes, they also require regular additional specialist support in small groups in a quiet setting away from mainstream school. They may also have autism, speech and language needs, medical or physical needs.

Specialist centres for Communication and Interaction Needs (COIN)

Specialist COIN centres are based in mainstream schools to meet the needs of children with identified communication and interaction difficulties.

This category includes speech, language and communication needs and autism. COIN specialist centres are best suited for children who will benefit from attending mainstream classes and regular interaction with other pupils there but require additional specialist support at times in a different classroom setting to achieve their educational goals.

Some of the specialist centres are equipped with special soft play and sensory rooms for children with highly complex needs. These provide a separate environment to help children develop their sensory awareness or regulate their emotions so that they are in the right frame of mind for learning activities.

In Surrey they use the terminology of low and high COIN.

Low COIN, speech and language needs. This normally means mainstream appropriate with speech and language needs. Students spend approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours per week in a unit for speech and language therapy and potentially small group teaching, plus support from specialist TA's but not 1 to 1 full time. Some of these pupils may have autism as well as developmental language disorders.

High COIN, higher functioning autism and communication and Interaction needs. Pupils will usually have ASD diagnosis and associated difficulties, for example sensory/anxiety issues, social and/or communication difficulties.

They would have a differentiated school curriculum and be in the centre/unit more than 50% of the time in small groups. Average to high academic ability.

Specialist centres for Sensory Impairment (SI)

Specialist centres for Sensory Impairment (SI) are located within mainstream schools. They operate as distinct units but also participate in key areas of the life and organisation of the mainstream school.

Specialist centres are designed to meet the needs of children and young people who benefit from the breadth of the mainstream curriculum, but because of their sensory impairment would not achieve adequate progress without additional support in a mainstream school.

By attending a specialist centre they can get that enhanced support to enable them to make the same progress as their peers.

Types of special schools

Our special schools cater for the following categories of need:

• Schools for Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs (SEMH)
• Schools for Severe Learning and Development Difficulties (SLDD)
• Schools for Learning and Additional Needs (LAN)
• Schools for Complex Social Communication Needs (CSCN)

Schools for SEMH

Pupils with SEMH needs vary greatly in how their needs present themselves. Our current SEMH special school offer is designed for those pupils with SEMH whose emotional vulnerability and challenging behaviour mean that only a special school can provide a secure enough environment to support them.

At present these are for boys only. Children with SEMH also have their needs met at a range of other special schools across Surrey.
These include mainstream schools, specialist centres, and special schools with complementary specialisms, such as Communication and Interaction Needs (COIN) or Learning and Additional Needs (LAN), plus a small number of Non-Maintained schools (NMIs). Your case worker will be able to discuss the range of possibilities with you.

Schools for SLDD

These schools support children with severe needs, both physical and cognitive. Although all will have severe learning difficulties, they may vary from those who cannot speak (non-verbal) to those with good communication skills; some will need constant support for their physical needs while others are physically independent. Their overall combination of needs means that they require more specialist support than that which can ordinarily be met in a mainstream school or specialist centre.

In addition, the children may have:

• medical issues
• autism
• speech, language and communication needs
• Schools for learning and additional needs (LAN)

These schools are designed to meet the needs of pupils working significantly below peers of a similar age. In addition to learning difficulties, they will have additional barriers to learning, such as autism, medical issues or speech, language and communication needs.

Schools for CSCN

These schools are designed to meet the needs of students with autism and related conditions who typically also have general learning difficulties. They are likely to have a wide range of challenging behaviours associated with their condition. The complexity of their needs cannot be fully met in a mainstream school or specialist centre.

How do I find a school that will suit my child?

• Visit at least two schools so that you have something to compare.
• Think about your child's needs and what matters to you most about a school.
• Try to keep an open mind until you have looked at all the possibilities and spoken to the professionals involved with your child.

Before visiting the school

• Make a checklist of all the things that are important to you and your child. This will help you to ask the right questions. (See the checklist below as an example).
• Collect information: ask for the school prospectus or visit the school website.
• Arrange to meet with the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCo). If your child is transferring to secondary school, you may like to meet the head of year or head of Key Stage 3.
• Ask them to bring to the meeting the school SEN information report, SEN policy, governors' annual report on SEN, school prospectus, anti-bullying policy and behaviour policy – or download documents from the school website.
• Look up the school's most recent OFSTED report (GOV.UK).
• Decide if you want to take someone with you – perhaps a family member or friend.
• Take any relevant information about your child, such as their EHC plan, any educational psychology advice and copies of Individual Education Plans (IEP).

Sample checklist

• Does the school have experience of children with the same/similar needs as your child and, if so, how do they work with them?
• What kind of help would your child receive?
• What is the school's behaviour policy and how is it applied to children with SEND?
• If your child has behavioural difficulties, how would the school respond to them?
• How does the school deal with bullying?
• How does the school involve parents in school life?
• How will the school communicate with you about your child and his/her progress?
• How does the SENCo communicate information about individual pupils to teachers? This is especially important at secondary school where a pupil might be taught by 13 to 14 different teachers in a week.
• Are there any after school activities/trips/holidays and, if so, how would your child with SEND access these?
• If your child will need transport to and from school, ask for further information about this from your local SEN team.

