FASD SCHOOL IN SURREY

[JSDunbar07]

I am looking for a SEND school in Surrey that can support children with FASD.

Any recommendations?

[David998]

I'm from Horsham in Sussex and I searched a while ago, but found nothing specific to FASD - I have a daughter with the condition. It seems that FASD doesn't warrant a special school in itself (unlike autism), so these children get lumped with other special needs. My daughter now goes to Manor Green College in Crawley, who are SEND and seem to understand her needs.

Hope this helps.

David.

[Sandy_FASD Partner]

Each person with FASD is different. It's important to visit the specialist schools and to get a feel for what they offer. It's important to see how flexible they are when working with students with different needs as FASD strategies are sometimes different than for those with other neurodevelopmental conditions. And how willing they are to learn about FASD if they haven't had anyone diagnosed with it before. Good luck!

[MB_FASD Moderator]

I'd agree with the other replies. Our son went to a special school that met his needs perfectly, their speciality was performing arts and he loves singing, dancing, being up on stage etc. It would have been totally wrong for others. Unfortunately with FASD being so poorly known even within special schools there is not much understanding of the condition, and certainly no schools that specialise in the condition. We've found that as long as staff are empathetic and willing to learn, they generally have enough training to manage situations and life in general, although they do need prompting regularly. For example, our son is supposed to have regular sensory breaks during the day, but left to himself won't ask for that. The school haven't been great about scheduling this and forcing the issue with him unless we insist. Good luck

[Tinkyandbobby]

south of you, south of Chiddingfold + Petworth, in West Sussex, is a lovely small school, with long mid morning breaks (45 mins), where children don boiler suits and enjoy the South Downs all within the grounds of the school. It has an excellent SEND if that is what is needed. It's quite a treasure of a school. It is a very inclusive and caring place, where each child can grow to their full potential. Sadly, it is not in Surrey though. However, there is one family that drives daily from south of Witley. It is a minefield out there. We made a permanent move from London for our child's education and from being 2 years behind on arrival, our child is not fully thriving and age appropriate and above in some classes. We visited at least five different schools before discovering this gem.