School withdrawal of support

[Bluesteps]

Hi, looking for advice.
My son has for the last 3 years being getting support in school for severe dyslexia ie being brought out in a small group for maths and phonics .he has really found this beneficial. I have been informedby school that this support is no longer available. , I have spoken to teacher and principal, and they say they don't have the resources and other kids are more in need. My son was assessed last year and was in the bottom 2 percent for reading and spelling for his age......what can I do ?? , we are in Ireland if that makes a difference. What argument can I make to appeal this decision.

You could ask what you can do to give your child the extra support at home, or you can provide a tutor.

I’m not sure what else you expect from a school. They can’t provide resources that they haven’t got.

Can you afford a tutor at home?

I am guessing their resources are limited and they wouldn't refuse support if they had it available. Do you have any other way of funding it? Is there any other service the school can sugnpost you to? Can you do things at home to help? This must be very stressful for you

I do t know anything about SEN provision in Ireland but would recommend contacting a support service that specialises in this area to get advice on the legal position - dyslexia.ie/info-hub/additional-teaching-support/

Has your son had an official diagnosis or has it all been through the school?

School budgets are stretched, years ago he may have got an EHCP (or 'statement', back then) for Dyslexia, this would be extremely unlikely now.

The 'small group' work he will have been doing won't have been run by Dyslexia 'experts' (it will be trained TAs) it's nothing you can't replicate if you research dyslexia friendly teaching strategies/interventions. Ask the school what they feel would help, read as much as you can and then you may have to 'pick up the slack' at home.

To add, I think it will be important to ensure you have 'official' documentation of his dyslexia, as down the line he may need exam accommodations, like extra time or use of a laptop. Again, not an expert but I believe there are some restrictions that say this needs to be from an assessment conducted at secondary school age rather than primary but it's worth looking into and trying to source how you would get this in place.

If he's found it beneficial then that's good and they may need to provide that benefit to children who haven't yet had it.

Presumably you have some idea of what they were doing in the group so try to replicate this at home.

Would another school provide it?
My guess is no. But do look into it.

I would find a tutor or leatn the basic of dyslexia friend teaching and help the child out myself at home.

It could be that they are short staffed and/or there is increasing need across the school meaning they have to change how support for learning is provided (speaking from experience here). It’s unfortunate and I’m sure the staff would much prefer to be able to offer more support to more children.

For reading, the Toe by Toe programme is helpful for children with dyslexia and can be done in 20 minutes a day by a parent at home.

There isn’t funding for it, what do you expect them to do? There will be lots of children who would benefit from extra support, your ds has had 3 years of support and there may be others who haven’t had that or need it more that their limited resources are being prioritised for.

Are you near one of the specialist dyslexia schools in Dublin or Cork? The idea is that the child attends for 2 years and then returns to mainstream schooling. For two kids I know it was a great help.
Dyslexia Ireland is a website that has great resources and information, eg other reading classes that are available.
How old is your child?

Thanks for replys, just to add I paid for a tutor last year once a week to give him extra support, unfortunately I can't afford that any more due to reduce income ,my partner lost his job and his current job doesn't pay as well. I'm also working. I have an official dyslexia diagnosis which the school are well aware off. I do work with him at home but he's gets frustrated when he can't pick it up and in the end it feels like more homework!!. He gets annoyed with me and I don't want our relationship to suffer. He responds much better to teachers and he has told me that himself. I know off another child in the class who is getting so much extra help cause over the years her mother has harassed the school non stop. But I know I can't use that information. All I want is a little help from the school.

Did you ask the school when they told you?

I would go back to them and enquire who you can appeal to to see if more support and funding can be allocated. Local authority who are responsible for school budgets perhaps.

I would also work on a plan as well if support doesn't materialise. Can you provide a laptop for him to work on?

There might not be a solution with the school, the funding might not turn up, support services might always be overstretched so difficult choices have to be made to share support around.

Communicate with the school. Ask them what you can do. They will want your son to get the best education so work with them. Contact charities for dyslexia.

Hi OP. I am a teacher and I do this job in a school. I really sympathise. I've ust reassessed all our SEND children for phonics and with new children coming to school I've got 35 needing phonics 3x a week plus two children who won't set foot in class due to anxiety/ SEMH needs who I support on a rota with 2 other staff members. It breaks my heart but I've had to cut my phonics list down to children who are the furthest behind their age expected standard. I simply don't have enough hours in the day, there's no one else, and we have no money to hire.

Definitely look into private tutoring ( I used to do this in evenings before I had my own children!)

You don’t know the other child’s full situation so shouldn’t be making the judgement that they are getting the help as their mum shouts loudest.

our local librarians have been trained in reading techniques anyone who needs extra help can book some time in. Is there anything that yours offers?

You can’t get a little help from the school if the resource or the budget isn’t there anymore. Schools are stretched to breaking point right now. I’m sure the last thing they want is to reduce support but if they haven’t got the budget then they haven’t got it

I do know. As I know the mother. She has told me 1st hand how much she complains , she has shown me letter, communication with the school . She has a copy she sends in daily with her child !!!. She actually laughs about it. Boasting how much help she gets for her child. And she does nothing at home to help the child. Her reasons is school is to educate her child,not her.....I on the other hand have made sacrifices to help my child, am trying to improve his confidence and reading etc. I have changed jobs, taking a pay cut so I can be home in the evenings to help with homework, spent money on a tutor, given up the only hobby I have so my son can do the one hobby he enjoys even tough after many years he is still not good at that hobby but for his confidence I support it. ALL I want uis for my child to have a fair education and a chance at go to 3rd level if he wants too.

Does your DS have an IEP? If this is not in place, can you ask to meet with the SENCo and request an IEP?

@Bluesteps there are always some people who make us feel 'that's not fair' .. this can be applied to all public services (houses, hospital waits, social care etc) try to out your indignation to one side, it looks like you have two choices; you can either get naffed off at the lack of support your child is getting ... or grit your teeth and find a way of helping him yourself.

The school I work in has in recent years moved away from the model of certain children having interventions for years and years and still being behind. Instead interventions are on a time scale of a term/half term, then needs are reassessed and groups change. Some children may still attend or others may, or children may have a new intervention. Perhaps that’s what’s going on here? Maybe having had 3 years of extra support he has caught up a bit and in that time others have fallen behind?

Don't start thinking about this other parent and their child. That's time and energy you could be spending on your own situation.