To worry about dyslexic DD going to secondary school?

[Humungousflowers]

DD is year 5, nearly year 6 and severely dyslexic. She gets good support at her primary school but tbh I’m terrified about secondary - our local school has quite a good reputation for SEN but it just feels like such a big environment for her to cope with, and so much literacy required - how will she cope? She doesn’t have an ECHP and wouldn’t get one as far as I’m aware. She does have a diagnosis (from year 3).

Does anyone have experience of dyslexic DC going to secondary (especially state school, we can’t afford private)?
What helped and what would you ask potential secondary schools before she starts?

Well, what might help?

• typing?
• being given handouts instead of note taking?
• teacher writing h/w into planner rather than her doing it?
• being permitted to photo the board at times?
• an electronic reading pen & headphones?
• being permitted to not do French

You need to think first about what she needs (taking input from Primary as needed), then contact the SENCO of the school you are planning on her going to (or the ones she may be given) and talk about support.

That’s really helpful thank you!

I don’t know the answer but I am in the same position as you, my DS is at the end of Year 5, and was diagnosed with dyslexia at the start of Year 4. State school are well meaning but just not resourced to meet his needs, and seeing what is needed at secondary school (I have an older daughter) I am worried! You have a legal right to request a EHCP, you can either do it yourself, or ask the school to do. The local authority may turn you down, but you can appeal. They legally have to meet your child’s educational needs. A EHCP could help fund additional support in mainstream school, or a place in a specialist school.

Teachers are trained to help students with a range of SEN, including dyslexia. She will get the support she needs (and in the unlikely event that she doesn’t, firmly and politely persist until she does).

Thank you @ElasticGirl - are you going to request an EHCP?

Also what have you noticed is needed at secondary school that will be hard, I wonder? I know there is lots but I don’t have any DC at that stage so am not sure of the specific challenges...

Using a laptop can help and if she wants to use it in exams it will have to be her usual way of working well before the exam.

A lot of secondary schools post homework online so be prepared to step in if there is any teacher persistently failing to do so.

One really big thing you can do at home is organisation. Everything has a place. Have kit lists and equipment lists. I create a timetable for my 2 that has days sports kit are needed, clubs, early starts/ late finishes. Have lots of stationery etc. because they tend to remember last minute their glue stick ran out. We also have big annual planner with term dates, trips etc on the wall.

Check about extra time in exams.

I have a list I’ll message it to you

But I would say every year we have to remind teachers that he’s dyslexic
Every time he gets punished for not doing something it’s related to his condition

It’s awful for him. Only saving grace is he’s very self confident and can laugh at himself.

Roll on next May

@ChazsBrilliantAttitude that’s so helpful thanks! Our home organisation could definitely be better...

That would be great @GreenTulips thank you. And I’m sorry to hear your DS has had such a hard time :(

My DD is unfortunately very unconfident which is partly why I’m so worried...

DS found it easier on transition to secondary school. At primary, everything was topic based, but once he moved to separate subjects, there were some he was good at (science, IT) and some he was bad at (english, french) - which was an improvement on being at the bottom across the board.

As she gets older, don't diminish the problem - she needs to be able to accept any help on offer. DS was too determined to manage by himself and ended dropping out of uni, which he hasn't recovered from. It's not the language difficulties that are the problem, it's the organisation. Don't underestimate that side of it. There's a bit of a cliff edge between the help available in education and the help available in the workplace, so you need to help her find solutions to all her problems before then.

It is unlikely that an EHCP is needed but what might be helpful is for an educational psychologist or a specialist teacher to make a transition plan for your daughter. This plan should state the things that the secondary school needs to have in place in order to meet her needs. This plan should be made available to the secondary school as soon as you are allocated a place.
Also, if I were you I would make contact with the secondary SENCO early in Y6, ask for an appointment and keep in regular contact - make a point of speaking to him/her during open evening, induction days etc. and discuss the report and diagnosis plus the transition plan if you can get one.
You could also ask the SENCO at the primary to make an introduction for you to the secondary SENCO. This will help raise the profile of your child with the secondary.
There are many dyslexic pupils in every secondary school; we are well used to making the necessary adaptations.

@Humungousflowers I have just started the EHCP process. It may not lead anywhere but I think it is worth a try and the process does focus the attention of the SENCO staff, which helps in the meantime. In terms of secondary school I am worried about the amount of organising and scheduling his time and homework there will be to do, a lot of verbal information to process, in lessons and out. Maybe it will be OK or we’ll just have to work with what SENCO provision there is, although a lot of funding has been cut in recent years. I don’t need my DS to get lots of qualifications, just want him to feel happy and confident, and get something out of the next 7 years! I do tend to plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Make sure the secondary school know that she is dyslexic and also what specific interventions she requires to aid her learning.

