Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Child not reading at school.

68 replies

Karleeb30 · 04/10/2021 18:48

Dd has sen and an EHCP meaning she should be being supported at school more than she is.

She is speech delayed and reading has not come naturally to her. She can barely read. I appreciate that a teacher has potentially 30 kids so reading with 30 kids individually must be hard. I remember we all read individually with teachers/ta's at primary school quite often or out into small groups based on ability. Maybe things have changed (I am late twenties). There are two ta's in her class.

However, I am not happy with the lack of reading. I know a lot of reading is done at home with the parents - but in Dd's case she is really struggling. She is 6 and the youngest in her year 2 class.

Aibu to think based on the fact that she has an EHCP and should have a ta supporting her (which half the time she doesn't) she should be reading more at school?

Older DS has sen too and his ta read with him every damn day to get where he is (same school too).

I don't expect special treatment but I'm so angry that her learning needs outlined on her EHCP aren't being met half the time!

Wwyd? EHCP review is very soon. Wait it out until then? Complain? Complain to the EHCP sen people and say her needs aren't being met?!

OP posts:
Stevenage689 · 04/10/2021 18:56

How do you know she's not reading?

Original poster
Karleeb30 · 04/10/2021 18:57

@Stevenage689

How do you know she's not reading?
Books not being changed, no teachimt staff signing reading record (something they've always done with DS is sign when read at school) and Dd herself telling me they don't read with them!

She can hardly read at all...

OP posts:
britnay · 04/10/2021 18:58

How much reading do you do with her?

Original poster
Karleeb30 · 04/10/2021 19:01

@britnay

How much reading do you do with her?
Every night. She just isn't grasping it. Speech delay is linked to delay in reading which it is likely that but I feel like not enough is being done...

I'm more peed off that she has an EHCP but her needs aren't being met.

OP posts:
Tigerwhocameforsupper · 04/10/2021 19:02

I would firstly organise a meeting with the school and present your views. Also follow up in writing. Explain that if her EHCP is not being adhered to then you will be discussing it at her review and wanting to know why.

I would ask;
What progress they feel she has made in reading?
What support they have in place to allow her to catch up with peers?
How this support is actually implemented on a practical level.

Ask for everything also to be confirmed in writing!

Then I would ask for a short term action plan to be put in place with some clear targets. Such as school reading with her at least 3 times per week.

Give this a few weeks and then have a review meeting. Set the date of this at the first meeting. If you are not happy at this review and still feel her needs are not being met I would then escalated to the LA SEND caseworker.

Don’t escalate without meeting with school first. They will want to know you have done this and given school time to respond to your concerns before they do anything.

CarryOnNurse20 · 04/10/2021 19:03

Before you go in all guns blazing I’d speak to the school, her teacher and her TA and see what they say about it.

Porcupineintherough · 04/10/2021 19:03

What does her EHCP say when it comes to reading? Does it specify that this is an area in which she requires specific support?

Confrontayshunme · 04/10/2021 19:04

Most schools seem to stick with the specific legal provisions of the EHCP so it may say TA supervision and support 1:1, but if it doesn't say "reading every day" then they might try if you asked but Year 2 is really full on so there may not be time as she may already be in streamed phonics or intervention groups (plus speech and extra PE if she has those type of things).

ThirdElephant · 04/10/2021 19:04

First step- approach the class teacher with your concerns. Go from there.

Confrontayshunme · 04/10/2021 19:09

Also, if she can barely read, they may have her blending and segmenting a lot without sitting down and torturing her with a book over and over. That is our school's preferred method as some children then associate books with "I am stupid and can't do this and hate it". If she isn't blending well in Year 2, they will want to create positive associations with learning and reading, plus they are probably doing phonics, literacy and guided reading daily, so don't want to sit her down specifically more than is necessary.

DeepaBeesKit · 04/10/2021 19:09

Does her ECHP specify a number of hours 1 to 1?

Noodledoodledoo · 04/10/2021 19:10

Does her EHCP state the amount of 1-1 time she should receive - not all are full time school hours.

