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

[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]

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

Best of luck to your DS.

[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.

[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.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

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

[Needmoresleep]

Creamteas - does anything make any difference to PE teachers!

[creamteas]

Needmoresleep - I think not

[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

[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.?

[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.

[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.