A sense of belonging
FINDING THE right school is one of the most critical decisions faced by parents. This is one mother’s story of finding a school for her daughter... Hannah had a great start at nursery and it didn’t occur to us she might need a specialist school in the future. But when nursery life became difficult for her, it was clear mainstream schools were not equipped to meet her needs. Hannah was always on her own and found it difficult to take turns and share. Toilet training was not going well and she never interacted with other kids. We were increasingly worried.
Finding Gesher and discovering it could comfortably meet her needs was a huge relief. Hannah loved it from the start. Gesher is an Ofsted outstanding primary school in Willesden, which provides a specialist meaningful learning environment for children with special educational needs. This includes language, communication and social pragmatic difficulties. It has a specialism in autism spectrum challenges.
The uncertainty of the transition from nursery to school was alleviated by Gesher’s reassuring commitment to the wellbeing of every child and acceptance of their differences.
Hannah’s transformation has been Gesher: small classes cater for sensory issues and feel like a family
phenomenal. She is safe, secure and happy and we are over the moon. She is developing well and has started to read. The small class of eight is beneficial for sensory issues and for socialising — it feels like a family.
A highlight is drama therapy, which helps Hannah handle her emotions and offers her tools that she brings home by acting out the events of the day. The drama therapist works through situations using figurines and dolls, allowing Hannah to articulate her concerns and instilling in her a unique self-awareness for her age.
The environment lends itself to children with sensory issues. There is no
bell, no noise, nothing that arouses anxiety. In her previous school, Hannah screamed when she heard the bell.
No stone is left unturned in caring for the wider family. My husband fell ill and staff reached out to other parents to ask for help in taking and collecting Hannah. Single parents at the school enjoy similar support.
Since Hannah has started at Gesher, we simply don’t worry any more. We are thrilled that her emotional and academic needs are being met and we no longer see her autism as a barrier. At Gesher it’s good to be different. It is one of the best things to happen to our family.