GCSEs, Extra Time and Dyslexia - Help, Please!

[ILoveToLaugh]

DD(15) is Yr 11 was tested out of the blue to see if she qualified for extra time in her upcoming exams just before the end of term. She does (for all exams) and the inclusion manager told her (I wasn't there this just what DD told me) that she was "dyslexic with word processing and memory issues" and further that one of her scores as a "concern" but "there was nothing (the school) could do". Up until now, her predicted minimum grades were As and Bs. Now they are Bs and C's. This is fine by me, but I'm floundering a lot bit about sixth form choices now as the cut off grades for A Levels are B. I just want to know what to do for the best for DD! Can anyone point me in the right direction, please? She's done an online test linked through this site and which said she had a high chance of being dyslexic. Where should we go from here?

[HoldenCaulfield80]

If I were you I'd in touch with the school and see if you can talk to the SENCO. It would be unusual - but not unheard of - for dyslexia to be diagnosed this late in the day so I'd really want to hear it from the horses mouth!

[auntpetunia]

I agree contact the senco either over the holiday or first day back. My ds is dyslexic and dyspraxic Diagnosed in primary. School allow extra time and he gets access to a scribe and a laptop. If your dd has a proper diagnosis then school should be putting everything in place don't let them tell you that because she hasn't had it in the mocks she's can't have it, if she's got a medical diagnosis then she can. only problem would be getting her used to used the scribe and laptop.

[mummytime]

My DD has a processing issue which means she has extra time of 25%, she is still expected As and As in all exams (she might not achieve this without the extra time as reading the questions takes longer). My DS also had extra times and gained As, A and B grades in most subjects.

The tests they do for extra time should not be enough to diagnose dyslexia, and the testers often are not qualified to diagnose dyslexia.

I would contact the SENCO and find out exactly what was said and the results of the test. I would also want to make sure the school is not using the results of the tests to lower expectations, as that is not what they are their for. Expected grades should still be based on SATs and other data from previous testing. The whole point of extra time is to level the playing field for some students who would otherwise be heavily disadvantaged.

[happygardening]

My DS1 is "dyslexic" he has very poor processing problems and a poor working memory, his reading, spelling, comprehension are all good and his IQ puts him in the top 5%. This was all initially diagnosed by an educational psychologist, which we paid for when he was at prep school. You can get one done by the school (state) we've had a "follow up" one done but it wasn't as compressive as the one we paid for. I understand that the initial conclusions dont change, he has learnt to cope with it better as he's got older but he does under perform significantly across the board.
He achieved a few B's and mainly C's in his GCSE and was not allowed to stay on at the 6th form of his "outstanding high achieving academy" because his grades weren't good enough but our local well regarded 6 th form college too him. Their view was that pupils like him can do well when one they're doing less subject (he has organisational problems) and secondly are doing subjects they enjoy and have chosen unlike math. He's currently predicted an A and 2B's and the general consensus is that he could get 3A's if he worked harder. Dyslexics IME are frequently criticised for not working hard but I think it's easy to forget how hard that are working to even achieve what they are achieving.
All through his school life (prep till yr 9 and state year 9- current) he has been let down and misunderstood, my head is aching from banging it against a wall stuffed with ignorant couldn't care less jobs worth teachers who either don't read guildlines from SENCO's, read them and assume it doesn't apply to them, read them and couldn't care less or read them know it applies to them but won't make the most tiny changes to enable him to access the curriculum better and then moan when he under performs.
Best of luck.

[ILoveToLaugh]

Thanks so much for replying, it really helps to try and get my head around it all! She has a place at a sixth form college (who in offer letter emphasised if she didn't get the grades they'd advise her about what to do next), she really doesn't like current school and it's time to stretch her wings. She has an interview for another college though which is much closer to home (this will out me but the first college is a ferry commute!) and am wondering how best to play it. I suppose I'm wondering whether her predicted grades will plummet and they won't offer her a place at all. I guess if she just explains the situation, all the confusion and takes her current and previous reports with her it would help her case! I'll be onto the senco first thing next term!

Thanks all very much for your help, again.

[eatyourveg]

You can hold as many college places as you want so she doesn't have to make any decisions until August - apply for all the ones she is interested in and make the decision after her grades come in.