Depending on your child's needs, ask about:

1. additional adult support (for example, learning support assistant)
2. equipment, adaptations, materials required
3. the way teaching would be organised, for example, whole class, small groups, 1 to 1
4. SEN support services available to the school, for example, therapists, educational psychologist, literacy support, support from other schools
5. medical/personal hygiene support.

Other issues to consider

• Do you feel welcome?
• Do the children seem cheerful and engaged?
• If your child has any particular religious needs, would they be met?
• Do the classrooms look like places where children can learn?
• Does the school look under control?
• Does the school celebrate different cultures/religions?
• Are the displays current and interesting and do they seem to include pupils of all abilities?
• Do the members of staff seem interested in you and your child?

Remember, your own experiences of school may affect the way you see the school. Try to put these feelings aside and look at the school from your child's perspective.

After visiting the school

• Take time to reflect
• Discuss your thoughts and feelings with someone you trust
• Think about your ideal choice and have a "fall back" position that you are still happy to accept.

If your child has an EHC plan and you are considering mainstream primary or secondary schools, you should be aware that you will be asked to express a preference for a school in the September of the year before your child is due to move. You might therefore want to attend secondary open evenings in the autumn term of Year 5.

Why is it important to express a preference for a school for a child an EHCP?

You have the right to express a preference for the school you wish your child to attend. This means that you can tell the Local Authority (LA) which of the maintained mainstream, maintained special and Section 41 schools in your area you would like your child to attend. The LA will then take your views into account when decisions are being made about which school can best meet your child's needs.

If you are asked by the LA to express a preference for a school, it is important that you do so either in a letter, or an email to your child's case worker so that the details of your preferred school can be recorded in the relevant paperwork. That paperwork may be considered by special admissions forums that meet in the autumn term (junior and secondary transfer) and spring term (infants) to look at placing pupils in Surrey special schools and units. If this is the case for your child, the Year 1 or Year 5 annual review is the critical one.

If your child is educated out of their chronological year group (for example in Year 4 when they should really be in Year 5 because of their date of birth), it is important to talk to your child's current school and/or your case worker as early as possible.

At your child's last annual review, there will have been a discussion about which school they should go to next. However, unless you had put the name of your preferred school in writing when you completed the parental report for the annual review, there may be no written record of the school for the LA to refer to.

The law relating to children with an EHCP

If your preference is for a mainstream school (not a special school) for your child, the LA has to agree unless the school is: 'unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or special educational needs of the child', or your child's attendance at the school 'would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for others, or the efficient use of resources'.

If you do not know which school you prefer and are happy to await the outcome of the process, you should let the LA know that too, again by contacting your child's case worker at your local area Special Educational Needs (SEN) team.

Where to start when looking for schools

You can visit the get information about schools (GOV.UK) webpage or visit isbi.com to help you find the best independent, international or special school for your child

For Surrey schools you can visit Surrey County Councils directory of Surrey schools webpage.

For help finding the right primary school in Surrey visit Surrey County Councils website.

For help finding the right secondary school in Surrey visit Surrey County Council website.

GOV.UK Can provide you with information on Independent special schools and colleges. Here you can also compare all schools and colleges in Surrey.

Asking for an independent school or college

As parents you have a right to request the Local Authority (LA) name a provision that is listed in the Children and Families Act 2014 (CAFA), Section 38(3), however, this does not mean that you cannot ask for or argue for a place at an independent setting which is not on this list:

(a) a maintained school;

(b) a maintained nursery school;

(c) an Academy;

(d) an institution within the further education sector in England;

(e) a non-maintained special school;

(f) an institution approved by the Secretary of State under section 41 (independent special schools and special post 16 institutions: approval).

Where the LA have named an Independent School in Section I, do they have a duty to pay for provision in Section F and the school fees?

When an EHC plan is maintained for a child the LA must secure the Special Educational Provision (SEP) specified in the plan.

If a LA names an independent school or independent college in the Plan it must also meet the costs of the fees, including the costs of support, any boarding and lodging where relevant.

Does the LA have a duty to pay for provision in Section F and the school fees, if we have made our own educational arrangements?

No. The LA is relieved of its duty to secure the special educational provision (SEP) in the EHCP, including securing a place in a school or college named in the Plan, if you have made suitable alternative arrangements for SEP to be made, in an independent school or college or at home.

If you make alternative arrangements, the LA must satisfy itself that those arrangements are suitable before it is relieved of its duty to secure the provision.

If it is satisfied, the LA does not need to name the school that they felt could meet needs and had a space in the EHC plan, it may specify only the type of provision. This is to avoid the school having to keep a place free for your child.

