ds has dyslexia, but school will give no support or recognition

[nooka]

I had ds assessed for dyslexia a few months back. It runs very strongly in my family (virtually all the boys) and I wasn't too surprised that the ed psyc said yes. He's very bright but can't do phonetic reading at all. She said he should be way ahead, and that he was starting to get very frustrated and should have help now. She also said that the LEA were unlikely to provide it, and we are looking into tutors for him. He is almost 8 and his reading age is a "young" 7, so it's not something that has been picked up as a problem. However he has been on school action plus for a couple of years because the school thinks he has social and emotional problems. His class teachers have never really agreed with this, and he has a good set of friends, but he does find it difficult to settle down to things that don't interest him, especially reading. The ed psyc said that he concentrated very well for her in a one on one situation (this is what we find at home) and that the sorts of behaviours he is showing at school are very typical for dyslexic children. We just got a letter from school saying that they had read the report and discussed it with their ed psyc (who as far as we are aware has never met ds) and that because there are other children of greater need they will not be providing any support. Now I don't really object to this, because I expected it, and it's probably true, but they have also said they will not be putting him on the SEN register for his dyslexia but will continue to do so for his emotional problems (his class teacher had asked for him to be removed from this and his IEP consists of two lines, one of which is practicing taking turns...). Is this not completely nuts! The irony is that without support he will undoubtedly get more and more frustrated and be more and more of a pain in the classroom, so it seems very shortsighted to me. Has anyone else had a similar experience, and is there anything worth doing about it? We are in Bromley LEA.

[PeachyClair]

Hiya

I can suggest two things:

1. A friend taker son to BIBIC (we also take ds1 for his AS), they do dyslexia, but there is some financial outl;ays (although buraries are available); definitely worth a look- www.bibic.org.uk (don't be off put by the severe Sn thing; they do dyslexia etc as well).

Also, look up IPSEA on the internet. Tjheir advice line takes ages to get through to, but is every bit worth it when you do.


Its frankly bizarre that they'll still IEP him for the emotional stuff but not the dyslexia, as dyslexia DOES relate to social, behavioural, memory things as well. It can in fact be quite debilitating, and surely anything that causes a child to struggle could contribute to other issues?????

When we had similar woth the SEN register- we just called the LEA and asked them.

[nooka]

dh has the letter and I'm not entirely sure about the details, but it sounds like they are disputing the findings of the assessment just because he is bright and has managed to keep up so far. I think I will ask to see the Headmaster about it and talk to the LEA too. It's not that I'm after lots of extra support, I can accept that other children may have a higher priority and I'm OK with organising that outside of school, but I do think that they need to take it on board and should adjust their teaching style for him (extra time for tests etc). Oh and stop insisting that he has emotional problems when he appears to make friends easily and keep them, and none of his teachers have complained for a long time. Aa couple of years ago the SEN implied that he was autistic - and that I was too because I didn't stay with the group when asked to come on a school trip - I don't like crowds and I had a broken arm which I was worried would get jostled. Stupid woman...

[PeachyClair]

You know, I would look her in the eye and say 'Of course you wetre almost right- many researchers today believe that dyslexia and autism are on the same spectrum, albeit at differing ends'.

If they're disputing the results I take it they're prepared to have him assessed again? If not, then I don't see how they can. And dyslexic kids, generally, ARE bright.

How about buyimng a decent guide to Dyslexia and gift wrapping it for the SENCO?

I've been sort of here myself, DS1 is Aspergers and it took us ages to get this diagnosis accepted by the school, its only now with the LEA breating down their neck that it is starting to happen.

I would definitely call IPSEA as theya re up on all the laws that SENCO's have to abide by, you could also try your local library- ours at the University have loads of info on this topic, your library should be able to order some in for you.

BTW I ahve Aspergers, although undiagnosed- and whilst OK I'm not into groups on trips, it doesn't affect my judgements RE my kids in any way, why would she think it any of her business??

[beckybrastraps]

Technically (and I'm not saying this is ideal), a child shouldn't be on the SEN register unles he/she is receiving help over and above normal classroom teaching. A diagnosis of SEN isn't in itself grounds for inclusion.

As your ds has an IEP for other SEN, it seems odd that wouldn't at least mention the dyslexia on it, but they are abiding by the letter of the CoP.

Whether they should be providing support is of course a different matter...

[PeachyClair]

Whilst that's probably true certainly our school was avoiding putting DS on the register by refusing to acknolwledge and therefore provide help for his SN- it is a vicious circle, iyswim. A gopod school that uses the code well is excellent, a bad one- well!

[beckybrastraps]

A school I worked in was criticised over this by OFSTED.

We had older children with dyslexia who had had intervention in previous years but who were judged to have made sufficient progress to work with only differentiated classroom practice and special exam provisions. However, because they were no longer part of the intervention programme, they weren't technically School Action, and therefore should not have been on the SEN register. But without the IEPs, how were their teachers supposed tobe aware of the need for differentiated classroom practice. So we did the IEPs, and OFSTED didn't like it

[chatee]

please have a look under my name for a discussion that took place in either oct,nov or dec 06.

the school will be having problems filling in all (and some uneccessary )paperwork that is needed for any child deemed to need more support than what can be provided in the classroom, therefore they are having to limit which children they include with IEP's as they just don't have the time or money to complete them on every child

will check back here tonight...must dash

[beckybrastraps]

But he has an IEP...

