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.

we got told there are many other schools with year 5 vacancies! By the headteacher

Is it a maintained school or an academy?

Op are you worried that you feel it will make it seem like he's doing ok and will be refused ehcp because there is a myth a child has to be x far behind?

You feel the school are being sneaky to try and show there isn't a problem? Which will upset tings for secondary?

No not at all.
I just find it annoying that he's going to be able to complete a test but if he was in a lesson he would maybe answer 4 questions.
It's obviously only been started in preparation for his sats but I don't give one hoot about those I'm concerned about my sons pain in his fingers without reasonable daily adjustments.
He's actually academically able and not being at all so I know he wouldn't get an ehcp for his learning it's more about the support he needs to achieve his FULL potential .

Maintained but he will be transferring to an academy in a year and a half

I am a primary teacher but you have gotten all the advice I would give.

just wondered if you’d discussed finger splints or structure gloves for writing with the GP or whichever medical care team he’s under? I have joints which are too flexible and so get pain when writing - I use these as needed. They don’t cure it obviously - he would still need to do everything else they suggest, but it allows me to still fill in a form on a bad day! Generally makes life a bit easier as it is so hard to avoid writing totally and it makes it a bit less painful to do x

@eatdrinkandbemerry then why not move him? For his own sake, short term and long term. A supportive school that will help in day to day lessons and put things in place for him and support you through his EHCP can be invaluable.

I work in a school and what you say doesn't sound right to me at all. They are massively failing your child.

https://www.dmorthotics.com/products-and-services/product/dm18-glove-gauntlet-without-sleeve-max-4cm-length/ this is what DS has (referred via his OT) except his has longer fingers and is a bit higher past his wrist. It has made a massive difference for him especially in controlling pain.

This is exactly why I need to get out of teaching. It literally doesn't matter how hard you try, parents will still be furious with you.

These teachers have put in intensive (ie expensive) additional support to help this child in the test. If this results in a good score, better than he usually performs in class, this will be a huge piece of evidence that he needs that extra support!! It's not some kind of bizarre scam to prove that he doesn't need a laptop. It sounds like a scribe is a better adjustment for him than the laptop is.

These have been tried but a few years ago.
I have a joint appointment with his paediatrician and it later next week so will definitely enquire about these again.

So it's okay for him to be in pain daily as long as he preforms well in a test !
I think you leaving education would be a great move 🤙

Thats a really unkind response OP, the pp was talking about helping your kid, and others.
You are misinterpreting what they said, if he performs well with the scribe then it is an extra lever to show that he needs support, not that he can be kept in pain the rest of the time.

Thank you. Obviously I don't know the exact ins and outs of this child/situation. Maybe the whole school really is full of vindictive teachers who enjoy watching a child in pain, and are willing to go to great lengths to keep it that way.

What I do know is the hours and hours I spend trying to accommodate all the individual needs within my various classes. And I also know that it's never, ever enough, apparently.

As a SENCo, primary teacher and exam marker for many years, believe me, scribes are very very common in exams. In a reading test, spelling and punctuation doesn’t matter, either via a scribe or a student. A grammar test is very easy to administer with a scribe. A child who has physical difficulties in writing, there is a strong likelihood that they may also have similar challenges in using a laptop. Yes, they are effective in specific situations. A child in Year 5 will not be expected to write essays though.

Agree. Really unkind.

I have had many children in my classes that I have managed to get support, on to EHCP pathways, etc. But more often than not, the best evidence has been to use support (e.g. a scribe) in a test and compare the results without that support. A wide gap shows that some kind of support is necessary. It doesn't mean that the test is the be all and end all, but tests are good to use as evidence because they are so easily measurable and comparable.

One of my own children had real issues with handwriting. I would caution believing the laptop is the answer to everything. It certainly has its place and she typed most exams from Year 6 up. But she also studied subjects like Maths and French which she found impossible to type. And she is now learning Arabic which is interesting to watch!!

I would suggest that the laptop is one support but that you also pursue ways that your son can write in some way with the least pain possible.

As a current senco, secondary teacher and exam marker scribes are not as common as laptop usage at GCSE. Typing to prepare for high school with this seems sensible. A laptop will give the child more independence!

Clearly there’s a difference between primary and secondary practice. I agree that is some cases using a tablet / laptop will be beneficial, but not in every case.

Apologies that was an unkind response my frustration overtook my thanks for the useful advice.
It's sometimes difficult when it's your own child you see struggling.
Thanks again for all the insight into why a scribe would be used.
He was actually buzzing that he finished the full test and said he's going to definitely be top on the test leaderboard 🤣.
He is just your average 9 year old whos quite competitive and gets frustrated that he needs help when others don't.
Whatever happens he adores his school and speaks highly of all the staff.
It's just one issue but I'm sure we will get through it x