Level 1 for KS1 SATS in reading and writing - WWYD?

[toomanyeasterbunnies]

My DD has been struggling with her reading and writing since starting school and was referred to SENCO at the beginning of year 1. Despite making progress, particularly this year, she is still really, really struggling. As I understand it she is getting all the help the school can offer. She is getting extra help in the classroom and is also seeing a teaching mentor to boost her confidence. She almost certainly has some sort of dyslexia but the school won't test and even if we pay to have her tested privately unless she meets the criteria set by Surrey she will not get any additional help. If you were in my position what would you do to get her extra help? I am so concerned that she is just going to get further and further behind. She is a bright girl and is very articulate. Her literacy problems are completely knocking her confidence and I just need to help her but don't know what to do.

TIA.

has she just finished year 1? if so I think a level 1 is average isn't it?

i would push for a referral if you think she has dyslexis though, if the school won't do that is it something the GP can do?

Getting a private diagnosis of dyslexia isn't going to make any significant difference if she is already getting support in school I'm afraid.

thisisyesterday - she has just finished year 2.

Mrz - That's what I've been told but there must be something I can do to get the school to give her further help? We are probably going to get her some external tuition but I'm not sure how much help an extra 30mins - 1hour a week is going to make without getting more support at school.

It really depends what support she is getting in school and what her specific difficulties are. As a teacher I can deal with the educational side but often there are physical barriers preventing effective learning that need to be addressed by health specialists.

It will make a difference to her maybe, in the years to come, when she wants to know why she struggles and (if she) worries she is 'just stupid'. Undiagnosed dyslexia can be very demoralizing.

The right sort of diagnosis may also pinpoint where exactly her difficulties lie, and spot any co-morbids like (I think) hypermobility. This would help you make sure that the help she is given actually helps.

The external tuition is likely to be very important though - my friend's son does 3x30 min per week and it really has helped (though his school are really good too).

There is loads you can do - but very little school can do.

All school can do is try to teach her - which they have already been trying for the last 3 years.

Whereas you can do things like:

• Vision therapy
• Listening therapies
• Neurodevelopment therapies
• Supplements
• Dietary changes.

All of the above can help with dyslexia.

So there is loads and loads more you can do.

An EP report won't help. All it is is a piece of paper, telling school what they already know.

It's not extra funding you want. School won't be able to do anymore with more funding than they can do now.

IndigoBell - I've never heard of half the things you have mentioned. I suppose I'd better get googling. I almost feel like talking up some evening course in teaching so I can help her. I know not everyone can be average and there have to be some children who are at the bottom but she is intelligent it's just she doesn't get it. Half the time she see's letters that aren't there and she cannot retain the tricky words. I feel so bad for her as she has been trying so hard yet she struggles so much. She thinks she is stupid and I know she isn't. :(

Half the time she see's letters that aren't there - she almost certainly has a very common vision problem then.

What's probably happening is that her left and right eye aren't looking at the same letter. So when you point at one letter her left eye is looking at it, and her right eye is seeing the letter a few letters over - which is what she tells you she sees.

There's more advice here

I have heard of a behavioural optometrist in Petersfield who is very good.

Since you are in Surrey, google the 'Surrey graduated response' and have a read.

ahh ok.

in your OP you say "As I understand it she is getting all the help the school can offer" so how can they do more? i think you need to be quite explicit in what extra help you want them to give really

like indigo says, there is probably lots you can do at home if she is open to that, and that might help her at school.

i think the condition my indigo describes is what my brother has. his eyes work ok individually but he has no "binocular vision" (i think that's how they described it) and it wasn't until he saw a specialist optometrist down in Hove that he got suitable glasses and that helped. I don't know all the ins and outs of it though as I was only a child at the time.

I do think it's worth getting her assessed and getting her eyes checked so that you can pinpoint the exact problem and that will give you a basis to help her. So, I would be onto the SENCO again saying that you feel it's important to actually identify the problem so that you can best help her

You need to be seen by a behaviour optometrist, not a regular one.

The conditions I guess she has are convergence insufficiency and eye tracking problems. Both of which are easily fixed by vision therapy.