THE RIGHT SCHOOL

Finding the right School for J seemed an impossible task once she had left mainstream. At one point we really did wonder if we were ever going to find the "right" school for her. Back in November of last year we started our search of schools in our area and visited 10 in total... yes 10!

The Best Fit

J didn't fit the 'autism only' schools, and at all of the other specialist schools we looked around we were told that her peer group were working well below expected levels and that there wouldn't be a class for her.

However, eventually a school that we were told couldn't previously meet need had changed considerably and expanded since the first time we had looked around, and are now able to cater for her complex needs.

A True Picture

I understand that the massive challenge schools face when making a decision about a child is that the paperwork supplied will not always paint a true picture. Surely no school wants to accept and place a child in an environment which ultimately could set them up for failure. At least I would like to think they wouldn't!

SEMH Setting

Whilst researching schools we often came up against the term SEMH (social, emotional and mental health). Although we knew what SEMH stood for, we were unsure whether a school that said it was a SEMH provision, would also be the school for an autistic child, and in particular one with a strong PDA profile.

SEMH schools cater for children with severe difficulties in managing their overpowering emotions and behaviour. Some pupils may also be known to social care or mental health services.

Class sizes will be smaller and there will be individualised learning, lots of understanding, compassion and therapeutic support. Understandably teachers will not be able to tackle every swear word and deal with every piece of aggression in the 'expected' way because that is the approach that failed these children in the first place.

The approach used in these schools will be wholly different. Teachers will be looking at the reasons behind the aggression and will look to "connect" in a bid to help the child from the very start of their school journey. Trust needs to be built to form the solid foundation on which a mutual understanding can take place.

Children who have extreme anger coming from trauma, rejection or a learning difficulty will be full of negative emotions and often the displayed behaviour will be just a defence mechanism they have built around themselves in order to survive their life experiences thus far. In some ways this is similar to a child with PDA who's only response to a perceived threat is to fight back... Hard!!

Mainstream

Children entering into a SEMH setting must find it markedly different, especially if coming from a mainstream setting!!

Some mainstream schools won't have taken the time to understand and meet the child's complex needs. Because of larger class sizes teachers may not have noticed that the child learns differently from their peers, and if their autistic/co morbid difficulties are not obvious, they may be misunderstood and fall by the wayside. Sad but true

The intelligent child who has queried an explanation made by their teacher may be seen as difficult, they might believe they have been told something incorrectly and answer the teacher back. When the child challenges this with the authority figure, they will be told they are defiant, possibly get a detention or even worse, put on an exclusion.

SEMH & Autism

A child with only SEMH needs requires a slightly different approach to a child on the autism spectrum. Autism is not a 'learnt behaviour'... the child having a meltdown because they feel unsafe or threatened is different to the child in the throws of aggression as that is maybe how they have been brought up to deal with things and is the only way they know how to get attention.

It's not a 'decision' for the child with autism to have a meltdown. Far from it!

As you know, J has ADHD, ASD and PDA, and as I have mentioned above, the PDA element made a pure autism school a totally incorrect fit for her. Autism only schools are pretty rigid and full of routine and structure, whereas the PDA aspect of autism needs much more flexibility, as what works one day, will not necessarily work the next.

Fluid Learning

Learning for the PDAer needs to be extremely fluid and the key to unlocking the understanding is to remember that the child with PDA is not deliberately choosing to oppose you, they are struggling to adapt and overcome the need to be in total control of the environment they are in. Generally PDAers do not like routine and structure, much preferring an indirect style of teaching (negotiating?!) where they feel more in control and therefore less anxious.

Rewards and consequences generally fail to work, and if they do happen to work, they are pretty much short lived, especially once the novelty factor has worn off!

Whilst J's new school specialises in working with children with SEMH needs, they also cater for a wide variety of diagnoses, including PDA. Considering some professionals will not even recognise PDA, let alone diagnose it, this is amazing!

J has now finished week 2 of her new school and, apart from a few hiccups here and there, it seems to be going well. She is keen to go in the mornings and happy on returning home. I can only put this down to teachers having a much deeper level of understanding, which will hopefully continue to develop every day. The teachers are all trained in PDA and are very experienced for all abilities and disabilities. Outside learning is heavily promoted and I have to say the regular feedback we have had has been great and much appreciated.

Positives

Schools are often quick to feedback challenging news to parents, but less quick to filter back positive news. We have had some great positive news so far!

It really comes across that this school are first and foremost nurturing, understanding, pro-active, willing to listen and take on board feedback from parents and most importantly have the child's best interests at heart.

Long may it continue!!