ucas application - school reference and SEN

[bruffin]

What actually gets put on the ucas application by the school about SEN . DS has spld and gets extra times in exams

[Shootingatpigeons]

Interestingly DD has had offers now but has not yet firmed, and a couple of the unis have already contacted her to encourage her to get in touch with the Learning Support set ups.

[Scholes34]

IME it's a report from an Educational Psychologist that opens to door to special conditions for exams. Evidence of DSA isn't required for this. It's the DSA that opens the door to support throughout the academic year - recording equipment for lectures, provision of a mentor, extended loans of library books, etc. If applications for DSA are made through Student Finance, not all students with SEN are Home students. If an assessment is carried out whilst a student is already at university, the Access to Learning Fund can help cover the costs for Home students where there is an issue of hardship.

[LetsFaceTheMusicAndDance]

OP, the WRAT is not a dyslexia assessment. It gives scores for reading, reading comprehension, maths and spelling. It is sometimes used in conjunction with a WRIT, which gives a cognitive profile. A differential between percentile scores on the WRIT (cognitive ability) and the WRAT (actual performance) can indicate dyslexia but that doesn't constitute a diagnosis as discrepencies can be caused by other factors.

I really think you should get back to your son's school and make sure he has had a proper diagnosis by a properly qualified person.

Does your local authority have an Inclusion Service that you could ask? Has he ever been seen by an E.P.?

[Shootingatpigeons]

I well remember the look of incomprehension on all the teachers faces, let alone the PE teachers, when in Year 6 my DD and her friend had the guts to refuse to be the ones coming last after desperately trying not to and handing the self esteem to the competitive ones, and instead held hands and skipped up the course laughing. Thankfully survival of the fittest in the raw was restored with the mother's race

[creamteas]

Needmoresleep - I think not

[Needmoresleep]

Creamteas - does anything make any difference to PE teachers!

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

I think people are distinguishing between DSA and universities' internal guidelines, going?

[goinggetstough]

Previous posters have mentioned that the people carrying out the test can vary depending on the university as per their university websites. When a student applies for DSA they do it through student finance so it is vital to follow their guidelines. It is SFE that have the power to say yes or no.www.sfengland.slc.co.uk/media/559161/sfe_dsa__notes_1314_d.pdf
So it can be a chartered ed psych or a suitably qualified teacher with a current assessment practising certificate. I can't find details as to exactly which practicing certificates they accept. I have though heard of students who been refused DSA as their tests weren't carried out by suitably qualified people.

[Shootingatpigeons]

Bruffin My brother had a very similar path. Diagnosed at 10 when my mother, a teacher, looked into why it would possibly be that he was still not reading, but the Head at his primary just commented "the trouble with you middle class parents is that you cannot accept your child is stupid". He got through VR and NVR tests into a Grammar School but left with 1 CSE in woodwork, leaving a trail of destruction behind him (fortunately or unfortunately however you look at it, he had a fellow partner in crime who is almost certainly dyslexic as well) Now he is Head of Engineering, Europe for a large machine parts firm (via night school, OND, HND, degree) and his mate owns a chain of carpet warehouses.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Yes, now you say that I think I remember you saying about your DH before.

Best of luck to your DS.

[bruffin]

"Universities should be good with engineers with SEN because I think it's pretty common as a combination"

Yes i did assume that DH is a dyslexic engineer, although he went through the leaving school at 15 and doing an old fashioned apprenticeship route. He never had a diagnosis but couldnt read until he was 10 so spent all his school life in remedial class He got his professional qualification going through day release and evening classes.

DS doesn't remember the tick box on the UCAS form, but that doesn't that he didn't tick it.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

My last assessment was from someone who wasn't an ed psych, but was qualified to diagnose SEN. You could be a specialist teacher or a SENCO without being qualified to do that, though. FWIW I found it at least as helpful as the previous one, which had been by an ed psych. They were using almost exactly the same sets of tests, obviously, but the second one was by someone who had a lot of experience with adults.

Universities should be good with engineers with SEN because I think it's pretty common as a combination, so it might be they'd even be happy to talk about it?

[creamteas]

Shooting My DD has had a diagnosis of dyspraxia since primary, but unfortunately it has made no difference to the attitude of PE teachers...

[Shootingatpigeons]

chemenger My daughter has been supported by a specialist dyslexia centre (a charity) since she was in Year 5 and so we have had two previous Ed Psych reports, one the original diagnosis and one pre GCSE but the centre advised that this post 16 assessment did not need to be a full Ed Psych report as it was an update, and also was basically administering the tests that the universities require, so it was done by what they term as a qualified teacher assessor. The school were happy we were meeting requirements as well. I hope that was sound advice, will check!

Interestingly it was the qualified teacher assessor that first raised the possibility, subsequently confirmed, that DD was Dyspraxic as well as Dyslexic. It actually makes a lot of sense and I am quite upset that it wasn't identified earlier. Could have saved her from many a withering PE teacher...............

[2rebecca]

My son has dyslexia and he filled in details about it on the UCAS form in the bit mentioned above. I presume the school added something in their bit but haven't seen their reference.
My stepdaughter also has dyslexia and in her first term at college the uni paid for her to be reassessed.

[chemenger]

I would recommend looking at the information on the universities' web pages. I've just had a look at my institution and it requires a report from a Chartered Educational Psychologist for dyslexia and specifically states that they do not accept reports from specialist teachers. It advises students who are unsure of whether they have sufficient evidence to get in touch as soon as possible. I would link, but it would out me! On the other hand Manchester University says they accept some reports from specialist teachers, so it clearly does vary.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

The NASCO is this: realtraining.co.uk/send-programme/national-sen-award/. I only found that off google though, and I can't see it saying anywhere that it's equivalent to a practising certificate, it looks like a diploma-type thing. But the SENCO would surely know who to send him to for assessment anyway, even if s/he isn't qualified to do it.

[bruffin]

I do realise the Msc is probably irrelevant

[bruffin]

Letters after SENCO's name are Msc and NASCO according to school website. I do have a letter detailing the original WRAT assesment so will need to find that.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

YY, that's what worries me.

Sorry if this is tangential, bruffin. As I say, I'm a bit paranoid because I know it can be such a pain for students once they get to university, especially if organisation is a problem anyway.

[senua]

That's true, there is the 'normal way of working' woolliness isn't there.

Have you seen any paperwork, bruffin? - that will show the signatory's qualifications. It might be worth trying to get hold of it now so that DS has it to hand if he needs it at University next year.