Any teachers out there ?

[eatdrinkandbemerry]

Can I refuse a scribe for my child?
He's got sen but a scribe isn't in any iep or support plan but they used one for a reading test today.
Surely they should have consulted with me before so I could decline to get a clearer understanding of where my child is compared to others his age!
I'm evidence gathering for an EHCP assessment application so I would like true abilities noted not falsified ones.

Dictation software can be more trouble than it's worth because it needs training to a voice. A scribe needs much less training.

Very messy and very slowly unfortunately.
He was being kept in at break and lunch to try complete more work but I had to stop that it's not his fault his fingers fail him.
This is why I'm having to put in for an EHCP assessment without school backing me.

@eatdrinkandbemerry

I'm gob smacked. I presume you have medical support for his fingers!.

This. I also work in secondary and scribe for kids often. It is there to help them as they need it, please don't refuse this!

Based on this I would say a scribe is the right thing. Typing fast and accurately is hard.

I don't want to sound goady, but if you don't want him to lose his break and lunch to complete his work (which I do agree with) why are you then not happy for him to get a scribe?

We have regular occupational therapy but we have just been told there will never be improvement with the stability in his joints due to the sheer flexibility so we are really hoping to get some other method of writing well established.
He's a very bright child but this is really holding him back now.

Clarpetal it's not that i have a problem with a scribe it's just that it's not an option (in schools opinion) at any other time but tests.
To me he should be tested in the same way he's expected to do in his lessons.

I have a number of students who have a scribe in assessments but we simply don't have the staff to scribe for 6 periods a day, every day.

Op have you sought proper advice, told OT they are making him write, told rhe doctor etc?

It's absolutely barbaric.

A lap top is a medical aid, I assume lap top is easier for his fingers?

Not many of you have taught primary ICT have you?

A y5/y6 child that can write a page in an English lesson, generally can't manage more than a paragraph (badly punctuated because they can't find the correct punctuation mark) on a laptop in the same length of time.

It's a different skill though, isn't it? And if they have time to practice and learn then they'll get better.
The OPs child is never likely to be write more than a few words functionally. He needs to learn how to use tech that he will then continue to use throughout his life.

Ds has one. I would never refuse that, why would you?

The thing is if he’s able the school will be doing everything they can to get him to pass the reading test next year. Laptops are probably allowed but would be a colossal waste of time in the end of Key Stage 2 Assessments. To echo posters above, the work on laptops is often of such poor quality it doesn’t reflect the child’s ability at all! Your best bet is probably allowing a scribe for tests (whilst continuing to collect your own evidence of course) and practising touch typing at home in preparation for using a laptop in secondary.

School have received lots of evidence and advice from medical professionals but won't budge unfortunately.

And who at the school are you talking too eg Senco, head, teacher...

Have you sent a strong email with medical evidence attached copying in governers.

But he's not going to magically be up to speed with a laptop for secondary without using it in primary.
I've been advised by his ot it will take a minimum of two years to become able enough to keep up with his peers when using a typing aid.

@Aim92

Im sorry but that is simply not true.

What isn’t?

Have OT been into school to look at reasonable adjustments? in the past we have had Ots who seem to suggest this as an easy option (for them) rather than working to help overcome the underlying issue.

laptops aren’t the be all and end all they are often painted to be, and measures should still be put in place to aid writing and strengthening hands in general. They need to be strong enough to be able to cope with typing anyway!

my son now wears a custom made Lycra glove when writing to provide him with the support his muscles can’t. He also has an intensive program of exercises as well as specific pens etc. When younger he used writing slopes and still uses a base for him books.

he does use a laptop for some longer bits of writing, he also has a scribe if needed which is actually more use in a lot of circumstances! (He is 14 now)

The senco
The head
The chair of governors
I understand using a scribe for tests but it's not a true reference to how he preforms in a classroom.
If his EHCP assessment is refused there is no guarantee that he will even be able to have the option of using one at secondary.
So in my opinion he will have test results that exceed his ability and be placed in classes that he will struggle in.

@eatdrinkandbemerry the scribe won't make him excel it will level him up.

I can't fathom how all those people are ignoring a disability in his fingers.

If a school was trying to make a child walk without a crutch after an leg injury or with a leg disability that would be front page news.
How is this different.

I'd say next step is formal complaint to the council and strong doctor letter and then mp.

Do you have doctor letter, do docs realise they are forcing him to write.

Have you followed the formal complaint procedure for the school? If they are happy to document that they are going against reasonable adjustments recommended by medical professionals they are very brave! If you have exhausted the schools complaint procedure then I would recommend a stenly worded letter advising that if they do not make reasonable adjustments as per the send code of practice you will take legal advice.....

Also - this should be much less of a problem with secondary.

If he's not allowed q lap top in secondary he's going to struggle immensely isn't he.

Many give out laptop anyway.

His ot goes in very often and leaves frustrated.
They also won't do joint strengthening exercises that she would like them to do but that's okay we do extra at home.
He can type a little due to practice at home its faster than his writing but more importantly it doesn't cause him as much pain.
It's a great school in general and they provide lots of wonderful opportunities for the children but SEN support without an EHCP is very poor.
They don't support EHCP assessments and only have one child out of 400 with one and this was issued before the child reached statutory school age.