Choosing a school

If you have a child with special educational needs or a disability and are looking for a school for them, you may find the following information useful.

Think about your child

• What are your child's needs?
• What are you hoping the school will provide?

Put together a list of the schools you are going to visit.

Before the visit

Contact the schools you want to see and make an appointment to meet the headteacher or special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO).

Arrange for someone to accompany you if you think it would help.

Make sure that the children will be in school when you visit and that you will be able to visit a lesson in a classroom.

Try to find time to read the school:

• prospectus
• SEND Local Offer, SEND policy and SEND report
• Ofsted report
• behaviour and discipline policy

These will all be available on the school's website or if you contact the school they may send you paper copies.

Try to make a list of questions you would like to ask.

Examples, How many children attend the school? How many in a class? How is my child's progress monitored? Are there children with similar needs in the school?

You can find some more ideas on the SEND local offer website.

Think about if the school is interested in my child and confident that it can meet their needs.

Make notes of your answers and if school are happy you could take photographs. If you are visiting several schools this will make it easier to compare them when you have finished all your visits.

If you have any questions on any of the above or require information and support on any aspect of your child’s special educational needs and disabilities contact us, we may be able to help.