So the type of difficulties that mean your potential at 11 isn’t obvious. Many people with dyslexia are bright but take longer to find their stride in education. The content is good but the details need a bit of work - grammar schools and the 11+ fails people like you. Children who face the same challenges as you are way more likely to fail but then develop into very strong students but failing the 11+ compounds their sense of failure.
You don’t want to be condemned but you want to condemn many children to thinking of themselves as failures. Just stop and think for yourself and stop repeating the mistakes your mother made. I must question your mothers skills an educationalist if she couldn’t diagnose her own daughters dyslexia.
And before you go on, I’m dyslexic was diagnosed by accident at university, both my D.C. are ND which is one of the reason I did not want them to attend grammar school.
I think this thread is you trying to work out some issue with your mum and sister and you need therapy not a MN thread.
· Anothermoomin · Today 13:43
First of all Grammar schools have been good for all members of my family apart from DH and my adopted Son who was adopted under Kinship protocols . DH was Public School Educated, my Son is moving to a Independent School on Wednesday to repeat his year 10. This being necessary because his current Comprehensive is unable to take DS's GCSE attainment post grades 2-4. This is largely been decided by the School due to his numerous difficulties. Unfortunately, a belief exists and maybe funding issues that's as far as the school can take him given that in year 7 his reading levels were that of a 6 year old, and his mathematical Skills of a 7 year old around.
Therefore, from the moment DS Secondary School he had to start reducing a deficit of four years based on average attainment. The school has provided appropriate teaching on the whole, despite not being able to get him in position where he be able to study at Level 3. The School has a specialised SEN department which takes children from a distance. The school is not particularly held in high regard but it was the most appropriate one until he out grew it. Thus, I took the decision to enrol him in a Private School because both myself and his new school believe given a restart in year 10 he can comfortably exceed grades 2-4 across eight subjects. More importantly he should attain at least grade 5's in English/Maths which opens up Level 3 study either A levels or Vocational Study possibly at another Private School. In DS's case high grades at Level 3 might not be the be all and end all but the two years in a Sixth Form and the maturing might be the ultimate gain.
With regards to my families relationship to Grammar Schools, let me start with myself and how my mothers influence and her indefatigability in helped her youngest daughter survive and then thrive. Thus, enabling a child who at 10.5 years age and 43 years with reading and comprehension skills around that of an 8 year old to have enough of a skill set to pass the 11+ .
In todays world perhaps an educational psychologist would diagnose my obvious problems, which my mum knew existed. However, in 1983 there was no such thing of support and any inclination of such disabilities would have indicated a place in a Special School might be appropriate. Indeed it could be said that i might have been allocated a place, due to some some of my witnessed behaviour at 3. This, suggested I could have 'significant' intellectual disabilities according to a Pediatric Specialist the Nursery had contacted.
Despite these difficulties and obstacles presented to me I passed my 11+ through my mothers determination and my elder sisters 13 year old 'patience' being severely tested in drilling me how to answer. I was at or near the bottom of my Grammar school, for the majority of the seven years yet it got me to 'University' . So well done to a School i did not belong in, I wonder if a Comprehensive if it existed in Kent in 1984, would have got me to University. I suspect not and likely I would have left at 16 with zero qualifications and a father asking friends to give me a job doing anything in an office.
Now, we have my two DD's DD1 just finished year 11 at her Girls Grammar and attained mostly grade 9s and 8s at GCSE . DD2 is beginning year 10 next week at the same Grammar and likely will achieve similar GCSE results. Why would I be anything but pro Grammar Schools given my history !
Finally my diagnose of at least seven linked disabilities came when the Clinical Psychologist diagnosing DS encouraged me to also be diagnosed with my disabilities. To annoy posters even more I score ten Points on Pip daily living which I give the exact amount i receive of £ 345 a month a way to charity via a direct debit !