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Primary education

dyspraxia support in year 3

5 replies

scragga1000 · 10/09/2013 13:25

Apologies if I get this wrong it is my first time posting and I am feeling really upset and confused. My eldest is 7 has dyspraxia and has just started in year 3. There are lots of things he finds difficult especially writing and maths but he tries really hard - for example he can swim, he is getting there with riding a bike and has just learnt to tie his shoeleaces. He is ok at reading and loves science, history etc when he can shine in the class and show his friends what he knows ! My concern is that he suddenly seems to have been put in bottom groups for everything (with girls and no boys. I feel as though he is being seen suddenly as incapable. For example he came home with spellings to learn this week like sweet. I asked him verbally to spell all of them to me and he could - although as usual when writing them down he got 8 out of 10 as he gets letters back to front and sometimes misses some out ! These were spellings he had a year ago and he did as equally well then - it is as though no communication between year 2 and 3 has taken place.


We have always been told by past teachers that he was around average for most things except writing (he got 1b in his Sats - no change from the end of year 1) but managed 2a for reading, 2b for maths, 2 for science and speaking and listening. He has had an OT asst who said he should use a laptop in school which school agreed too but have not followed up yet. I know they have lots of kids to support but I just feel as though he has been written off and is just going to fall further and further behind. I need to speak to the teacher I know but I feel so angry I am worried it is going to come out all wrong.

OP posts:
bizzey · 10/09/2013 17:18

scragga not much advice for you I afraid ,but just to let you know you are not alone and be prepared to nag and fight for the things that have been recommended.

Take yourself "out" of the situation and just keep reminding them that OT have inquired it the ICT stuff has been set up yet...or something like that ...then you don't come across as "one of them mums " ..but a mum following up things ..(does that make sense ??)

But.... having said that ...how do you know he is in the bottom set ?

Those levels do not seem to bad ? maybe he has been placed in a group who work/learn the same way(?a bit of extra imput/explaination after teacher has set initial task to the class ?)

Ds had recomendations for an Ed Physc since last September ......he might turn up one day.....(I bet a day when my son is off sick or something!)

ICT ...is getting organised.....Confused 1 year on !!

I do so much work at home with my ds (9 yr5 btw) I was thinking about HE him but he needs the social skills aspect of school so it would not work and he would drive me mad !

Good luck

scragga1000 · 10/09/2013 18:48

Thanks for that a bit of perspective and distance was needed! I was chuffed re his Sats results last year which was why I was so shocked by what seemed to be going on. But I asked 'calmly' (I think) in school tonight re the spelling groups and was told all the kids in year 3 were given 40 words to write and groups established on the basis of that. As he did so badly he was put in the bottom group. But teacher agreed we need to check what he can do orally (as there is a difference) and is moving him up to his group to check this out - which seems good to me. Re writing groups you were spot on he is with a smaller group who all need a bit more help for one reason or another which makes sense. Re the lap top he said he is not using it often due to the time to set it up ! I have decided I will raise this with the Senco at the review in a few weeks rather than pushing the teacher now.

Glad ICT is getting sorted for you now - hope we are in the same place soon.

OP posts:
maillotjaune · 12/09/2013 14:24

You could ask for a meeting with the Inclusion Manager. Ours offer it, and have been good with DS but I found the change from Y2 to Y3 a problem too.

I think in Y2 they had an eye on SATS so there was an obvious need to sort out help and Y3 takes a bit longer to sort.

That said, allowing oral rather than written tests was suggested by our Y3 teachers with no prompting to boost DS's confidence and 1 year on he has shown enough improvement to not need that measure anymore.

Keep asking...

scragga1000 · 12/09/2013 18:18

thanks for that not heard of an inclusion manager I will ask. I was a bit shocked at what happened as to be honest school have been pretty good up to now at getting oral reports, using a scribe for his sats etc - so the fact they did not do it this time surprised me.

I guess we are probably going to have to keep on top of what he is doing this year so that people do not assume because he cannot write it that he cannot do it.

Also anyone got any ideas on when to start pushing the use of a lap top. School have talked about using it 3/5 days initially so that he still develops his writing skills. I sort of agree but also have a nagging doubt about whether this will happen and also whether we should be accepting the limitations in writing and working on developing his use of the computer so that the gap between him and his peers does not widen.

OP posts:
maillotjaune · 13/09/2013 17:49

No idea about using laptop, sorry, but I think 'Inclusion Manager' is just the newer job title for what used to be the Senco. As I understand it the school has to have someone who is responsible for for dealing with any pupil who needs extra help and they should have the expertise that not all class teachers will.

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