If you suspect a child is dyslexic, what should the school be doing? Is there an online screening tool?

[BoobiesToTheRescue]

When I was diagnosed it started off with an online screening tool.

Is there such thing for children?

I keep asking the school about my son being screened and I'm met with blank faces.
They referred him to an OT who we saw yesterday, they said he's absolutely fine but needs screening for dyslexia.
More blank faces at school.

What should I expect from the school at this point?

Can I get him screened myself to give us more welly (if he does have it, he may not)?

School recommended we go through this book at home.
It took 15 mins a day for 6 months and was boring as hell. But my son improved his reading age by 3 years in those 6 months.

www.amazon.co.uk/Toe-Structured-Multi-sensory-Reading-Teachers/dp/0952256401/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?s=gateway&crid=1PVS8DGXDU4HE&keywords=toe+by+toe&sprefix=toe+b&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1554482705&sr=8-1

My sons school are screening him after Easter (not a diagnosis but an indicator) as we (and they) suspect he is dyslexic. If the screening come back showing difficulties it will be assessment with an educational psychologist but there will likely be a long wait.
In the mean time school have tried coloured filters and found a colour that seems to help him (green in his case) they've given him a 'bookmark' he can read through and a green exercise book to write in.

Find a local ed psych and get him tested. Our most recent report cost £550.

So if primary school does nothing to help a child who is undoubtedly dyslexic but not diagnosed, what’s happens when they arrive at secondary school unable to read, write or spell?

Our school "screened" at my behest and were sceptical and decreed all was fine. Ds is bright and dyslexic so not 'failing' so they were not at all interested. They were gobsmaked when the private educational psychologist came back with definitely dyslexic. Fairly hopeless thereafter tbh. We got a specialist tutor. But it helped us and D's understand. Unless your child is dismally failing you can forget any school or lea doing anything (diagnosis or intervention). It cost us, but had been well worth it. Previously ds thought he was stupid now he knows he's smart and dyslexic.

Thank you.
I'm absolutely going private. We can't afford it until the summer but someone already emailed me back and said they won't test until the term after they are 8 anyway so it all kind of slots in nicely from that perspective.

I appreciate the advice, it's al taken onboard.

For us, the difficulty we had was in identifying the problem. We had to proactively approach the school about our concerns with DS. I suspect that if we hadn't been on the ball, DS still wouldn't have a diagnosis.

When I formally approached the school, they arranged for the EP to assess him and we got a confirmation of dyslexia.

Hi OP I don't think you should have to go private unless you can actually afford it.
You should go to school, and if they reject you, council.

@MattMagnolia just because schools can't pay for testing that parents can pay for themselves does not mean they do nothing. They can do plenty without needing a test result. At our school if they think they are likely to be dyslexic they will give them the appropriate support.

Not all EPs are happy to diagnose dyslexia these days due to fresh research. I had an interesting chat with one who says that there’s no different techniques or strategies you’ve give to a dyslexic child that you wouldn’t give to a ‘poor reader’ so perhaps be aware of that before you get in touch with EPs.

Is the school an academy or an L.A. school. That might make a difference as to what outside support is accessible.

There are hints you could try at home as well as seeking private reports. It does depend, of course, on what your son’s particular difficulty is. If it’s reading, try a coloured overlay, as has been suggested, or using a ruler under text to help with following it.

There used to be a resource called Toe by Toe, which can be really boring, but also can be helpful. I don’t know whether it’s still available, but it can make a difference.

There are so many variables in specific learning difficulties though and you do need a more in depth assessment to steer you in the right direction for your child. The process is lengthy and much will depend on the school following recommendations from an EP or similar. Some schools are better than others at working with SEND.

Things have probably changed/moved on, but I spent 9 years working with children with SEND, several as an advisory teacher for SpLD and several as a SENCo.

19 years, not nine.

I am in Scotland so may be different but we suspected dyslexia from age 6 which is primary 2. He’s been assessed in school and confirmed dyslexic last year age 10 and a half.

Our assessment cost £600, best money I've ever spent. I'd been on at the school for a few years and they said they'd tested her and as she was an advanced reader she was fine. Then finally in yr 4 once I said I was happy to pay they said ok, well she might have it but it's not bad enough for us to do anything.

At that point she couldn't spell her own name, whilst reading all the Harry Potter's...

The EP was fantastic and spent the whole day with DD. Turns out DD is dyslexic, and also has dyspraxia and attention issues - I suspect ADHD although that wasn't dx (DBro has it).

DD is developing strategies to cope, her spelling and handwriting is improving. She is entitled to extra exam time and a computer. And she is no longer told to stop being lazy and try harder .

I challanged the school using their assessments. dd failed their phonics test and was lagging behind badly with reading and writing in ks1compared with other subjects, it was obvious. I insisted on having a 1-2-1 discussion with the
senco and stalked the admin office for her! The meeting never happened. Insted they put in specialist support which was amazing. Shes now on a level with her peers in ks3 and i will be forever grateful to that dyslexia teacher.

Nessy for a screen. Private Ed Psyc for report.
Have a look at "Dyslexia help and support UK" on face book

Not all EPs are happy to diagnose dyslexia these days due to fresh research. I had an interesting chat with one who says that there’s no different techniques or strategies you’ve give to a dyslexic child that you wouldn’t give to a ‘poor reader’ so perhaps be aware of that before you get in touch with EPs.

I can appreciate this. But we are experiencing behavioural issues. And I need to know whether it's something underlying or 'just' behaviour. During his pointless OT appt they noted that writing for him is very hard work, it's very effortful which will be tiring and might explain why he's not able to concentrate in the afternoons and being distracting to other pupils.

Dyslexia or not this needs to be - and is being - addressed but I need to know whether there's something else we need to consider when tackling this.

The writing bit could be dysgraphia.
Have a look, and see if it matches. I like this graphic

I second the toe by toe book.

If you suspect he is you could just go ahead and do the toe-by-toe programme with him. It’s designed for parents to do too.

I have just seen someone else recommended it too 👍

Great I will look into that today, and the link. Thank you.