help - DD in middle of GCSE s - Yr 10 and school just found she has dyslexia

[ThatVikRinA22]

for a while all has not been quite right with DD who is almost 15, and i have had countless meetings with school who kept reassuring me that she was not the brightest pupil but expected to get quite respectable grades yadda yadda yadda....

She has gone from being in the top set for everything to the bottom or second from bottom and its absolutely knocked her confidence for six.

anyway, she came home a few weeks ago saying she had discovered she could read much better from blue paper.....cue massive alarm bells as my son went through the same school without them picking up he had dyslexia - he was dx 6 weeks into college....

anyway - i phoned up and told them what she had said

so they tested her last day of term and she showed a positive result for dyslexia - ive phone school back today and asked to speak with the person who tested her and also enquired who the SENCO is.

given that she is in yr 10 now, in the midst already of GCSE, i am thinking a meeting is not out of order to ask for....??

yesterday she told me that she felt that because she started in Yr 8 in the top sets for everything, and now, in Yr 10 she has fallen through set after set, she said she has felt "thick" for a long time and has just about given up of any hope of getting to college....

im so sad that this has happened and i want to make sure that she is adequately supported - one to the things ive noticed during her GCSE revision is that she has all the information in her head but she cant get it out and on paper in any logical order.....

what should i do now? please help! i am anxious to start getting her adequately supported given that i am sure this is the reason for her grades falling so dramatically year on year....plus there is the confidence issue to deal with - she has just about written herself off.

help!

[lilolilmanchester]

I would ask for a meeting with the SENCO in the first instance - I'm surprised the school didn't offer you that when she got her result (although I am not a teacher, might not be the way they do things) - but that is definitely what I would be asking for in your position, to ensure she has all the adjustments she needs in place to help her next year.

[ThatVikRinA22]

yes, thats what i thought - the school secretary appeared to think i should just speak to the person who did the test...thats fine in the first instance, but i am anxious to ensure that we do whatever we can now to help her, though i am concerned that the damage to her confidence has been done.

[ThatVikRinA22]

i was quite gobsmacked that they missed it in DS but he had other SN so he got 1 to 1 anway quite a lot of the time - so in the end it probably made no difference to his grades and he did really well....he is at uni now.

but i do feel that my persistent questioning of why her grades had taken such a year on year drop was ignored because she was doing ok ish in their eyes, and her predicted grades now are mostly Cs and Bs, though i have to say she is not getting those predicted grades in some areas.

im cheesed off but i need to remain calm and focus on what they can now do to help her - so far they have given her a blue overlay to read with....i suspect that isnt going to turn her around at this stage.

[lilolilmanchester]

Well depends who did the test. If it is someone who specialises in dyslexia, then maybe, but unless they are also responsible for working out what your DD needs then you probably need to see the SENCO too. I don't know much about dyslexia but know the impact varies from person to person, so I would have thought someone at the school should be working with your DD to understand her specific needs & to help rebuild her confidence. If they can start that this half term and help her come back in Yr 11 feeling more confident that would be great.

I don't know if there are any SENCOs on MN -"bound to be" I would have thought... maybe bump this thread tonight; alternatively start another thread with "any SENCOs/teachers specialising in Dyslexia" or similar??

[ThatVikRinA22]

should point out they can "predict" what they want to but she isnt getting their predicted grades....she will miss out on getting to college if she continues like this.

[ThatVikRinA22]

thanks lil - im at work until late tonight and wont get back onto MN until late - might try new thread. worth a shot. thanks.

[PostBellumBugsy]

Vicar, i'm not sure it is the school's responsibility to diagnose dyslexia.
If I were you, I would get your DD assessed properly (as soon as possible) to find out exctly what cognitive impairments she has that are leading to the use of the umbrella term "dyslexia". Depending on what impairments she has will depend on what type of teaching techniques will be most appropriate to help her.

