7yo dd, SATS, and a few other problems

[QueenMolotov]

My 7yo dd is in Y2 and has had ongoing problems with reading and writing since Y1. I noticed that she was struggling/wasn't progressing with reading and writing around this time last year. I flagged it with school at the time but they weren't keen to act upon it until she inevitably failed her Y1 phonics test.

I thought she may have had dyslexia, but this doesn't seem to be the case. I'm still suspicious that she has dysgraphia and have said this numerous times to her Y2 teacher, but her Y2 teacher doesn't think this is so.

It would seem that a number of factors contributed her not meeting the standard in Y1, including a change in teacher (she had 2 teachers in Y1, and one left in the summer term to be replaced by a substitute), as well as her own confidence, sensitivities and possibly abilities.

School have supported her since the beginning of Y2; she has a good teacher. Dds reading level has just progressed to level 12 and her handwriting is still improving, which is lovely to see. Her numeracy skills are good.

However, Y2 started doing their SATS last week and dd came home today and told me that on a test where they had to read two texts to gather information, she only managed to get 3 out of 12 correct. She said she felt "weird" about this.

There was an issue a couple of weeks ago where dd felt that the art teacher who they have once a week shouted at her. I raised this issue with the head as it seemed quite unpleasant; the outcome was that the art teacher hadn't meant for dd to take it the way she had. The head thought that my dd was anxious and offered to refer her to who I think is the educational counsellor/psychologist. Dds teacher thought that was unnecessary so I put that on hold. Would it have been making a mountain of a mole hill?

My worry is that she is so young and seems to already have a complex about her perceived lack of abilities. It's been a rewarding year at times, but altogether worrying and I'm stuck between thinking I should shrug it off, that she's so young and SATS are so problematic anyway; to then thinking that something must be going very wrong and that school is failing her somewhere.

I didn't get the chance to approach dds teacher today and feel like I'm running out of energy and am getting increasingly worried/frustrated (I also have a 4yo and am 20w pg). I'd appreciate some of your thoughts and constructive feedback about what to possibly do next.

[user789653241]

If you have been offered to be referred to EP, I think you should take it. I would.
If they find nothing, good. If they did, it's better to find out sooner, so you and school can come up with the plan to help your dd. I think there's nothing to lose.