Speak to the teacher, or email to raise your concerns, highlight your areas of concern you are spotting at home, ask for any suggestions to work on at home, ask how she is doing in school etc

Original poster
Karleeb30 · 04/10/2021 19:11

EHCP and hasn't been updated for a year (I guess that's normal as annual) but because of school closures etc the school have been like we will wait and see, she'll catch up! But it's clearly not happening!

I'm really concerned tbh. Ds goes to the same school and has been well supported but so many other partners are having similar issues to me with dd with no luck getting anywhere. Some have even taken their kids out of the school!

I just don't know what to think. I'm just about to fill out the parent contribution to EHCP
Meeting and I'll try speak to teacher tomorrow but they are always too busy to talk getting kids in and out. Tried emailing teacher but often no response!

I may just email the senco as she seems to Reply!

OP posts:
BiLuminous · 04/10/2021 19:11

@britnay

How much reading do you do with her?
Did you ever considering just...not asking this?
Embracelife · 04/10/2021 19:12

Why the focus on reading?
She only six
Speak to school maybe ahead of the formal review
Maybe they need to focus on pre reading skills first? What is the plan?
What methods are they using?
There is no point focusing solely on reading and reading if she isn't getting it...go back to basics find new approach to get her reading herself What do they do with pre,readers? Can she recognise letters? Sight read some words? Type her name? How is her verbal speech? Has she had full set of standardised assessments? Is her reading level same as her other levels?

BiLuminous · 04/10/2021 19:13

Is she receiving speech therapy?

Embracelife · 04/10/2021 19:13

Have you a recent report from speech therapist?
What is the recommendation in there?

Original poster
Karleeb30 · 04/10/2021 19:14

@Noodledoodledoo

Does her EHCP state the amount of 1-1 time she should receive - not all are full time school hours.

Speak to the teacher, or email to raise your concerns, highlight your areas of concern you are spotting at home, ask for any suggestions to work on at home, ask how she is doing in school etc

No she's not entitled 1:1 but does need some degree of support. I don't think she's getting any. She should be doing speech activities given by speech therapist with a ta (we have the same to do at home) but don't think she's doing that.
OP posts:
BiLuminous · 04/10/2021 19:14

Her speech delay should be the priority as trying to read when you might have phonological delay would be painful for the child and counter-productive. Therapy would be the thing Id be concerned with over reading.

Embracelife · 04/10/2021 19:15

If she can "barely read"
She maybe needs something different
Other approach
Not "more reading" since she can barely read

Ask their plan and approach

Original poster
Karleeb30 · 04/10/2021 19:16

She is under speech therapy. She's her once every term I believe but speech therapy is so over stretched here it's often less. Her speech therapist is generally amazing though and has has helped us a huge deal. Her speech is improving all the time, she talks all the time now but it's still young for her and and unclear.

My eldest is autistic. Dd has been seen by Ed psych (about 2-3 years ago) who doesn't believe she is too but I can't help feel she is and masks

OP posts:
MrsWhites · 04/10/2021 19:17

Does she have a decent grasp of phonics? What level reading books are they giving her? Is it that she isn’t grasping it because she is struggling to blend sounds if the books are too difficult?

I would request a chat with her class teacher as a starting point but would definitely raise it.

Sirzy · 04/10/2021 19:18

You need to look what’s in section f and ask them if that is being provided. What is the specific wording around the SALT provision? Sadly unless it’s very very clear schools often won’t do it

I wouldn’t necessarily expect reading as in sitting with a book to be part of that but if that’s an identified area of needs then their should be work around that identitied to help her.

Original poster
Karleeb30 · 04/10/2021 19:19

@MrsWhites

Does she have a decent grasp of phonics? What level reading books are they giving her? Is it that she isn’t grasping it because she is struggling to blend sounds if the books are too difficult?

I would request a chat with her class teacher as a starting point but would definitely raise it.

Phonics is her real struggle. She knows quite a few high frequency words. school have recently changed their books but she's on the first level.
OP posts:
liveforsummer · 04/10/2021 19:20

She's only 6, how much reading for you expected to be doing. I work in a p2 class of 6 year olds and even the better readers are only on stage 1 books. Usually some wound be further on but covid has a lot to do with that.

Swipe left for the next trending thread