To think if your dc attends an independent school its unfair that they cannot access other state services?

[Y0L0]

My eldest child has a learning disability, they also attend an independent school funded by a bursary. Therefore we are not well off but we cannot access the additional time required for public examinations (GCSEs and 'A' levels) as to do that an Educational Psychologist report is required.

If we were in a state school we would have free access to an Ed Psych but because we are in an independent school we have to pay at least 475 to obtain the report. No report no extra time - not the independent's rules but the state's rules.

Therefore we cannot access the additional time or other allowances available, thus putting my child at a disadvantage.

[mummytime]

You don't need an Ed Psych report to get extra time in exams. The school should have a qualified teacher who can do the relevant tests.
Does your child need extra time though - you have to do quite badly in a number of tests of processing speed etc. to get the extra time. Being "Dyslexic" isn't enough. Do they normally need extra time in the classroom?

[nostress]

Yes agree with mummytime. The rules changed last year and it is now very difficult to get extra time. What is the child's bursary for? if its academic then they would not get extra time as you have to perform poorly in exams to get it. My son is dyspraxic and he initially had his extra time removed along with all the other SEN kids in his school because of the new rules. The school then had to employ an external exam board approved assessor to come in and screen all the kids. His was reinstated most of the others did not get it. He is predicted Bs and Cs, in his mocks before Christmas before he knew he had to be reassessed, he got Ds and Es in his exams (he was not given extra time). He had only completed 50% of the papers. So basically it was very obvious he needed extra time just to complete the paper.

These new rule will hit bright kids the worst as many can achieve above average with their SENs. The problem being that they could probably get A*s but will end up with As and Bs.

I wrote to my MP to complain in January he hasn't responded. Fxxxxr.

[x2boys]

This has surprised me that parents of children with sen in state schools sometimes have to pay for educational psychologists reports as my son who is due to start receptio n in September is autistic with learning difficulties we are currently going through the statement process andvi think he will be going to a special school rather than mainstream the ed pysche has seen him several times and is required to write a report for his statement it has just surprised me some parents have to pay!

[meditrina]

You can secure extra time in exams if the candidate attends an independent school. You need to sort out the Ed Psych report (as per advice above) and then use that to demonstrate absolute need (eg slow reading speed) or get the SenCo to argue your case on the grounds of longstanding pattern of adapted work to ameliorate (eg using laptop). The rules have changed, but your SenCo ought to know what is possible and be doing all they can to secure the right outcome.

[manicinsomniac]

I'm not a SENCO but from what I understand of the independent school I teach in we can give discretionary extra time in exams but it is only 10% whereas children with an Edpsych report can be awarded 25%. I have a feeling that scribes, readers and laptops/dragonspeak can only be used with the backing of an edpsych too.

I do think it's wrong because we have children with very significant special needs on 10% extra time whereas a child with a minor processing delay or tracking problem whose parents could/would pay the £500 (which is what I've been told it costs) have a lot more provision in place.

Our children are younger though, maybe it is possible to make it fairer for big external exams.

We do have state funded statements of SEN though and we can do internal LASS assessments. It's just the Edpsych reports which cost.

[slowcomputer]

I'm a GP and if you came to me you'd get sympathy and a chat but nothing else. we can't access them.

[Beastofburden]

my daughter is in state school and I still had to pay.

Do it. Whats 500? if it makes the difference to them getting their exams and maybe a job. Youll spend a lot more than 500 propping them up once they leave school with no qualifications.

[DowntonTrout]

My DD had special needs and was dyslexic. We arranged an assessment with the LEA, not through the school, had to wait a bit, but she was found to be "special need 1" and for a statement she needed to be "special needs 2" ( or is it the other way around- can't remember!)

We moved her to the independent sector and she had help from the special needs department at school who organised her help and extra exam time, including a reader. We did not pay for any of that- it was just sorted.

[morethanpotatoprints]

YABU

But only because many have to pay in the state sector too.
Some because their dc have average marks in tests so don't flag up as requiring assessment.
Others are that long on the list they feel they have to pay to get a quick assessment.
The service is stretched beyond recognition.
If it wasn't and testing/assessment was common place then YWNBU

[morethanpotatoprints]

I have a free dragon speak, I'm happy to pass on if anybody can use it.
It was installed on my old laptop if this makes any difference though.
It's a few years old, I had it after an ed psych report as an adult.

[nennypops]

The thinking is partly that it's cheaper for the council to do ed psych assessments in mainstream schools because they probably already have a contract with them, and he can deal with a number of children on one visit. He'd have to make a separate visit to the independent school.

[wonderstuff]

www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration link to the regulations if it's any help. Cambridge who run iGCSEs are not covered by this but this year their regulations are very similar.

You definitely don't need an EP report (although that is obviously acceptable) and it is very different to the KS2 SAT access regulations.