[ThatVikRinA22]

they have stressed that it is not a diagnosis as they cannot diagnose - i should probably ask to see ed psyche possibly....but i doubt they will go for that. i had to fight tooth and nail for DS to see one and he has AS and Dyspraxia....

[PostBellumBugsy]

I had to pay for my DS too Vicar (despite his Autism) -but if you wait for the local authority, she'll probably be doing her A levels.
Yes, you should see an Educational Psychologist if at all possible. Not sure whereabouts in the country you are, but if you are in the South of the UK, the Helen Arkell Centre near Farnham is very good. That's where DS was assessed.

[ThatVikRinA22]

no im ooop north....i can get to York, Leeds, Hull, Doncaster.... anywhere around there.

i waiting for the woman who did the testing to call back.

[breadandbutterfly]

I teach at an FE college, 16-18 year olds, and remain horrified at the number of kids I get in my classes where it is obvious within one or two lessons that they are dyslexic and this has never been diagnosed nor support given at their previous schools!

Do not let your dd under-perform acc to her abilities - you need to take action as the school sounds a bit useless.

[breadandbutterfly]

IndigoBell, a MNetter, appears to know everything there is to know on dyslexia - search for her posts on here for another take on it all.

[ThatVikRinA22]

indeed bread - thats what happened to DS and now, almost, DD.

i want to help her so much im just not sure what to do!

[ThatVikRinA22]

well, they said they would ring back at lunch time - and they havent.

good start

im out to work now so another day will pass before i can sort something.
i cannot help thinking they actually dont give a damn.
im really shocked at its a very small faith school, not that many pupils, with a nurturing reputation.
im slightly pissed off tbh.

[Kez100]

My son had an ed psyc report (we paid privately) between year 6 and 7 and NOTHING has been done despite the report advising on ways to do things for him and he has also fallen, set by set, year on year. I had to make a huge fuss in year 9 when the teachers told me I should to get something put in place for him for GCSEs.

She must now be tested for the exam access arrangements - schools do that and apply for whatever access help she can get.

Having an Ed Psyc report helped us understand his cognitive difficulties but hasn't, unfortuantely, helped us in any other way.

[PostBellumBugsy]

Vicar, there is no incentive for the school to do anything. They are unlikely to get LA money, so any extra support for your DD will have to be sourced by the school itself.
I have paid for extra help for DS - worth every hard earned penny.

[creamteas]

It doesn't surprise me, I have undergrad students who are diagnosed each year.

If you want a private diagnosis, try searching the BPS for a specialist in your area.

As far as I know, Exam Access Arrangements are usually assessed by need rather than diagnosis but need to be in place when exam entries are made.

[Buntingbunny]

School may test your DD for exam access arrangements and may be able to give her extra time.

Sadly, in my experience that's all the useful help you'll get.

DD1 has given up going to the special needs dept because they were taking her out of lessons to practice reading the most patronisingly boring books imaginable. DD1 can read. OK in her own eccentric outwardly inaccurate way, but somehow she understands what she reads. Her problem is her spelling would look pretty average in Y4 (she's in Y9) consequently her written work is a disaster. The SN dept know her spelling age, but have offered no help at all.

If you can afford it, I would bite the bullet and find a tutor for your DD. Far more than lots of words on an expensive ed phy report she needs targeted help with understanding her GCSE work and at the end of Y10 she needs it now.

[ThatVikRinA22]

just caught up - thanks for the input everyone. I do suspect that at this stage an ed Psyche report will be almost next to useless as i found out with DS that having an official diagnosis and lots of recommendations does not necessarily get them.

I did however phone the school back and insist on a meeting with the SENCO which has been arranged for Friday. The senco does not kinow my DD and has never come into contact with her so i think its time she did given the information - she did start to say she would go around her teachers, get reports etc but i explained all this was done just a couple of momths ago when i began to question why she was falling behind....

i have told them that i feel! time is now of the essence and i want to find ways to help her develop strategies - its clear from talking to her during her revision that she has all the information in her head but cannot get it onto paper in any logical order what so ever.

im going with the softly softly approach but i am going to make it very clear i am done with waiting and seeing and simply telling her to be more confident and contribute more in class isnt going to cut it this time!!

