Should I be told if ds is being "assessed" by the SENCO?

[whojamaflip]

Ds1 (9) Yr 4 has always had terrible hand writing and is seriously crap at spellings. I have been wondering for the last few years if he was dyslexic as it took him ages to "get" reading. I have spoken to all his class teachers since Yr1 and all have assured me that he was on target and that there was noting to worry about.

I got him "Toe by Toe" and his reading def improved when we had finished. I listen to him read most nights and from what I can see, apart from a few words his reading level is age apropriate and he is doing fine.

Ds1 was chatting to me in the car earlier and he said that he need to go and see Mrs X again this week for more testing - I know Mrs X is the SENCO (ds2 on SA+ with 1-1 TA 15hrs a week) and when I asked why he said its because of his spelling. He had one test last week and has another tomorrow.

I'm up to speed with IEPs and SA+ but not sure about SA - am I right in assuming that if DS needs intervention and "special" extra handwriting groups outside the classroom (which have been going on since Christmas) then he will be on school action?

In which case - surely I should have been informed? Sorry this is long but while I'm happy ds is getting the help he might need I'm a bit miffed that I haven't been kept informed or am I just talking bollocks?

I don't know. The school asked my permission before assessing him for dyslexia, and also before visiting the educational psychologist. I assumed that they had to do this, but actually I don't know if they do or if it is just what son's school does. I signed a form to that effect.

Whojamaflip, the short answer is yes, they should tell you if they feel they have identified a SEN and if they have put him on School Action. Link to the SEN code of practice see section 2.10 among others for the long and legal answer. It may be that they are checking all DC's spelling and will inform you soon if they feel he is struggling, to give them the benefit of the doubt. What's your relationship like with them with your other DS?

I don't think having extra handwriting help necessarily means he's on SA.

I guess she's doing a very inaccurate dyslexia screening test with him. Then will use the results of that to decide if he needs extra help and if he should be on SA.

Hopefully they'll tell you about this once they have the results - but maybe not till you ask they see you next.

If they had to tell parents before they did anything, the SENCO would have far less time to work with the kids.....

I don't know if it differs depending on area but in our area, parents do not have to be informed if the SENCO comes and does initial assessments with a child. Depending on their findings, we will inform parents as and when appropriate. E.g. I may say to SENCO, I am worried about X, can you come and observe them playing/reading or whatever ad see what you think. After SENCO has visited, we would discuss an then inform parents as say we would like to have them externally assessed etc.

In our school you are only told if child goes from SA to SA+. SA is not routinely reported to parents

If any outside agencies are involved in any sort of assessment then you need to be informed/give permission, although they can have a child assessed by, say, an Ed Psych as an "un-named child" where the EP has no personal info on the child but just gives an opinion on the written evidence given them.

Our EP wanted to train one of our TAs on using an intervention strategy recently and needed some children to use as 'guineapigs.' We had to ask permission from the parents.

So I would say that if it's an internal assessment by the school's own SENCo, then strictly speaking they don't have to inform you, but maybe an informal word would be nice. Perhaps they don't want to alarm you unless the assessment shows anything up?

Thanks for the replies - I did write a reply yesterday but it seems to have vanished into the ether

Anyway I can see the point that if its internal and initial tests then theres no need to let me know - agree that SENCO would spend all her time talking to parents if they had to discuss every little thing with them. It makes sense to only raise the subject if there is cause for concern. just doesn't stop me worrying when ds tells me about it

But it would have been nice if a note had been popped into his Home Link book just to bring me up to speed.

I will be having a meeting with the SENCO after half term re ds2 so I shall try and find out a bit more then.

Sometimes SENCos have to do other work in schools too though. I used to have to do PPA cover and occasional emergency cover, and we would sometimes use me as an extra teacher to split 2 classes into 3 groups. I'd teach a lot of children over the course of a year who weren't on the Code of Practice.
Equally, as someone else said, if a teacher had concerns, they could ask me to come in and 'have a look' at a child to see if it was just them or if there were causes for concern.
So, in answer to your title - 'not necessarily'.
In answer to your OP, if he's been going out for groups since Christmas, that's regular support and I would be asking the school what it was all about and why it wasn't mentioned at Spring Parents Evening

Actually thats a really good point - there was no mention at the last parents evening - in fact his teacher was praising him to the skies because he had pulled his levels up so well and was on course to achieve the target for the end of y4

I need to go in and have a chat don't I?

Managed to see ds's class teacher today and get the low down on what is going on.

Basically his teacher requested formally that the SENCO assessed ds back in November and he has only come to the top of the pile now hence the visits to her office. No feedback yet but I have been promised I will be copied into that. His teacher couldn't have been more helpful - she kept apologising.

I did point out that I had been raising the issue since Yr1 and she showed me his end of year scores for the last few years and it quite clearly shows that he has been losing ground - although he is only about 6 mths behind in reading and writing, he is significantly behind in spellings. We have been given lists of the most frequently used words to learn to spell (300 to work through )

I did also query what I was told at the last parents evening and she said that he had really raised his game and improved so basically I was told a pack of lies at the end of Yr3

Now its just a case of wiating for the SENCO to come back to us . I have stated that I would like some answers before the end of this school year, even if its only what the way forward is. think I'm going to become a pita again

I was not told at all that my DD was assessed & considered to have ADD while she was in primary school. I pushed for an assessment when she was in year 10 when she eventually diagnosed with dyslexia. My DS was assessed by the Senco in year 7 & no I wasn't told before, but I was called by the Headteacher & had a hugely productive meeting with him & the Senco. He was also diagnosed with dyslexia.

Mutteroo a school can't assess for ADD it has to be done by medical professionals