Appealing for Independent

If you want to make representations for an independent setting at an appeal, the LA must have regard to the general principle that pupils are to be educated in accordance with the wishes of their parents, so far as that is compatible with the provision of efficient instruction and training and the avoidance of unreasonable public expenditure (section 9 of the Education Act 1996). If a young person is requesting an independent school or college, the LA should also consider this as part of their duty to consider the young person's views, wishes and feelings (section 19, CAFA 2014).

Summary

When a parent or young person requests a section 38(3) school or college, the LA must comply with the request unless the limited exceptions outlined in CAFA 39(4) apply. If the LA refuses to name the parent or young person's choice, the onus is on the LA to prove why it is not possible.

However, when a parent or young person asks for an independent setting as part of their 'representations' on the draft EHC plan, the onus is on you to prove that none of the schools that the LA are offering can meet the child or young person's needs, or that the cost of the placement will not constitute unreasonable public expenditure.

Public expenditure includes all the costs to the 'public purse' of the placement not just those incurred by the LA education budget, for example social care costs, health costs and any other costs incurred by any public body.

If you cannot show this, the LA is under no obligation to look at independent provision. It does not matter that the independent provision proposed is an excellent school and/or is better suited to your child's needs than the school the LA wants to name in Section I of the EHCP. The LA are not bound to offer a child with SEND the best provision to meet their needs, only what is necessary to meet their needs.

In practice, the most important point to prove is not that the independent setting is better than the LA's proposed school or college, but that the school or college offered by the LA cannot meet your child's needs.

When requesting an independent setting, you will generally need evidence from a professional as to why the independent setting is the only school or college which can meet your child's needs. There must also be an offer of a place from the independent setting. Unlike the section 38(3) schools listed above, an LA cannot order an independent school to accept a child or young person.

The courts have considered situations in which an independent setting should be named in an EHC plan and given examples of when a setting would be considered an unreasonable public expenditure.

It is always worth checking whether the independent setting is in fact a section 41 school or a Non-Maintained Special School (NMSS), if it is, it comes within the list in section 38(3), and so then the burden shifts to the LA to show that it is not the appropriate school to name in the EHCP.

Preparing for the move to secondary school

The move to secondary school is one of the biggest changes in a child's life. Below are practical tips aimed at smoothing the transition and making the experience a more positive one.

Preparation

• Visit the school beforehand, more than once if possible, to familiarise your child with the layout and the routes between various buildings.
• To help children who may have difficulty settling into a new environment, some schools have special familiarisation days before the start of term. Ask your chosen secondary school whether they offer such additional help.
• Liaise with the Special Educational Needs co-ordinator (SENCo) to establish strategies that may be available. There may be an established "buddy" system and more IT support.
• Familiarise your child with the route to school. For many it is their first experience of travelling independently. Your local bus service should be able to offer advice and a travel pack.
• Practice money handling. The dinner routine is likely to be a cafeteria system and it's very difficult coping with a tray of food and your money at the same time as we all know!
• If you think your child may struggle with the concept of a timetable, familiarise them during Year 6 with the concept of a written weekly plan. Plot out the days with predictable and routine events highlighted.
• Ensure that clothes are manageable, tie-wearing may be a new and complex skill best not left to the first day of term.

Early days, getting organised

• Laminate your child's timetable, with a copy for their bag, the bedroom wall and a spare for you. A laminated timetable is easier to find in the bag. If necessary, it can be hole-punched and attached inside the bag with a coiled key ring.
• Try to encourage the habit of getting ready the night before.
  Make a shelf available in the bedroom for homework organisation. Use of clearly labelled files (one for each subject) can help your child keep all necessary items together, worksheets, text books, exercise books. This should make them easier to find when needed.
• Organisation of homework space may be helped by the use of a cutlery tray rather than a desk tidy, as all the equipment needed is clearly visible.
• Getting into the habit of repetitive and consistent storage of other items could reduce stress for you and your child. If your child is taking door keys or a mobile phone to school for the first time, encourage them to keep them in the same side pocket of the bag each time. For some children the inside zip pocket of the blazer (if part of the school uniform) is most effective. The loss of weight in the pocket gives the child immediate feedback if the item is missing.
• A clear pencil case will allow a quick visual check that all items have been picked up. If your child tends to lose their pencil case regularly, having an emergency kit ready will avoid anxiety. A hole-punched pouch, which attaches inside a ring binder is a better option for many students.
• Have a memory jogger at the front door for important items. This may be more effective as a photo checklist rather than a list of words.

Volume of work

This can be one of the most daunting aspects of secondary education for some children.

• Ask your SENCo to assess your child's writing speed during Year 6. If your child's recording speed is significantly below average for their age, it may be worth having a discussion with your SENCo to establish if they qualify for additional time in exams.
• A thorough IT assessment is also likely to be of value as handwriting may not be the most effective method of recording for your child. Provision of IT assessments and equipment is likely to vary. For some children additional keyboard skills may be on offer, others may provide a voice-activated computer for homework or a laptop for everyday use.