My son had the use of a laptop and a couple of times a week did an online dyslexic program to help with his spelling. He also needed fiddle toys to help him concentrate. I had meetings once a term with the senco to monitor his progress and decide where more help was needed. Make sure that you speak with the head of year and speak to each of her teachers as soon as you are able to tell them she is dyslexic. Make sure she is assessed again as she may need extra time in exams.

It's also important that you talk to your daughter about her issues so that she can stand up for herself and let people know she is dyslexic. She needs to know that it's nothing to be ashamed of, but that her brain is wired differently. My son found it helpful to be able to say this. Equally important is for her to learn that dyslexia is not an excuse not to do something!

Most importantly you need to be your daughters advocate in school. Do not be afraid to ask for what she needs to help her learn. I am sure that my sons school must have winced every time they heard me on the phone! However I absolutely was not prepared to sit by and let them get away with not helping him. I ensured he sat the test that qualified him for extra time in exams, that he was allowed to use his laptop, that he was always sat at a desk that faced the board, that he got extra help in English, that they put a digital clock in the exam room so he knew how long he had left. It's not about giving your kids an advantage, it s about giving them the same chance as every other kid despite their disability.

If love to tell you that it all runs smoothly, it doesn't and you have to fight for everything but do it nicely and they will help.

My daughter got
Coloured handouts
Use of a laptop (never there to use)
Extra time in exams

But the things I made a fuss about that were most useful was
Not have to write the LO each bloody lesson,
Able to write the number date each lesson
To be able to give up french

I don't have any experience but yanbu and the fact you care enough to work this out will help enormously.

My DD is Y7, we also got diagnosis in Y3 and EHCP start of Y7 - we applied start of Y6. You do need to do it whilst they are in school who knows her.

Before lockdown she had 1-2-1 four times a week instead of MFL, laptop and TAs in about half her lessons.

I'm so glad I started this thread!

Such useful info, thank you all so much

@Screamingeels - was there resistance to the EHCP? My DD's current primary are really helpful generally but I'm not sure if they'd agree to an EHCP - but I can do it myself anyway I understand? She can now read at a fairly slow pace (this is a relatively recent thing in the past year or so), but cannot spell quite basic words and handwriting is illegible. We also wonder about ASD, and her teacher has noticed traits, we've been told.

An EHCP is required where comprehensive school support is in place and the pupil is still not making progress.

Private weekly tuition With someone good and reliable who understands the curriculum for English, and maths if that's an area she struggles with? To help keep her afloat and not fall behind her peers.

Expensive but necessary. An hour session round here is £50 so x2 does really add up. Though still cheaper than an Independent school.

But the curriculum support even in good comprehensive schools will likely not be enough.

@Screamingeels That is encouraging to hear that you did get a EHCP for dyslexia, did you have to go to appeal?

If her handwriting is illegible does she also have a diagnosis of dysgraphia (DS1 does) it can make note taking pointless if they can’t read them back. DS1 types.

How is her pen grip? Does she have fine motor skill problems or hyper mobile fingers? Has anyone assessed that?

Yes primary were really resistant to applying for EHCP - couldn't see why I'd want one. But they did arrange LA ed psych assessment at end of Y5 to help with transition and he told them she ought to have EHCP re: attainment. She has classic dyslexic profile 98% verbal intelligence etc 1% 2% slow processing - spelling etc. At that stage her maths was awful, she could count and do 1 more than, 1 less than but that was it.. and maths is v. easy to measure progress so I was able to demonstrate how far she was falling behind and how much better she did with 1-2-1.

I did the EHCP application and primary became v supportive, basically head looked into it and realised advice he'd been getting from LA about what you could have EHCP for was wrong.

We were initially refused assessment but I appealed that and actual assessment sailed through. We don't have a ton of funding through EHCP about £8000 but mainly gives us leverage with school. DD likes knowing that the SEN team have her back if she has any problems - I guess they could do it without EHCP but obviously gives us basis to demand adjustments.

@ChazsBrilliantAttitude

If her handwriting is illegible does she also have a diagnosis of dysgraphia (DS1 does) it can make note taking pointless if they can’t read them back. DS1 types.

How is her pen grip? Does she have fine motor skill problems or hyper mobile fingers? Has anyone assessed that?

She doesn’t have a diagnosis but I’m pretty sure she has dysgraphia- she has seen an OT who did say she would need to type as her writing is illegible (but no motor skills problems) - she is learning to type and we were thinking of an intensive course. Did your DS do one of these?Thanks for all your help !

Also thank you @Screamingeels. That’s really helpful info. I don’t think we’d get an EHCP sadly as DD maths is fine and she can read ok - it’s just the writing really - but I will look into it.

Both of mine did a touch typing course in school. DS1 can type faster than he can write
DS2 did this one
www.readandspell.com/