GCSE reduced subjects advice needed

I don't like the way the school staff are closing ranks. Hopefully after half term you will be able to get the meeting, but it would be unusual in my experience for a SENCO to be making the decision regarding which courses a student takes. Especially one who isn't on the SEN register! So the decision maker needs to be there.

Ask the educational psychologist if he or she will do standardised tests.

These were helpful to me when I was told (by the LA educational psychologist during DD's ECHNA in year 5) that she was "two years behind". The standardised tests carried out by an ed psych I booked privately showed that she is average, which is borne out by her now being average academically at a comprehensive in year 8.

Returning to the school, I wonder if you may ultimately need to do a Subject Access Request to find out what has been said over the years about DS.

No need to panic just yet. There will be more than one sixth form available and hopefully college options, and alternatives to A-level such as BTEC. The main thing is to come out of year 11 with a reasonable clutch of GCSEs including Maths and English. As pp said, 6 that you do well in is better than more that you don't! At my school some students mix A-level and BTEC so you could do one academic A-level in something you're passionate about like History or Geography (I think the OP's mentioned her son likes those) and then BTECs in various subjects which because they have a large aspect of continous assessment, really reduces stress for some types of student.

BTECs give you UCAS points.

This is appalling! I am so sorry.

Well done! I found it really hard to question school, they were really good at deflecting.
The assessment you have booked is likely to be a really positive experience for your son, even if they do find something. My son has dyslexia and assessor explained to him yes he had dyslexia but he was also really well in pattern matching and a number of other things and explained how that would impact his life. During the assessment she found out what he loved doing and then explained why the things he was great at would make him really good at those things. She described his ideal job and he followed that path, it's been life changing for him. His dyslexia presents itself mainly as problems copying, spelling and processing spoken information, he's actually ok at reading. He's doing really well now, and at university.
Best of luck with the assessment and your hopefully face to face meeting with school.

You can call them and discuss what your concerns are before booking the assessment, so you’ll know you’re getting the right one.

I would go for a Dyslexia/Dyspraxia Assessment. They will check for processing speed etc within that. I would also book with an Educational Psychologist rather than an Assessor.

I had my DC assessed and went straight back to school with a very detailed report. They didn’t like it, but had to make the adjustments.

One thing schools don’t tell you is that they are not qualified to diagnose it. They just dismiss, dismiss, dismiss, especially if DC is well behaved/quiet.

Being able to work on a laptop with spell check & immersive reader, extra time and a reader/scribe for exams are just the main adjustments which have made a huge difference. No copying from the board, printed texts given in a larger dyslexia friendly font on tinted paper or an overlay also help.

Dyslexics can have slower processing which may explain why your DC is never able to finish tests. They also sometimes have visual stress, which is not checked in a standard eye test.

Book at mtg at school. At ours the kids who take the most vocational pathways know well in advance. They know if they are bottom sets. The discussions start before Xmas with the kids

Well done. You have had a really difficult time in the last few days but have taken all the advice on board, talked things through with the person who matters most In all of this - your son and taken positive action by getting an appointment with an educational psychologist. I think all of us here will take our hats off to you. Please let us know how you both get on in the future, if you feel able to.

Teacher here. It doesn't have to be sorted in the next 2 weeks, there's always a degree of flexibility when required. Also, this is terrible communication from the school.

Letter to Head of Year, explain shocked and upset. Ask for a meeting. Don't fill in the options form until you've had a meeting.

I would say 6 GCSEs that someone can pass is better than 8 GCSEs that they're going to fail.

I became a teacher after my eldest was through the education system. They never did bother to support. She left with practically nothing. She didn't do A Levels or go to university. But she does now earn considerably more than me in a very well respected field - enough to buy her own place in a posh town and drive a massive car. She's bright and confident and with a fantastic career. You're right to fight for your son to be happy. Don't lose sight of that goal.

Good luck OP! Have you had communication from the school or any opportunity to do the original pathway?

FWIW, as a teacher, the end of Feb deadline may seem like a hard deadline but in reality things will be moving up to the end of the summer holidays! At the very least they will have kids move away, others arrive etc.

For the majority of children things won’t change after that date, but there are always exceptions and your son’s case is unique.

That's a good reply to read.

Have you had any more from school?

I mean this in the kindest way, but do you think ds will manage A levels of he is low high school sets and isn’t doing ‘ brilliantly’ now? DD started her Alevels this time and her over all grades were 6s with 7s in the subject she chose at A level at the leap from GSCE to A level was huge! She has now decided not to continue and is starting on a level 3 workbased apprenticeship instead.

I, too, think your school appears to be not as good as it should be, especially as your son obviously has a few specific issues and they have not been communicating with you or, seemingly, doing anything to help. I agree with those asking if there is any possibility of moving schools. I also think that seeing a private education psychologist, if you can afford it, would be a good idea. You needed to ask for testing for a whole raft of possibilities. One others thought. I have known a cousin of people who have changed schools and repeated year nine. This has given them the confidence to review work they might have missed before GCSE courses are started and for the teachers to get to know them.

Sorry I forgot to say document everything you and they say in writing and keep all emails

In DCs school they have had a few teachers that are dyslexic. They understand the issues. In all fairness other teachers seem to be good too, but don't know how much training they have had. We have found teachers in high school much more supportive than some of the primary school teachers and far more understanding than the senco.

No assessment was made to see if exam access arrangements needed to be put in place until I pushed.

Due to family history we were looking out for dyslexia. We were also able to fund diagnosis and a weekly session with tutor that specialises in supporting those with dyslexia ( which has made a massive difference).
I hate to think how many children slip though the net and are undiagnosed, despite having some form of additional need.

I’m sorry OP, your son’s school sounds absolutely shit.

I just wouldn’t accept it. Broken record “no, I want him to have the same GCSE choices as everyone else”. Over and over again.

Also, all these deadlines the school is giving you are made up by them. Fuck em.

Apologies if you have covered this before but is moving school a possibility?

@Arizona29 any updates?

Depends on the secondary school. Ours, a true comprehensive but top of local league tables for years, trains staff well, repeatedly.

Thanks @SundayMondayMyDay I didn’t look at the tests. They mentioned processing speed and said that it had improved. It was annoying but I maybe wrongly assumed that if he qualified for extra time it would be in everyone’s interest that he got it including the schools!

GCSEs have now gone. He has one very good teacher for A-level who is convinced he needs extra time and is gathering evidence for this. I need to revisit. Thanks for the info. I feel sad we have fight for this!

@Delatron Have you looked in detail at what tests the school did? Speaking to friends about it, tests that were done at school didn’t seem to be as in-depth as the private assessments i have seen. I think there might be a threshold in terms of extra time for processing speed (I think it might be 13th centile or lower??) - but you would need to check. It is worth looking at JCQ exam arrangements policies, and seeing what they say, as ultimately it is those that will determine whether extra time is given in external exams.

interestingly, my eldest dc has a dyslexia diagnosis, and had to undergo a quick assessment in school for the purposes of them filling in the JCQ (or is it JQC??) form to apply for extra time, but dc2 (dyslexia and autism) was just granted extra time due to the neurodisability (autism), without an assessment of his processing speed (i think it is a different category on the form).

Yes I’m sure you’re right. I actually think it’s really hard to qualify for extra time. I feel bad for DS as he often runs out of time and the rest breaks don’t help him so he doesn’t take them. But I have to trust the school
on this and their testing means he didn’t qualify or wouldn’t benefit.