Type of school

I’ve joined a group of mums to answer a Monday question. Today’s is: “Are you thinking about choosing a mainstream or special school for Coraline?”

This decision is an individual one for everyone. For us we are thinking of applying to a mainstream school for Coraline (obviously we monitor this as she goes).

She is due to start school this September 2021 (and would be the youngest in the year due to her August birthday). We applied to defer her school start date to begin in reception year in September 2022. This was approved last week. We feel that Coraline will benefit greatly from a further year of development before she begins school.

The "International Guidelines for the Education of Learners with Down Syndrome," published by Down Syndrome International (DSi) in July 2020 states on p.36, Section 5.1.2, Transitioning to school: "Families need to be supported in their concerns for their child, and valued for the expertise they bring (Dockett et al., 2011)."

I think, as ever, it comes down to trusting your instincts on what’s right for your child. As Coraline's parents we know that all children with Down's syndrome are individuals. We made our request to defer her start date at school based on our knowledge of her as an individual, and due to the individual nature of the year 2020 where she was not at preschool or therapies for half the year. We would like to give her the best possible chance of progressing year on year with her class in mainstream school.

What will we look for in a school? The intention of the school to accommodate and take action in line with Coraline’s learning style, and one which gives her a sense of belonging and where she is celebrated.

Photo from April last year which Kevin sent me and our old neighbour Margaret on text today and we both thought it was gorgeous.