"Withdrawing" DS1 from Year 6 Sats

[CuntyBunty]

This is a very tentative thought at the moment; I haven't voiced it aloud to anyone. DS1 has some dyslexia and is getting stressed with not being able to work quickly enough to finish the same work as the rest of the class. He can read well, he just takes longer to process the work. His maths is good, but here the dyslexia is a problem in that it takes him a while to adapt to the language of maths at this level.

They are all preparing for it, mock tests and what not, but as he isn't finishing in time, he is kept in at break to finish off. This is marking him out and he is coming home to me, able to talk about it, but when he does and when I try to tell him, "the teachers just want the best for you, they need you to learn", he gets all choked up and starts crying. He is no shrinking violet and will speak up and say, "It's because of my dyslexia" to the teachers, even though he is a bit embarrassed by it. It does sound like they have gotten to the "eye rolling" stage with him at this point and nothing has been done to facilitate him.

At our end, we've had an ed pysch assessment, a home tutor for a while and I take him every week for an hour to a dyslexia support centre for some tailored teaching, all this funded by us, of course and quite rightly. We've also communicated with the school, and a scribe to help DS was mentioned by his latest teacher, but after that, nothing. It hasn't happened and he is unhappy and stressed and playing up.

Parents evening is coming up, and I would like to politely ask for this scribe to materialise and to have this firmly in place. As we have done as much as we can do to help DS, I would like the school to do this little thing. If not, a part of me wants to throw the toy out of the pram and not "play the game". Would it be so bad?

This is all so preemptive, but I really do need to get my thoughts clear and tohave some leverage when negotiating at the forthcoming parents evening. Thank you in advance for your thoughts, opinions and especially to those with experience.

don't wait for PE to ask about the scribe, email/write to school tonight, push for a timescale for the appearance of the scribe, ask what is the plan to support your child through the build up to SATS, ask for an IEP if not one already

NB I know naught of withdrawing from SATS, sorry, haven't ignored that part of your Q.

I am really sorry your son is feeling so miserable.

At parents' evening, you need to tell the class teacher exactly what you've said here. Take a bullet point list with you if you think you might forget anything. In addition, you need to raise the possibility of him having a 'reader' for the maths paper. This needs to be organised in advance, but allowed a very dyslexic child in my class last year to achieve a score MUCH higher than if she had been on her own.

As for withdrawing him, schools are now allowed to administer the test up to 2 weeks late, so you would have to keep him off for a very long time.

Does he have a statement of special educational needs? Because I think without that you will struggle to get him any help in the SATs, never mind withdrawing.

I would also make it clear to the teachers that he is not to be kept in at break to finish the work- he can join in the practice but as he has no hope of finishing without the appropriate help being given, keeping him in at break could be considered discrimination.

In order to withdraw him from Sats you will need to either leave the school completely or keep him off school for both sats week and the week after (as there is now up to a weeks grace for children to sit the test later who are off on the day of the actual test). If you do this you risk a substantial fine for an unauthorised absence, and the school/lea are likely to pursue this option. If you do keep him off he will be still counted in the school's results, which depending on the size of the cohort could have a significant knock on effect on % scores which in turn could possibly trigger an ofsted inspection.

It sound like the stress is in all the preparation, in which case him doing the actual tests is not really the issue and won't solve the problem.

In terms of a scribe, it is possible if it is part of normal classroom practise for your son or if he has a statement that states he needs a scribe during assessments. If neither of these are the case then he won't be entitled to a scribe just for the tests.

No statement, but we have the Ed Psych's report to back up this idea. Yes, I think keeping him off would prove too stressful really. I do feel like I need them to meet him a quarter of the way after all this though.

CuntyBunty, are you me, and your son my son?!
I could almost write the same OP.
For what it's worth we have decided not to ask to withdraw our ds from his SATS. Our tutor (who is amazing and has saved us all from despair at times) suggests that removing would actually have a negative effect. Ds already feels isolated and different, to remove could make his feelings of isolation and difference worse. He will be given more time and will probably get a reader but it is still a while off (only yr 5 at the mo).
Hope your ds feels a bit more confident soon.

You can have all the maths paper read for him, the reader mustn't say any of the numbers or explain, but can read for him.

The other option (albeit slightly drastic) is to take him to the GP, explain the stress it's causing and get a medical exemption. Could be quite tricky but the last thing you want is for it to be causing him distress.

The school should also apply for extra time for him to complete the reading test.

There's lots of help that can be accessed without a Statement. Additional time, scribes, use of laptops etc - you just have to fight for it. Ask for a meeting with the school SENCo and ask what support they plan to put in place. And then follow that up with an email, cc'd to the Head, and keep asking.

I'm surprised your school isn't being more proactive because obviously it's in their interests that your DS does as well as possible, in terms of league tables/Ofsted etc.

I don't see any value in withdrawing him - he'll do as well as he does, and that's the basis on which any evidence about the school's effectiveness can be measured. If they are failing SEN children, if SEN children are not making progress, then you can't easily demonstrate that without measurable attainment - so SATs.

But tell your DS that it's a test of the school to check that they're teaching the right things in the right way, rather than a test of him - that might help with the pressure.

Hi op, I home Ed so forgive me if I misunderstand the sats thing.
It is my understanding that the sats are a way of measuring how well the school has taught up to this point.
It is not a test of the children.

It would therefore be in the schools best interests to provide all the help needed. If the school are not prepared to help I would tell a child of mine to sit with there arms folded for the duration of the sats.