[nooka]

Yes he has the most ridiculous IEP in my view - surely all children have to learn to take turns? He is on school action plus at the moment, but I think he has finished all his external support now, as the physio (finally) agreed that really it didn't matter that he wasn't very co-ordinated - it doesn't bother him at all, and it is a family trait that hasn't caused any great grief to anyone else. On that front I definitely think that resources should be spent on other children. So I'm not sure what his status will be now (the last session was a couple of weeks ago). I do slightly wonder whether they are just being unhelpful because it wasn't their idea to get him tested. But one of the reasons I chose this school is because they have a very high rate of children with SEN (they have a behavioural difficulties unit) so I thought they would be good at support and expertise. My understanding is that dyslexia is a recognised disability (it certainly is one of the things you can tick the box for on application forms at work) so I thought they would be better at recognising it really. Oh well, I must just get on with arranging him to have a tutor out of school and check with the LEA I guess. Irritating though!

Oh and I just thought the SENCO was a) rude she implied to my ex that I had a problem; and b) wrong I work with people all day in a facilitating role, and he is a computer programmer and known to be "difficult" I'd say she was fingering the wrong parent really!

I'll see if I can find the chatee thread too.

[nooka]

Hah, I have the letter now it says:

"The report states that x is of high average ability and functioning within the average range of areas of literacy. Bromley, as with all education authorities, has very stringent guidelines regarding putting children on the SEN register and supporting them. X is on our SEN register because of his difficulties with concentration etc., he would not fit the guidelines for the academic criteria as his SATS and other score are too high.

Therefore he would not be able to access support under the schools and the LEA criteria. There are far too many children with a greater level of need."

I think I will reply asking what stringent guidelines he has been assessed under that put him on the SEN register (I didn't know he was on it!) for his "difficulties with concentration" that were unable to diagnose him appropriately, and that are quite clearly related to his dyslexia that they are refusing to acknowledge!

The dyslexia report says:
"x is underachieving in literacy skills particularly when compared to his verbal ability. There are dyslexic difficulties that are likely to account for x?s struggle with learning and given the family history intervention would be highly advantageous."

"Mr and Mrs nooka should discuss this report with x?s school to ensure they are aware of his profile of abilities and difficulties in learning. He will benefit from a sympathetic and supportive approach from his teachers who should be aware that his attainments are below the level predicted by his intellectual ability. This is certainly a source of frustration for x. His distractibility is a direct result of his thinking skills profile and will have an impact on practical matters such as assimilating lists of instructions. Work should be marked for content and effort, rather than spelling and length. Inconsistent motivation is ?normal? in dyslexic learners where effort is not always rewarded by appropriate results."

"x?s Individual Education Plan needs to include specialist teaching provision, clear targets and the means of regular and objective assessment of progress."

It seems to me that because ds is bright and has good compensation techniques he hasn't slipped back too far yet, and that essentially we are being told by the school that we should wait until he gets really frustrated, his achievements drop and he starts to hate school, and then they may possibly give him some help. In the meantime they will continue with their plan to "help ds put his hand up to ask questions..." grr

NB On the ADHD bit which the stupid SENCO is hung up on she says
"Dyslexic children who display poor attention only during school lessons are more likely to be failing to concentrate as a consequence of their reading or writing difficulties rather than because of a true attentional deficit."

It's a really good report, and well worth the morning of tests ds had to do (he told me he really enjoyed them and would like to do it again!) and the £400 I spent. I really wonder how much time the SENCO has spent with ds in the last couple of years and what knowledge and qualifications she actually has (bugger all I suspect!)

Sorry! Rant over - still it has made me feel better!

[isgrassgreener]

Nooka I also have a son with dyslexia, 9 in yr 4, the school also does very little to support him.
I had my IEP review meeting yesterday and I felt I could have achieved the same results, if I had spent the hour banging my head against a brick wall, as opposed to talking to the Senco.
I have been told that next year he will be put into the booster classes for numeracy and literacy.
This really pissed me off, because that is all about trying to catch up for yr 6 sats and nothing to do with his needs.
If they already know he will need to be boosted in year 5, why don't they do something in yr 4?

I have had advice from the Dyslexia association etc about what you can do and in the end they just say if you are not getting the help then ask for a statutary assessment, but it isn't as simple as all that.

We have resorted to a private tutor, which is really expensive, but hopefully worth it.

[nooka]

I'm going to do that too - just have to find one. It's frustrating because we have lots of dyslexics in the family and I know early support makes all the difference. I didn't expect lots of extra support for him, but I did think they woudl change his IEP to something sensible now we have confirmed why he is struggling. Stupid SENCOs!

[nooka]

Have to say your situation sounds even crazier than mine - we will recognise a problem, but not just yet... Our letter suggests that we employ a private tutor, which I think is majorly cheeky