[senco-forum] Autism

I have many ASD pupils at my mainstream secondary. What's the problem(s)

My son is a year 9 Autistic child and no-one has suggested to us that he 
needs any sort of 'plan' other than the normal arrangements through the 
statementing and IEP procedures.

I find the tone of this email a bit offensive. As a parent I would find it 
very annoying that anyone involved with their education should feel that 
they grudgingly have to accommodate their Special Needs and that they would 
prefer not even to have the trouble of having to make allowances for the 
Special Needs of this child.

My experience of many Autistic children is that, while they can be trying 
and annoying to the point of insanity, they also have many redeeming 
qualities that make them a real pleasure to know and to have in an 
educational environment. One Paediatrician said that he felt that it was 
actually wrong to think of Autistic Spectrum children/adults as having 
something wrong with them, they just see the world in a different way to 
everybody else.

The implication of this letter is that this child's Autism is not of a 
sufficiently severe nature for them to need Specialist teaching, so rather 
than trying to grudgingly accommodate this child try thinking about how much 
your school will be enriched by having such a child among your intake.

Tim Rupp.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Cook" <richard_cook at blueyonder.co.uk>
To: "Greg" <gregory.lambert at btinternet.com>; 
<senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 2:03 PM
Subject: RE: [senco-forum] Autism - need a plan.

>I have many ASD pupils at my mainstream secondary.  What's the problem(s)
> that this 'plan' needs to address?
>
> Richard
> -----Original Message-----
> From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
> [mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk]On Behalf Of Greg
> Sent: 04 September 2007 19:34
> To: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
> Subject: [senco-forum] Autism - need a plan.
>
>
> Hi,
>
> We have a year 8 autistic child. Our education authority says that there 
> are
> no, 'specialist' schools to suit his needs, and that if he was to move it
> would be to another secondary school.
>
> Bottom line is, that we have to, 'accommodate' this child. Parents are
> demanding a 'plan'.
>
> Does anyone have an autistic child in their high school?  And does anyone
> have any advice or plans of how we can, 'accommodate' this child?
>
> Getting really stuck on how to deal with this and any help would be 
> greatly
> appreciated.
>
>
>
> Take care,
>
>
>
> Greg
>
> SENCo
>
>
>
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