Using an ed psych to inform school choice - Surrey/SW london

[holidaysrcoming]

Anyone gone down this route?

Have niggles about my DS (nearly 10) as to whether we are simply facing can't be bovverrrrred-itis or whether there is a more solid reason behind the obvious discrepancy between what is clearly in head and what is produced. Also poor organisational skills.

I feel like if I could answer this question I would be in a better place to decide on most suitable school.

Any recommendations for an all round Ed psych - who can overall screen for issues, have seen some listed on professional association sites but recommendation preferred.
Thanks !

[RandomMess]

I can't recommend an Ed psych but I can recommend an amazing neuro therapist in Windsor who successfully treats dyspraxia, dyslexia and other things...

If you look at INPP.org to learn a bit more about neuro delay and that it can be treated and see if it's something you want to consider. The therapist we used is INPP qualified as well as other techniques and is so so so much cheaper.

I was a sceptic but the results in my dc were amazing and improvement started quickly.

[LIZS]

I think most wouldn't recommend a specific school , the nearest you might get is whether academic environment is most suited etc. Would recommend ours but she is retiring .

[MillyMollyMama]

I actually think poor organisational skills won't be helped by an ed psych recommendation. I would look at where you think DS would be best suited academically and pastorally. By the sounds of it you really need a school with outstanding and enthusiastic teaching to give oomph to your DS's learning. Organisation can be slow to come, but boys can be later maturing and I would not look for a secondary school that appears to be tolerant of this. I would encourage him at every opportunity to become self reliant.

[holidaysrcoming]

thanks for replies - MMM did you mean to say that you would NOT look for a school that appears to be tolerant of this?! Very good point re self reliance.

I say poor organisational skills, but it's so subjective and relative (prob if I'm honest to my dd) - just things like forgetting to bring homework/books/uniform etc home.

But could an ed psych not help with disparity between written work/maths test results and his verbal/mental maths capability?

[Celeriacacaca]

Random, can you repost the web address re neurodelay please? That site is a professional diving site! We're waiting for a Dyspraxia assessment for similar "symptoms" but am v interested in other possibilities. Thanks.

[RandomMess]

Oops sorry!

www.inpp.org.uk/

INPP are only one organisation that offer treatment. Like I said the practioner I used is MUCH cheaper (he doesn't make you pay ££££££ for a written assessment) he practises from Peterfield and Windsor.

[LIZS]

An ed psych can identify the gap between performance and ability, possible reasons and strategies. Poor organisational skills , may or may not be related.

[Thereshallbeaspirin]

It's a specialist occ therapist who can diagnose/advise on dyspraxia, not an Ed Psych (although an ed psych might see enough to suggest this route).

They would not advise on school choice, as dyspraxia is not a learning disability that by itself would get someone statemented. Their advice would be in the realms of sensory diet stuff directly relating to DCs needs and to be performed at home. For us the only school-relavent stuff has been that school were informed and no longer discipline my DC for forgetting stuff/being late etc, and we also have a stress ball and a rubber cushion for school to allow DC to fidget 'quietely'.

[Thereshallbeaspirin]

Disparity between verbal and written performance could be dyspraxia or could be dyslexia of course. Either way, one of the best ways of overcoming this effect is to have your DC touch typing - uses a different part of the brain and 'frees' up their processing speed.

You might need ed psych recommendation to be able to use laptop/tablet in class and may want to out out feelers to secondary schools as to their enthusiasm for this. Some schools happy to let anyone use a laptop, dx or not, some are very old fashioned in this respect (but they have to abide if dyslexia is an underlying dx and is at a level substantial enough for it to be needed).

Here's a very quick test for you to try at home. Roll up a piece of paper and tell them to look through it, and check which eye they use. Then tell them to catch a bean bag with either hand and see whcih one they use, and then kick a ball and ask them to kick it back and see which one they use. If the result is LRL or RLR rather than RRR or LLL then definitely worth investigating further - this is a very quick and dirty measure of NT versus non NT for the bits of the brain that also dominate dyspraxia, dyslexia, dyscalculia. Not foolproof but I have taken my DC to any number of therapists, and almost all non ed psychs have used a variant of this as one of their checks (various DC have various dx, all fun in our house). Have seen occ therapists, behavioural optometrists, optician and a few new age people (tinsley house etc) do this.

[Poisonwoodlife]

You can get an Ed Psych assessment from the Helen Arkyll Centre in Frensham www.arkellcentre.org.uk. They are a charity devoted to helping those with Specific Learning Difficulties including Dyslexia (literacy problems) and Dyspraxia (motor control, organisational and sensory issues) and also provide lots of follow up support in terms of courses for parents and pupils.

[Poisonwoodlife]

Also in terms of school choice plenty of the local private schools have good provision for those with Specific Learning Difficulties, recognising many are very able and have a lot of potential if given the right support. Hampton School have particularly good support unit with a drop in centre with excellent resources. The Helen Arkyll centre will be well known to them and it is recommended to parents by LEH when they suggest an assessment.

[MillyMollyMama]

Just to explain, because my post did look a bit odd!

I meant I would look for a school that was not especially tolerant of disorganisation because I think organisation starts to develop when a child has to do something and the teacher is not continually saying it does not matter or don't fotget your PE kit next time. I think schools should expect pupils to be organised and reinforce that. Therefore it helps with organisation skills to go to a school that has high expectations. I hope that makes more sense.

[Poisonwoodlife]

Milly if someone's poor organisational skills are down to a brain difference like Dyspraxia then you do need a school that understands that it isn't down to lazyitus or not trying. Obviously you do not want a school that takes Specific Learning Difficulties as an excuse not to do something, too many make assumptions that eg dyslexics should not do essay subjects, languages etc but the school needs also to provide an environment which supports them and gives them the time and space to acquire skills recognising it does not come as easily as for their other pupils. I am sure most parents of Pupils with Specific Learning Diificulties are familar with patiently explaining to teachers the exact problems their children face. It really helps if the school have an effective strategy in place.

That is why an Ed Psych assessment can be invaluable giving you an insight into and expert evidence of their precise strengths and weaknesses

[holidaysrcoming]

Thank you all for your advice. I see the Helen Arkell centre offer a great value first consultation - after which you can pursue the (great value I am sure but £££) assessments.

Does anyone know how do they test for poor organisational skills? (short of living in my house!!)

[Poisonwoodlife]

holidays the lack of organisational skills stems from the specific learning difficulties that Dyslexics/Dyspraxics experience as a result of eg poor working memory and problems processing information, both of which the Ed Psych will do tests to assess. www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/about-dyslexia/schools-colleges-and-universities/what-are-specific-learning-difficulties.html

And yes, unfortunately a bedroom that looks like a bomb site is one common symptom.........

The Ed Psych full assessment is £££ but cheaper at Helen Arkyll that in general but for us they have been invaluable. Not just knowing their strengths and weaknesses and using the expert evidence to get support and develop coping strategies but also so they understand why they are different. I went through my childhood bewildered as to why other people seemed to be able to remember things and organise themselves but I couldn't. I always felt it must be my fault, I wasn't concentrating enough or I was stupid.