What Other SEN Parents Have Told Me
Constant child planning meetings, being at odds with your child’s school, constantly risk assessing each day and wondering what state your kid is coming home in is STRESSFUL. Even worse, wondering what the long term effect will be. The stats on autistic adults are not promising. I need my kid’s confidence and sense of self not to be quashed by his school.
In talking to other SEN parents I’m realising that some schools are better than others in this regard. What’s that you say?!
Finding these schools is a stab in the dark! You have to know the right person to ask and the school has to be self aware enough to be honest in child planning meetings.
Some Rumours I’ve Heard:
I’ve heard some schools are not blasting music on the playground.
Some schools are taking advantage of the great outdoors (actual grass and trees and birdsong not tarmac and more tarmac).
Some schools have no bells or hand dryers.
Some schools are not ruled by chaos, overcrowding and screens.
The behaviour of children is better in some schools.
Some schools even have staff training in neurodivergence
(can you believe it?!).
Some schools have trained PSAs.
Some local authorities pay PSA’s a better wage so attract better staff.
Some schools aren’t annoyed by accommodations.
Some schools prioritise wellbeing over stats.
Some school leaders are switched on to switching off.
Some schools are more into education than novelty.
Some schools don’t just read your child’s ‘plan’ and follow it. They have dulled down the environment to make it neuro-affirming so your child’s ‘plan’ isn’t literally how to avoid the school environment entirely.
Some assemblies aren’t long and loud.
Some lunch halls aren’t louder than a ‘sonic boom’.
Some schools are thinking creatively about space/light/aesthetics.
