Any advice re fighting LEA for the right secondary school for our DD?

[Thomcat]

Hi there, haven't used Mumsnet for ages and ages so forgive my absence but I would really appreciate any nuggets of wisdom you might have.

My daughter has Down's syndrome and is 11 at the end of this year, in year 6 at a mainstream school currently. We have looked at the MLD school & the SLD school in our area. The SLD school would not suit Charlotte as although many elements on the educational side of things are SLD she crosses over into MLD socially, with her reading, mobility, speech etc. The MLD school is very large and very full, mainly with children with autism. We have been to see the school on 3 occaisions and each time have witnessed a pupil in distress of some sort running away, out of the classroom followed by teachers on walkie talkies etc. The head said a few incredibly patronising and worrying things regarding Down's syndrome and basically there a number of reasons that we know the school isn't right for her.
Proving in a court that they can't meet her needs will be difficult though and that's what it's going to come down to.
The school we want is a) out of borough and b) non-maintained. Parents are not allowed to fund the placing, the LEA has to, we have checked and offered and it's been a definate 'no'.


I wondered if anyone had any little nuggets of advice re tribunals, or being London (Harrow) based if anyone could recommend a barrister?

Let me know if you need to know anything else about the schools / my daughter, I just didn't want to make the post too long with waffley info you don't care about!

[lljkk]

I think you need to repost this in SN section (if you haven't already) to be sure of replies.

[Thomcat]

OK, I'll post in SN's too, thank you.