Would like all input please....

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I took my liitle one for a neuro assesment yesterday....
The neuro also saw my oldest son a month ago, who confirmed AS diagnosis.
She was strongly advising us to move both our children out of their current mainstream, private school.....because of the high amount of pressure they put on the kids.

The school she suggested is also private, but from gr 0000-12, they only have 410 kids, 70 of them being deaf. The classes are fully equiped with FM systems, and they specializes in accomodating death children and children with auditory processing disability. They dont have more that 25 kids in a class and they have a quilified assistant in each class for little ones. My little dude will be tested next week, but he surely have APD and big issue with talking and language. She diagnosed possible ADHD and wants to start on very low dosage Ritalin. Little dude doesnt cope at all in current school, so this is good option for him...BUT logisticly I cant have 2 kids in different schools. This school is 45 minutes drive from our home.

My Aspie (oldest son, in gr3) functions well in his current school, but struggles to keep up with confusing noise levels but his auditory processing has improved alot. But he often still misunderstands stuff.
Do you think its fair and ok to move oldest to accomodate little dude?
Whats your thoughts on putting oldest in school with kids with hearing and APD problems, do you think it will upset him to be with hearing disabled kids? They also have kids with normal hearing....And presents classes in English and Afrikaans(our mother tongue, that will benefit both)....
I showed oldest a video re this new school...he seemed very impressed and he looked happy because of less pressure and some one who will understand his problems with understanding language. And he seemed relieved to see a school that is so quiet! The noice in his current school makes him very anxious and tired......But then he also said he loves his current school and will never want to leave!

[Edit - corrected spelling mistake so it makes sense ('death' to 'deaf') - Mummy_of_Peanut]

lovelyboy, I have a similar choice to make in the near future. My daughter attends mainstream and is unlikely to move out of it, in the near future. She's almost 7 and is in P3. She has a few friends and, in general, she doesn't detest going to school. However, the noise levels can be upsetting and very distracting. At the moment, she's in a pod (prefab building with 4 classrooms). Next year, she's due to move into the main building. The school was built in the early 80s, when there was this weird idea that open plan was a good thing. So she will be in a huge room with another 250 or so kids, classes separated by filing cabinets and bookcases, etc. I've been through this area, during class time, and I'm surprised that anyone can concentrate.

But, the council is building another school, very close to the one she goes to, to cater for the high numbers in the area (a lot of new housing has been built here). It will not be open plan at all and I've been informed that this style of building is much quieter, due to the fabric, etc. The new school is outwith our catchment area, but she will get a place if we want her to go there, as most parents will not move their kids, even though the environment in the new school is bound to be so much better. The main worry is that I will be taking her away from the few kids she has made friends with. However, for me, it really is a no-brainer. The noise levels are such a problem to her that there's no way she'll be able to meet her potential. I hope that she can make new friends (in fact I'm sure she will).

I suppose you have to just weigh up the pros and cons and make the decision. (If I were you, I'd be moving both of them.)

Hi Lovelyboy,

Honestly, if my son was thriving in a mainstream environment I would leave him there - presumably, you can revisit down the track if things change but honestly, I would be really pleased that he seems to be coping extremely well and know that you are preparing him for the 'real world' - just my opinion. If he is at a 'private school' then I assume (and hope) they are providing adequate assistance for him when needed.

Can I ask the name of the special needs school? We are ex S.A'n so just curious about what the options are in terms of education. We have decided on a small-ish catholic school next year for DS - fingers crossed all goes well.

This is a tough one, and some of it will have to do with what you can manage, yourself.

The other thing is, though that spectrum kids are not necessarily good with change, so if he is happy where he is, I don't know if you want to change his situation.

If it is not too hectic for you, maybe you could try a year with them going to different schools? If they are different ages, at some point you would have to do that anyway unless the schools where you are are k-12 (or whatever your national equivalent of pre-university schooling is)

If the school has family events in the evening (assemblies and such) your eldest would get to go into the school, sometimes to see it and he might be more inclined to switch. Also, once your youngest is there you will know more about what goes on to know if it would be appropriate for the eldest or not.

You really do not know what happens at a school until your child is really there, from my experience, anyway.

Thanx for the ideas! both schools go up to gr 12!
the schools name ic Eduplex.....its in Queenswood....
I was worried that my AS son will get anoyed with the way the deaf kids talk....this might sound rude, but he gets irritated when speech or tone of voice isnt how he expected it to be!

I do like the idea of letting him get to know the new school while little dude is there! and first making sure if this is the right school for liitle dude, because I am not sure if liitle one will cope in mainstream!? and it wont be fear to move big brother AGAIN!

thanx!