First Class Learning - anyone sent their child to this?

[sphil]

DS1 is dyspraxic and struggles with writing - not just handwriting and spelling but expression too. He is a bright and articulate boy but there is a huge gap between his writing and reading ability ( at the moment he is level 5 for reading and 3b for writing ). He has just brought me an advert for these classes which are held all over the country, including a centre very near us. they are apparently endorsed by the Dyspraxia Foundation. He seems keen to have some extra help ( which I am surprised about tbh!)

Anyone know anything about them?

Very sceptical of their claim (on their website) that they are endorsed by the Dyspraxia Foundation when they also say they are The programmes are worksheet based

Can't find any endorsement of them on the DF site......

I wouldn't pay money for worksheet based tutoring.....

I know Indigo - that's what put me off! Think I may ask DS1's OT - she may have some ideas. I have been trying to help him with his writing (am English teacher) but not sure whether being a mum and a tutor works really.

Btw - are you the person who wrote about your DS and scribing a few weeks ago? I'm interested because we are discussing this possibility with regard to DS1 atm. He got his level 5 in reading using a scribe (he's in year 5 and it was a practice paper) and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have done as well if he'd had to write the answers himself - if only because he wouldn't have finished the paper. I want him to do as well as possible in reading to counteract his lower level in writing - and to reflect his true ability - but at the same time I can see that using a scribe is possibly not going to help him in the long run. your arguments for NOT wanting a scribe (if it was you!) were very compelling.

if it wasn't you then please ignore me...

It was me! I am desperate for DS to improve his handwriting. Nothing is working so far...

I'll be talking to school about it early next term, but I think the nex step is for them to raise their expectations of his writing. And I don't see how we can tell him writing matters all the time - except in exams.

However I do know that at the secondary school he will go to doesn't set by KS2 SATs

but I think he is very motivated to do well in his SATs and so handwriting effecting his mark might be the motivation he needs to concentrate on it and improve it.

Yes my DS is the same - he actually enjoys SATs papers and is keen to do well. He was so chuffed when he got his level 5. I think I'm going to practise some SATs questions with him over Easter and just see whether he can get close to the same level when he writes his own answers.

His handwriting is also awful but has improved slightly since he started having regular OT.