Tel:

01454 412 194

Address:

Sheiling School
Park Road
Thornbury
Bristol BS35 1HP

Email:

mail@sheilingschool.org.uk

  

 

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Mrs. B. Robson (Hounslow)  

"Our son Thomas was statemented at 2½ as having severe learning difficulties. From about 4 years old he went to the local SLD school, every day by bus.

For the first couple of years all was well, then we began to have vague doubts.


He wasn't being stretched. Something was not quite right. One day, taking advantage of their 'open door' policy, I breezed into the classroom. There was Thomas, wedged into a high chair at the side, looking thoroughly switched off and miserable, while the rest of the group was actively engaged in cooking. I was dismayed! I was then politely asked to wait outside until lunch!


Thomas' behaviour began to deteriorate: table manners reached a point beyond which I thought it was hardly worth trying to impose any standards, and his head-banging became so severe that he had to wear a kind of Roman helmet to protect his forehead, which had a permanent bruise.

Around this time a friend sent me some information on autism. The penny dropped, and the fight then began with the local authority to get him properly statemented and into the right school. It took us the best part of two years, but it has been well worth the struggle. Since he has been at the Sheiling School, Thomas has made tremendous progress.
He still has no speech, and is not likely to acquire it in the future, but that is a side issue.

Within two years the school had him toilet-trained. His table manners have improved enormously, to the point where we can almost have a civilised family meal. He still tends to eat at the gallop, in the hope that he won't miss out on anything, but the snatching and grabbing from other people's plates has disappeared.

The head-banging, too, has almost gone. He is much calmer and much more aware of his surroundings and what is going on. He appears to understand everything you say, but whether or not he chooses to do as you wish is a different story!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas will now look at you, rather than sideways, and his social behaviour has changed out of all recognition. Instead of retreating into a corner or leaving the room when visitors come, he grabs hold of them with delight and positively pushes them into a chair before sitting down himself to join the group. Altogether, Thomas has been transformed beyond recognition: from being miserable, frustrated and withdrawn to being happy, lively and outgoing, all in the space of a few years. He has yet to achieve the status of angel, but we live in hope!"

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