I think you will know when the time comes which one is the right fit.

If my son had needs that required more attention I would definitely consider a special needs school or a mainstream school that has a special education unit.

Mainstream is not for every child so it is good to have an alternative.

100% would consider and am considering it. We have a school local to us that has farming as apart of their Curriculum and all their lessons are more aimed at individual needs and learning. All kids learn different there is no blanket way to teach kids effectively

Have not considered it but would if I thought my child would benefit.

Our son has a disability, so we considered it – but concluded it would actually disadvantage him when it came to preparing him for the world outside school.

If it was me I would definitely consider it.
They are able to care cater to your child’s specific needs as that is what they do.
Plus I think they won’t be singled out. I think there is a lot of hate the l these days so I wouldn’t want my child being picked on by bullies just because they are different and haven’t learned things at the same capacity.

I think that there are children that would definitely benefit from going to alternative school, it’s great to have the option for families who feel like an alternative school is suitable for their little one.

An alternative school is necessary for many children and should definitely be considered by some families.

You would need to make sure that the alternative bus definitely better, it’s like childcare centres, you might think there’s a better one but they could in fact be just as bad. It would involve a thorough check of the school, meeting teachers and finding out if they truly cater for a diversity of students

I would do what would I thought would be best for my child and for my family.
Mainstream schooling even with the best attempt can not not cater for all individuals. While there are some great teachers they are all overworked and when in a class setting of 25 students reality is that not all of their needs are going to be met. You are going to have top end students who are losing interest because they are not challenged enough or the bottom end who can not keep up with the demand. Staff will be aware of students with additional needs but to what degree they can cater for is a question mark. Regardless of what happens parents need to be open and see what work if mainstream is not working than they need to also accept and try alternate. Either way they go the child will miss something but also gain something else.

Choosing a school is a hard discussion to make but follow your gut and do what is right for your child and family.

This is a difficult choice for parents. Choose the school that has the best feel for you. You can always change later if it doesn’t work out.

I’d always weigh up the options ????

You can duel enroll so they spend a couple of days at each and see which one works best…or continue like that

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  • • mom160421 replied
    • 18 Apr 2021 , 7:48 pm

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  That sounds like a good idea.

We have 2kids kids with special needs and have chosen not to. All learners have unique needs to consider when helping them to meet / exceed their academic and non-academic potential. Most mainstream schools have the possibility to address the individual needs and varied learning styles of all the different students, including those identified with diverse needs. Most schools have special programs and recognize the diversity of the collective learning community and support the holistic development of the students.
Schools can apply for extra funding to meet the needs of your child.
My youngest has full time one-on-one support in class and on the school ground.
Personally I think it’s good to include our kids in a mainstream school. Research shows they perform better in all area’s of their being (academically, socially, mentally) at a mainstream school. It’s good for our kids and good for the school community to have our kids.

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  • • Ellen replied
    • 18 Apr 2021 , 4:33 am

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  NB, my youngest wasn’t toilet trained either and pretty much non verbal too when she started Prep

It’s about what’s right for them regardless of what others think.

You need to find the right school for your child.
I have a young child with ADD. we are also getting that child assessed for high functioning ASD and sensory processing disorder. On top of that my child is also a genius! The first school we tried didn’t have the time or patience for a child like mine and wouldn’t bother looking at the genius either, as kindy is strictly play based. For a child that needs both structure and mental stimulation that was never going to work! So I homeschooled until I found a school that was built around children like mine. Now both of my kids (the other one gifted) attend an independent school with not only the time, patience and understanding for my child (who was only just diagnosed last week, thanks to the support from the school), but has a strong academic program that will meet my child’s genius at the appropriate level. It’s the best decision we could have made, though it’s an expensive one!
A lot of schools have special needs children in mainstream classes, but they also have learning support centres where children can be permanently positioned until they are ready to join their peers in the mainstream setting.
It all about researching and find what is best for you and your child. All the best!