Support for Dyslexia/Dyscalculia at secondary school - Help!

[CatrinVennastin]

Hello!

Can anyone advise me on what support I should ask for or would be willing to share what support their DC receive from their school? My Year 8 DD is not getting any support and she is really struggling.

We had virtual parents evening last week and none of her teachers knew that she has Dyslexia and Dyscalculia. I did meet with the Senco at the start of the year but she has stopped answering my emails now. (have heard from other parents that she doesn't answer anyone's emails or voicemails).

DD is really struggling with maths. She cannot learn her times tables (have tried every method going to help her) and her short term memory is really poor.

It's taking hours to do her homework so I have started scribing for her. Her anxiety is through the roof over these long 12 mark questions that suddenly they are being given as homework.

She was as a school refuser throughout primary school and I can feel this building up again.

Any advice would be great thank you.

Here in lreland all children in Secondary use a calculator as they presume they know the basics and need to move on.
Has your dd got a psychological report outlining her difficulties? Could you send a copy of this to her Maths teacher/ English teacher . Does it suggest any special arrangements she needs?
I am a Special Needs Teacher at Primary and l always advise my children's parents to send an individual letter/ email to of of their child's teachers once that is sorted ot in Secondary. In my experience this information is never passed on from a central source so letting hem know in writing is important.

Yes I have several reports and all have been sent to both the senco and form tutor.

I’ve asked for another meeting in the new year.

Hi op how can many times have you contacted the Senco?

It beggars belief that your child is now at a point of massive struggles and no one is working with you on the this.

But.. It's what happens sadly.

I wouldn't waste any more time, have you tried to get an ehcp? Is she tested for dyslexia etc?

I'd possibly contact the head and ask what their stragety will be, look at their policy for sen, and ask how they are adhering to it.

Start to email in and get paper trails and in the mean time can you pay for tutors?

It wouldn't surprise me if no other teachers know of your dd issues at all and better still many will not kmow what to do with the information.

@Imdreamingofapeacefulxmas I have met with her once (at my request) and three emails unanswered now.

No echp as her primary school advised against applying. We had her diagnosed privately in the end. DH is dyslexic as is his brother and both my nephews and (their sister’s kids) so he can spot the signs.

I have emailed the head of year asking for a meeting. I have hearing loss so really struggle with zoom calls.

I have started looking into tutors. We are so broke this year after having to pay for major repairs to a collapsed chimney. Will just have to tighten our belts more as DD comes first.

To try and help with homework, have the times tables written out on a sheet that she can refer to. Colour code them if possible as it will help with visual memory.
When answering the long questions, maybe try and come up with a formula together. So, opening sentence listing the issues, look at one issue, look at the next, conclude etc. You could also put key words she finds hard to spell on a sheet so that she has them to refer to.
Speechy app is good as it allows you to talk and it will create the text you can then email to yourself, though you do need to remember to say punctuation. It may not be something you can use at school but could help alleviate some stress of homework.
If they are sending worksheets, look at the SnapType app - you can take pictures of worksheets and then complete them in the app. Typing can often be easier.

But ultimately, keep trying to get hold of the school. They all have SEN governors so if you fail, contact the governor instead.

Good luck!

Wow, why on earth did primary schools put off the ehcp? That's crazy and has left your dc now without funded help.
I'd get that ball rolling and start to kick up a massive fuss.

I wouldn't pussy foot anymore.
Head of year and the head, read policy on sen.
Ask next steps if Senco ignoring you.
Ask if teachers understand dyslexia?

Move schools.
You don’t have time to fight this battle.
Look at which schools offer more support than just to the kids (you can find it out on .gov website) and get the ball rolling.
Obviously what you should do is complain about the senco, get sendiass involved etc, but this is going to be a massive amount of your time, which you’ll stil need to soend supporting your child.
If moving is at all feasible, do it now. Don’t wait for year 10.

than just to the EHPC kids
Spend not soend
Sorry!

I'd be straight onto the Head of Year asking for a face to face meeting with them and the Senco. Don't hold back.

My DS, Year 7 was assessed privately (not by an educational psychologist) but recognised by the school. Is your assessment recognised by the school?

His primary school really let him down - there was no encouragement from their Senco for us to get a diagnosis. The secondary school have been fantastic. They have a member of staff that is solely a dyslexia advocate for the kids. She's his champion and has created a profile that each teacher has with his weaknesses and his strengths - plus anything that I wanted to add. They have supplied him with coloured paper, a seat at the front of the class, extra time in exams and weekly intervention. We are meeting in the new year to discuss the possibility of a laptop/other technology. I cannot praise them enough.

Initially, I told her my feelings that my DS had been let down and that I was not going to accept that further. Hinting at my rottweiler tendencies may have helped, but I don't think so. She is just very aware that I'll be chasing her if I need to.

