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Special Needs Schools

Are you looking for a Special Needs School for your child? Discuss the options here.
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kimmi
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Special Needs Schools

Post by kimmi » Sat, 10 Jul 2010 3:42 pm

Hi
My family and I will relocate to Singapore from Hong Kong October this year. My 4 year old son has recently been diagnosed with PDD NOS and I am currently looking for a good preschool for him in Singapore.
Im looking for a preschool that has integrated therapies ie: speech & OT.
Im wondering if anyone can give any advice, info or has anyone had experience with:
LEARN DIFFERENT
ST GERARDS
STARSDC
DOVERCOURT

If there is any other school anyone can recommend
Your comments would be much appreciated
Many thanks in advance.

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gravida
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Re: Special Needs Schools

Post by gravida » Sat, 10 Jul 2010 6:08 pm

I have only heard about St. Gerards and Dover Court. I need to highlight that I do not have personal experience with any of these schools, but I've heard numerous opinions from parents of children with special needs.
St. Gerards does not sound too good, to be frank. One parent tried to sign her child there, went for the visit, the child was invited to join the class, but the parent was not allowed to sit in. She sneaked in and noticed that teachers were harsh with other students, using some physical force to sit down one autistic boy... She has never enrolled her child into the school. I known one more person who did not like St. Gerards, but the reasons are not that straightforward.

Dover Court is a good place. I know three happy parents, each with a child with different diagnosis, age and learning needs. It is not easy to get in, there is a waiting list. There is also a requirement to go through the assessment before the admission. If I am not wrong they charge $600.00 for the assessment which is done by teachers/therapists/principal/psychologist (not all at the same time, the people participating in the intake evaluation rotate and it's usually not the whole "set" of professionals). Parents are not allowed to sit in during the session and you are given only a short, snippy feedback, many times without explanation why the child is not eligible. Of course the three children mentioned above did get in. However, I've heard about at least two other cases where the kids were rejected without any concrete reason given. Unofficially one of the basic criteria is non-violent behavior. I can't tell anything more though about the requirements.
Once the child is accepted, the support and help is really good. I think the best in Singapore. Teacher-student ratio is appropriate to the age and severity of the disorder. I think it starts with 2 students for one teacher. Whenever it is appropriate, the child will be incorporated into the mainstream sessions i.e., one boy had a speech delay, but no IQ issues, so he was attending math in mainstream, which allowed him to be on par with peers when after a while he picked up his communication skills.
They offer full speech and occupational services, the therapy is delivered during school hours and it is charged additionally (slightly higher than the average private therapy charges, as far as I know). Parents receive regular reports on the child's progress.
All three children that I know are very happy there.
Oh yes, they are not cheap, but I am sure you have already checked their website.

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Post by curiousgeorge » Mon, 12 Jul 2010 3:56 pm

PPD-NOS is not a common term in Singapore, they tend to use the proposed DSM-V term of ASD (autism spectrum disorder). See here: http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/2010/0 ... -asperger/

The Pathlight School is Singapore's first school for children with autism and associated disorders (including ASD). They aim to avoid the mainstream/special school rigidity by providing mainstream academic program combined with life readiness skills, based on individualised educational planning per student.

The Eden School is a sister school to Pathlight, both of them are aimed at students with ASD, but one is more academic than the other...sorry I forget which way round it is.

Preparatory Track for Pathlight starts age 6, so a bit beyond the age of your son. Priority is given to local students, but they do have quota for non-PR/Citizen students.

http://www.pathlight.org.sg/admissions/criteria.php
http://www.edenschool.edu.sg/admissions/criteria.php


(Just to happens I am working a fundraiser on Saturday at Pathlight, the funds from previous years have enabled them to build The Eden School...if anyone wants to support this worthwhile charity, see event details at http://www.autism.org.sg/avsw10/)

kimmi
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Post by kimmi » Mon, 12 Jul 2010 5:05 pm

Thank you both for all the information. Yes Pathlight School was my first choice and the school would be perfect for my son and I did contact them but they basically said because I wasn't a Singapore Citizen and their waiting list was so long with Singapore Citizens we would be waiting forever and probably never get of the list so they advised me to find another school.

I think I will try to get my son on the list at Dovercourt and visit a few other preschools like Learn Different and ExcelerateV2 and hope I find a appropriate school for my son.
Thanks again

vannilicious
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Post by vannilicious » Sat, 07 Aug 2010 12:55 am

bump
Last edited by vannilicious on Mon, 08 Apr 2013 1:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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gravida
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Post by gravida » Sat, 07 Aug 2010 8:47 am

MY 5 cents: their initial assessment is simply checklist they have created for themselves to be able to "categorize" children under their care. It has no other use, especially not diagnostic.
So, yes, if ones decides to use their services and send the child to Wee Care, it is OK, but no point to go for the assessment there if one is looking for a diagnosis. Educational psychologist will do better job.

BTW, kimmi's child has been already diagnosed, as I understand.

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Post by x9200 » Sat, 07 Aug 2010 9:21 am

vannilicious wrote:Hello,

Have you tried looking into XXX Singapore? They have early intervention and deal with special needs children! Do look into it and they do initial assessment for your child that cater to the needs to help your child! you can see their website...

www.xxx.sg

hope i helped! ^^
Yes, definatelly. Your only post to the forum advertising a service. Sure no doubts about objectivity, quality and basic professional ethics. Ppl will be queuing at their doors very soon.

kimmi
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Post by kimmi » Mon, 09 Aug 2010 5:59 pm

vannilicious wrote:Hello,

Have you tried looking into Wee Care Singapore? They have early intervention and deal with special needs children! Do look into it and they do initial assessment for your child that cater to the needs to help your child! you can see their website...

www.weecare.com.sg

hope i helped! ^^
Hi thank you
I did look into Wee Care but they don't have speech therapists and my son needs weekly speech therapy

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