Is a Ed Psych the answer at this stage?

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My DS2 has just started in Y1 and is on the SEN register as he is behind with his word recognition and reading and numeracy. What's more, this is his second school, as we decided to move schools for reasons more associated with this older brother's progress (and that's another story). He and his older brother started at this school shortly before Easter and after a few weeks he did settle down and enjoyed the routine.
I was told point blank at this stage that he had not learnt anything at his last school and we should start again, so to speak. So we gave him lots of support at home and believed in the structured learning being used in the classroom and saw a slow but steady improvement.
Over the summer I made sure we revised what he had learned and kept reading, although not to the point of being obsessive. Anyway, it turned out that it paid off and when he started back in September the SENCO said that he had not fallen back as far as they had expected. But saying that he is basically at the bottom of the class in terms of ablility accross the board.
I had a meeting at the end of last week with the SENCO to see the IEP she'd put together and some of it I didn't agree with and told her so, although most was accurate. Then the suggestion of a Educational Psychologist was thrown into the conversation which at the time made me think OMG is it that bad!
Now I have had time to reflect, I'm not sure that this isn't a bit heavy handed. When I look at the bare facts I can justify what's wrong, ie, he's changed schools this year, his brother has now moved from the infant to the junior school on another site, he's got another new teacher to get used to and a new set of class mates - they mix years 1 and 2.
He's a sensitive chap, but not a pushover. When he doesn't like something or doesn't want to do something he knows his own mind. He will not be persuaded otherwise. I know, perhaps that is being wilfull, but when he's interested in stuff he's an angel.
Is he just a normal 5 and a half year old boy, or does he really need a Ed Psych?

hes incredibly young still, if he were my son i would be offering him encouragement and support at home.
Putting words on windows doors etc things like that. My friend has a ds aged 5 who sounds similar, hes just not up to speed with the other but is still so little

You are so lucky to be offered and Ed Psych! They are like bleeding gold dust. Definitely grab it. What's the harm? The Ed Psych will just run through a few tests and either confirm or deny that he has a problem like dyslexia.

Absolutely nothing to be lost by an Ed Psych assessment. You are very lucky to be getting one in Year 1. Must be a good school he is at.

I didn't think they could diagnose dyslexia before 7 but I assume someone like Maverick can confirm.

Ds has SEN and we were told it wasn't worth seeing a EP before he is 7 because of the dyslexia diagnosis issue. He is memory problems that affect his classroom behaviour and reading in particular.

If they are offering access to an EP I would take it but I wouldn't necessarily expect a diagnosis to result.

Thanks. I know he's incredibly young and that common sense says to be more relaxed. But then I don't want to be complacent. Indigo, you are right that it prob won't do any harm. I don't think he's dyslexic. He can read sight words when he wants to be bothered, it's more a case of him not often being bothered. If there are ideas to help engage him and make it interesting then that's got to be positive.

Most schools (though not all) don't put kids on the SEN register lightly - and definitely don't refer them to the EP lightly - because the EP is a very limited resource.

Listen to what they're not telling you. Or ask directly....

Honestly 5 isn't too young. My DDs problems were evident from the day she started nursery. It is wrong - but very common - to wait until children are 7 to see if they grow out of it or not. Your school has seen hundreds and hundreds of children. For some reason they want this checked out.

Please read this page. It will explain it all and save you a lot of trouble

www.dyslexics.org.uk/should_I_have.htm

You're right. Thanks for your common sense approach, I appreciate it.
My DS1 who's 7 was and is an enthusiastic pupil, he likes school and at worst tolerated it with a smile on his face. He too was a late starter with reading and his numeracy still needs support. He did not read fluently until Jan of Y2 when it all of a sudden clicked. I have this in my mind constantly when I think of DS2.
The new school is brilliant, they have pounced on this whereas the previous school had to be pushed to provide DS1 with support, it was almost a surprise to them that he couldn't synthesize words in Y1.
So, I think I shall relax, support DS2 as far as poss at home, let the school get on with it in the classroom and see what happens with regards the EP at the end of term.
Thanks again.

Do grab the ed psych appointment with both hands. Parents generally have to scream and shout to even get a school to consider one.
In our LEA schools are allocated a set number of hours with an ed psych over the course of the year. If you turn down the opportunity now there may not be any hours left at a later date so might need to wait another year.
You won't necessarily get any diagnosis but the ed psych will be able to advise on where specifically ds is struggling and advise on strategies to help or even suggest referrals elsewhere.
It sounds like you have a good school and that is half the battle to get the help ds needs.

It is a good school, I don't regret the move. I can see that the EP is something to be grateful for, as is the SENCO at this school, rather than be feared.

Go for the appointment - the school clearly feel they could get a few more ideas from an expert on ways they could get through to your ds. Suggesting he see an Ed Psych doesn't automatically mean they think he should be diagnosed with something, just that they think they are possibly missing something that might help them understand and help him a bit better.