Good luck OP. Dyslexia is such a complex and difficult thing - I had no idea and its been really quite tricky to navigate this journey and quite upsetting and frustrating too. We're just getting our head around it, get support and my DS is starting to 'own it's and it's starting to make a huge difference to us...and I say us because dyslexia can be all-consuming.

If you don’t get an acceptable response from the HOY contact the HT.

Does DD use a laptop and any assistive technology?

You can apply for an EHCNA yourself. IPSEA have a model letter you can use. Many LAs and schools tell parents their DC won’t get an EHCP or one isn’t necessary but the parents go on to successfully apply themselves. Case law shows it’s possible to get an EHCNA when a school could do more, but won’t - MC v Somerset County Council (SEN) [2015] UKUT 0461 (AAC).

If the senco is not replying to you I'd go to the head.
They should have a system to provide support and that includes letting all teachers know and helping them understand the implications
You must be so frustrated - I'd be going nuts!

@LooksLikeImStuckHere thank you. We have tried so many ways to learn the times tables but we can't get them to stick. I've been telling DD to use a calculator otherwise her homework takes her hours.

It's been really noticeable this year that she is struggling. In some subjects they are starting to work on these GCSE type questions which are long answers and she gets stuck.

The Speech App sounds great thank you.

@Imdreamingofapeacefulxmas

Honestly her primary school was a nightmare. I wish I had never allowed myself to be fobbed off about the EHCP. They told me only schools could recommend kids for it.

With hindsight I have been so naive about the whole process. DD was coping ok in Primary apart from the maths. Her teachers didn't believe she was Dyslexic because she can read really well.

@Igneo if moving was an option I would be looking. Her school is the best in our area of London. It's an all girls school and quite small. The others are pretty rough to be honest and I haven't heard anything good about the SEN support in either of them sadly. Our borough is just under funded and a bit crap in so many ways.

@MorningNinja that sounds ideal at your DS's school.

DD's assessment has been recognised but there's just not been any action. She also wears tinted glasses and hasn't worn them for a while now as she was refusing to as she didn't want to be "different". Now she's wearing them again she's been told off in nearly every class for wearing sunglasses!

@Imitatingdory the senco told us that she doesn't like them using a laptop as they have to carry it round the school and it is only useful in year 10. This is the stock answer apparently as I have spoken to two other parents who got the same spiel.

I emailed the HOY and she's offered us a meeting in early Jan.

@bestbefore I am really pissed off to be honest. I feel like I have left DD down with the EHCP. I have a meeting with the HOY booked now for early Jan and she's said the Senco will be there.

Op my dd seems be presenting as though she has it and I've also been on a journey with it. I'm astounded that teachers get very little training if any on sen, how to spot them and what to do to assist. If the teacher doesn't know how on earth can they enlighten parents and alert the Senco?.. They can't is the short answer whilst our dc fall further and further behind.

Their self esteem starts to plummet because they can't work like their peers.

We get fobbed off, smoke and mirrors... My dc school didn't even seem to believe it was a thing .

I've had more help with dd outside of school than in from kind strangers.

Small tips have massively helped her but the Senco hasn't got a clue!
Not a clue! It absolutely beggars belief!
It's all crazy and painful and it's the dc who are being failed sadly it's dc who fall through the cracks who do end up in crime a lot of the time.

Start the ehcp ball rolling yourself.

‘Good’ schools are not always good for sen pupils. Often they focus on results to the detriment of the sen kids.
See attached pic as to the data you can see on .gov website. It shows that while this haringey school offers sen support to more kids than just have the EHCP, it’s less than the national average. If you can find a school with more than the national average for sen support, i’d go and visit it if i was you.
I speak as a parent of a dyslexic child who has had a horrible experience of an unsupportive mainstream school. I wish i had moved her at yr 9. I appreciate london is tighter for school places, but I’d put some energy into finding out if there is any option to move.

@CatrinVennastin I'm glad you've got a meeting. I'm so cross for you. Both my DC are dyslexic and I have to say even though they have the correct statements I've still had to fight their corner a lot and things seem to still go wrong for them.
Would your daughter speak to the senco? Mine had a good relationship with her one and it definitely helped her.
On the glasses front, my DD had the coloured lenses too but hated the look - she's recently had these and voluntarily wears them and says they help with screen use.. 2 Pack Blue Light Blocking Glasses Round HD Anti Glare Vision | Unisex | Anti Blue Light HMAR Coating | Reading Gaming Computer Screen Anti Eye Strain https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0871LDQZB/ref=cmswwrcppapip_QM35wed7n6WpV - there's loads on Amazon for £10ish - might be worth a try?
Good luck to you both, am sure you'll get there, my dd has done all her exams and did really well, now at uni doing a course perfect for her

It’s not just schools who can apply for an EHCP, you can make an application for a needs assessment yourself.

The school are fobbing you off about the laptop, of course it’s helpful before Y10. DS3 has autism, not dyslexia, but started using a laptop regularly in Y3.