Ppp for assessment of learning needs

[WomanManChildDogCat]

DD10 is in yr5 and is struggling a lot academically.
Throughout school we have focused on emotional needs mainly attachment issues but she has always struggled with schoolwork.
Now it is really worrying as she will go to high school next year and nothing is in place.
A dyslexia screening went no further as she didn’t ‘spike’ due to struggling in all areas and schools advice was to get a private tutor.
She is well below attainment in all areas.
I have penned a letter to school to send to Senco and her teacher asking that they use ppp to bring in a specialist to assess her cognitive functioning and implement support as indicated.
Her birth mother had learning disabilities.
DD flies below the radar as she is a good student in that she is a pleaser and a helper but she can’t read and can’t retain information and shows signs of significant cognitive impairment which they are dismissing as unaddressable.
Her attachment issues mean she is very needy, constantly seeking adult reassurance and constantly reporting minor ailments to do so. School have been great with suppprting this but I think we have all focussed on her emotional wellbeing and neglected her academic needs.
Has anyone successfully used ppp for these purposes or has any advice in this area please?
DD was adopted at 14 months old having been with a foster carer since birth.
Many thanks

Sounds very similar to my daughters. We were constantly told it was all down to attachment. By year 5 I was having real concerns.

We had both girls seen by Ed psychs. Our elder daughter was diagnosed with a moderate learning disability - same as birth mum - and our younger daughter was at the low end of normal.

We got elder daughter into a mld school for secondary. Younger daughter was more tricky. Turned out she was massively dyslexic but also we had her seen by a speech and language therapist, who declared that she had a clinical disorder - she basically wasn't understanding a lot of what was said to her. And also an OT - she has lots of processing and sensory issues.

So she ended up in a small private speech and language school with an ehc plan.

We didn't get anything funded, though tbh I didn't ask, and it was a long time ago. We used an org called SOS!SEN, who advised us what to do.

You really do have to take the initiative yourself - schools often overlook girls who aren't causing behavioural problems.

Thank you so much Arran2024 for
taking the time to respond.
Can I ask please if your girls were doing otherwise ok? And did you find specialised provision close to home?
DD does not otherwise seem like she would need special schooling, she is emotionally mature and has no other identified special needs. She cruises through primary school without much impact on her of her academic difficulties other than an absolute inability to partake in tests (she goes to pieces) and a need for support her anxiety.

They were both struggling academically and I could not see how they would cope at secondary. Both would have been sent to mainstream if I had not had the reports done and got them ehc plans.

My younger daughter is probably the most relevant example for you. She is of normal intelligence but she was miles behind and it was largely due to her receptive language disorder. I liken it to my basic knowledge of German, trying to learn in a school where everyone speaks German. She tried so hard to fit in...

The sen school she went to was for children who had speech and language problems. Many were high functioning autistic, many went on to university. She got some gcses, she works in a nursery, she has childcare qualifications.

But she would not have coped with mainstream.

I think the best thing is to get your daughter assessed now to see where her strengths and weaknesses are. It's harder to get the right provision once they are in secondary. At least you will know. If you can afford it, I would get Ed psych and speech and language assessments.