I have no problem with seeing an Ed Psyche at all if it will do any good, (didnt really help DS within school much) or employing a tutor - not sure how to find a tutor for her though?

how did you do that bunting?

[Buntingbunny]

I paid for an private Ed psy report when DD was in Y6 because her primary school seemed to think the problem would go away and I knew it wouldn't.

In fact they panicked at exactly the same time and so she got a scribe for her SATs.

I therefore also got to see the secondary SENCO.

I have never got a tutor for her partly because I hoped school would help and partly because she muddles through in her own indomitable style.

I'm not sure how you find a tutor to teach primary school literacy to a child, who is way brighter than average in every other respect. I am hoping she will work through a spelling book with me over the Summer, but its only now that I think she will really make an effort.

I suspect finding a patient teacher willing to earn some extra cash helping your DD to understand standard GCSEs may be easier.

[Kez100]

I am also thinking of trying to find a tutor to help with GCSE approach rather than throwing money at any more professionals. Not that professionals don;t know their stuff - they do - but the schools to B A with it.

However, I am happy we had our sons report done as it has helped him know what the issues are and that helps him cope with knwoing why he is different. He does have severe dyslexia and his written work stands out like a sore thumb so bullying isn't uncommon (they don't repeat it because he is huge and luckily no shrinking violet) but it helps him articulate what is going on and keep high self esteem.

For example, today, he is going to see a teacher about not writing notes in class(they just divert his attention while writing them and are no good for revision because he cannot dicipher them after) but buying a revision book to work from later and sitting and listening to the lessons. He is comfortable doing this requesting on his own because he knows and understands his difficulties which is the advantage of him having the report and the discussion after with the Ed Psyc.

[Buntingbunny]

Yes DDS report was very useful in getting the school and DD1 both to understand her difficulties.

They have been great with pastoral care and ensuring subject teachers know why here written work is so awful, but they also provide BA practical help.

As I said their small group tutoring is aimed only at DCs with more server and more general problems. They simply don't have the resources to offer targeted help to children, who will muddle along and pass their GCSEs, somehow.

We know our DCs could do better and have a far easier time through school if they were given well targeted help with, spelling, reading, note taking and/or study skills, but the staff with the time and training just aren't there.

With the Government trying to reduce the number of children on the SEN registers it's not going to get better.

Our DCs have articulate parents who can fight their corners, hopefully they will do OK.

There are 1000's of DCs who's parents can't afford private support and are not able fight their DCs schools for help. The acceptance that they will feel like faliers, come to dislike education and leave school with far lower grades than they should makes me

[ThatVikRinA22]

well school rang back this morning - they have a specialist dyslexia teacher at school - she was the one who did the tests on DD, but she wasnt going to be available on Friday so have had to rearrange the meeting so both SENCO and dyslexia teacher can be there.

Ill reserve judgement until after the meeting and then look at what i need to do.

I am going to ask about Irlen syndrome aswell given that she is able to read better with a coloured overlay.

I recall somewhere in the dim and distant past that there was a dyslexia institute outpost at Selby....

i will start to do some research now.

[goingmadinthecountry]

I have a Y10 son who is dyslexic - though has been diagnosed for years.

There will be someone at school who can test for extra time. My ds gets 40% extra or 25% plus a reader and can use a laptop for exams etc though has chosen not to. I buy overlays the size of big bookmarks. They need to get on with extra time assessments asap as if she qualifies she'll get the support for controlled assessments, ISAs etc.

I found that nothing happened until I went in a few times and sent off emails. If you get a diagnosis you can quote the DDA and their duty to your dd if nothing happens.

Hopefully knowing there's a reason she's struggling will ensure she doesn't feel thick. We've just had a great parents' evening tonight because ds is confident and the teachers are at last being really supportive.

Good luck - keep on top of them!