Please get in contact with www.parentpartnership.org.uk/find-your-pps
depending on the ed psych report he may qualify for extra time and these people were invaluable for helping me demand what my son should have.

Children can have a scribe in the tests if they regularly use one in class (ie get someone to scribe for him once a week). I've given many children scribes in the tests as it takes away the fear and can increase their marks to what is in their mind, not what they can get on the page. The is no reason for a school not to do this, especially as the tests no longer run to such a strict timetable so manpower can be spread. The school also need to show it makes a difference so he will have to, for example, sit a practise test without a scribe and then with one and a difference has to be seen to allow a scribe.

Does the Ed Psych report specify a scribe as one of its recommendations? It will simplify things considerably if it does (and possibly confound it totally if it doesn't).

Does it make any other recommendations eg extra time or use of laptop?

And if laptop, them getting his typing speed up now, and perhaps starting to use one a bit in school now will be very useful groundwork for secondary.

Thank you all so much.

I feel bad about his lack of break time, Chronical, but would it be teaching it to play the "it's not fair card"? I am a bit, "Life's not fair, suck it up", but this has gone a bit too far for be flippant.

My son had extra time in all his exams because of his dyslexia. It was a huge help as it gave him time to order his thoughts (he had problems with sequencing) and then get them down on paper.

It's a few years back now, but it used to be 15 mins extra for every 2 hour exam, so the school should be able to claim the same for your son.

One of his friends, who had problems with writing, used a laptop for his exams throughout his time at school - it was a godsend, as it stopped him from having to worry about getting the information down in a readable form.

The one thing that I do recommend is making multiple copies of his Ed Psych report, highlighting the bits saying things such as 'this child has an IQ of 120' and handing them to every single teacher who he comes into contact with - as otherwise they will not get this information...

Good luck.

DD and DS (dyspraxic/ dyslexic) had scribes and readers for SATs. They were both on school action, Ds did have a scribe in normal lessons, although I can't remember about DD . Definitely speak to the school , I sometimes feel soldiering on is a mistake as it is then assumed your DC is coping.
Also I'm sure you are reassuring him, but for me I'd be telling mine while he needs to do his best SATs do not matter for a child in themselves. So if he has tried,that is all that matters at this stage.

With my DD, I was going to withdraw her from her Y6 SATS.

I'm glad I didn't. Her inability to complete the papers and gain a level reflected the schools failure to put in place appropriate help for DC's with SEN.

(My DD has Moderate LD's, Auditory Processing Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder, dyslexia. & dyspraxia)

She didn't get anything different in the SATS.

The school ended up having Ofsted out because my DD wasn't the only one who was in this situation...

And that's even with the fact that at least 6 parents with DC's iSight SEN in DD's year had removed them from the school, either to HE or to move school.

They lost their 'Outstanding' rating because of it.

Tell your DS over and over - it's a test of the school's teaching ability, NOT a test of him. And if he doesn't get a 'good' level, it's because the school isn't teaching DC's with dyslexia and other SEN's properly.

On the extra time front, in year 6 sats my understanding of the rule is it is 25% extra time if it is granted. However in my experience it is very difficult to get unless the child is statemented, and I work at a school where we use every possible method to get extra support for children! Others may have different experiences, but the rules for sats are different than those for gcse etc.

I forgot to mention the reader for maths. That is definitely worth asking about. The guidance is that it can be used for a child who's reading age is 2 years below there chronological age but there is a bit of flexibility. Again if a child is normally read for in class then they can have a reader during the test.

I would point blank REFUSE permission for him to be kept in at break - it's not giving a TRUE picture of how much he can complete as compared to his classmates in any given time. And it's the practice papers that they look at when deciding what concessions to award.

So he needs yo only be doing what he can in the same time as his classmates.

Also, it's not right that he loses his break time, children need that time to let off steam.

couthymow sats are a test of the child. It is designed to see what level they are performing at at that point in time. The result then stays with them into secondary school and is used to predict gcse grades and the progress that child has made. The results are also used to judge the quality of teaching at a school, but that isn't what they are primarily designed for.

I'm sorry that your daughter was let down by her school and I hope she is now reaching her potential.

It IS possible to get extra time for SATS, even without a statement. SA or SA+ is enough, as is a diagnosis of dyslexia or a processing disorder.

I didn't know about it until after DD's SATS week - when the SenCo bloody bitch she was useless told me that DD could have had 25% extra time and a scribe and reader.

She was really gloating about it, because I usually knew what DD could get, in terms of support, and I'd dropped the ball on this one, it was almost like she 'got one over on me' by hurting my DD.

God, I'm glad that woman has retired now and can't affect any more DC's education!

I'd also agree that it isn't fair that he is kept in at break time. I'd only do it in these circumstances (ie not finished) if I knew a child wasn't putting any effort into a particular test, and I certainly wouldn't do it regularly.

This post has made me so cross on your behalf. As a dyslexic myself and with a son that also has suspected dyslexia (too young to be tested yet) I don't think they should be keeping him in at break - what a way to mark him out for something that is out of his control. You shouldn't have to fight but it sounds like you will have to. I agree - don't wait till parents but start pushing now for what he needs and for to explain what impact their actions are having. Just because his teacher can't see it doesn't mean it's having a big impact on him and there is no way they would chastise someone in a wheelchair for being slower than others. As an adult I had an employer who did the "rolling of eyes" type thing and that had an impact on me.

One small thing that had had a big impact on my sons writing speed is having lemon coloured paper - we have only been trying it for a week or so but he can write about double the amount.

As I said couthymow, I haven't had a child being granted extra time without a statement, but I could see it being possible in some cases.