DD 6, Y2, Not Special Needs but at Special Needs table

[Dorange]

Sorry, this will probably be long but I want to give you a full picture.

She goes to an outstanding school (so rated Ofsted last year).
She started there at reception when school was just 'good' and I have always been happy with the school. I was unhappy with the other 'outstanding' she went to for nursery as I really felt she was kind of "invisible" for the teachers.

She had a good reception year but the teacher was always asking for more reading at home and I did as much as she wanted.
Last year as soon as she started Y1 the SENCO approached me to give me some tips on how to help her with her reading and writing at home and I did what I could...I didn't push very hard as I didn't want to put her off studying or feel disappointed with herself when she clearly couldn't read something.
Talked to SENCO before year finished and SENCO said she didn't think DD was dyslexic and reading would click soon.

During parent/teacher conference. her teacher said that she was average in literacy and numeracy and she was where she was supposed to be in her learning...however when the report came out it turned out she was emerging in literacy and numeracy and expected or exceeding in the other subjects.

Last week DD told me she was really happy in Y2 but she didn't understand why she was at the 'special needs' table. She told me the names of the other 3 children at her table. One of them is clearly SEN (but I don't know details) whilst others I haven't got a clue if are SEN or not. But the other tables have 6 children and all of the children that sat with her last year (probably at the same level?) are not with her anymore...

Now the reason why I am writing this is because we will have a class meeting next week with a chance to speak to the teacher, should I say something and what should I say? DD asked me why - in her words - she is at 'that' table if she is not like those children, she is different and she can do things that they can't do.

As for me, I don't have a problem with her being in any table at all and I am sorry I am not wording the issue correctly regarding SN, I just want to help her to learn how to read independently so she can get on with her school life.

I have asked DH to get more involved, (DH does is bit but less than me since he is busier and works in a more tiring job) He is native speaker and I am not, and even my neighbour will volunteer some hours a month to help since she has a little experience teaching English to children this age.

Thanks if you manage to follow all this.

I would THINK that it is more a case of that is the table where staff will be watching more closely to help out. If her reading and writing is behind her other skills and potentially behind the other children then they will be looking to give her additional support and monitoring to try and pull these skills up as well as to watch for any possible reason for it such as dyslexia.

unfortunately children often are aware of which table is which but she shouldn't be at that one table for all subjects surely. normally they have different groups for maths and literacy at least.

I would just say exactly to the teacher what your daughter has asked. say that she is worried about being at a different table to the children she was with last year and is worried it means she isn't doing as well or something and see what the teacher says.

Thanks, I know I will have to mention something to the teacher, I even have the feeling that either the teacher or SENCO will pull me at the end of the meeting, like happened last year.
Oh and I totally forgot to say that DD started wearing reading glasses last week, she is very keen on them and she seems to think the glasses will help her learn, which is true if this is the only problem.
Ah and the reason why she said 'that' table is not to do with the kids there but her being away from her close friends.
I will ask the teacher if she is at the same table for all subjects.

DD told me today she sits at the same table for all the subjects

I would imagine it's EITHER because she is lower than the others in her class except those on this table (so she may be above others on her table but below those in the next group up) OR because that table receives more focused 'catch up' help.

it might well be that it is just easier for them to keep an eye on her and help when she needs it if she is at this table where staff will be helping more.

if it is upsetting her though that she isn't with her friends then you could try the approach of telling her it will be less distracting for her so she will be allowed to get on with her work (we have used this one with DD1 and she liked that!) or that it will make it more special when she gets to play with them at break or sit with them at lunch etc.

the children at our primary school sit at the same table for everyhitng. They are arranged according to who works best together.
DS1 who has SEN is on a table with one other SEN child and a couple of others who are totally NT and (as far as I'm aware) excelling at school, simply because they get on well as a group and the 2 NT children are understanding of DS1's needs

so... it may not be a "SN table"... it might just be that those children work best in that group. Maybe the number of children in the class makes it work out at x tables of 6 and 1 of 4. I wouldn't read too much into it.

I would imagine it is so she can be given more support which can only be a good thing. However I would ask if you are not sure.

Thanks for all the answers. The reason why I was worried is because I thought the children have different work or even different homework according to their capacity and the red flag for me was when DD said that tge children at her table can't do things that she can do (mostly to do with maths), so I'm just wondering if she has been hold back or not getting more chalenging work because of the table she is at. I'm not pushy at all, but obviously I want her to do the best she can.

If I were you I'd arrange to see the teacher separately to the class meeting. You have questions and its better to arrange to see the teacher specially than to tack it onto something else, imo.

I would talk to the teacher, but I would steer clear from calling it the "special needs table".

Say she's worrying because she can do things the other children can't. Fine. Ask if she will be held back.

Ask why the table only has 4 rather than 6. Probably because they need more focus-my observation is that often the top group is the largest, the bottom is the smallest
Sometimes though it's because they feel those children have not achieved their potential (which can be any ability) and wish to give them a little boost to get there.

So, I went to the meeting.

It was all the parents together at first so the teacher introduced herself, Y2 curriculum etc. She started by saying that the children were seated according to their ability...fine.

At the end of the meeting, parents were talking to her in private, all quick and good, but when it was my turn, she just asked me to sit down (she didn't ask any of the parents) and listened to my concerns.

She than agreed with everything I said and added that she thinks that Dd could be 'slightly dyslexic' and needed extra help at home and school but it wasn't necessary for me to use a private tutor at this point.
She said later on, she will give strategies to help with her learning but that meanwhile I just need to keep making her read at every opportunity as she struggles with some phonetics sounds that she should have mastered by now.....

So I keep thinking why she hasn't mastered those sounds yet? If she really IS 'slightly dyslexic' so shouldn't she be getting extra help??

Anyway, she said there is no concerns regarding Maths, however, doing maths homework in the past 2 weeks, I can see Dd hugely struggles with counting..she struggles counting beyond 10 she can't do simple 10 addictions she does not recognise some numbers beyond 10 she won't know how to write down the number 15 if you ask her she can't grasp what number comes after 20 and if you say 21, she won't know what comes after 21 unless you help her

I don't think this is normal is it?

Also she mix ups 6 and 9, sometimes she doesn't know which one is which!!

Will now book a meeting with SENCO, what do I do? Just accept their suggestion of me trying more at home or do I push for an assessment?

Please help

You seem to be on the same path as I have been on. Firstly don't fret. She is only 6. It feels like a big deal to you right now but it isn't going to affect her the rest of her life if she is a little behind at this stage.

My so. Is now in Y4 and is just now diagnosed with dyslexia. He has needed a lot of support to get where he is, and that is why your daughter is on the table with fewer children. Ask questions about how she is supported in class by other adults. What training do they have for dyslexia and other disorders. I wanted to know about how constructive the support is - I didn't want son too dependant on it.

Son's class is put into ability groups and also he was put in smaller tutorials for maths and English to do extra work. This was in year two.

Thanks NynaevesSister

I will talk to SENCO and ask the questions you suggested.

She loves books but struggles reading so someone needs to be available when she wants to 'read' which is not ideal at ALL the times
If she could read independently or at least be willing to keep trying, her whole learning will improve.
Her self esteem is really low at the moment.

May I ask how your child was diagnosed? Did you need to pester the school for that? Do you know if they do it earlier??

they don't assess for dyslexia until children are 7 normally I believe but as she is now in Yr2 so is rising 7 then they may well wave that. I think definitely speak to SENCO and see what they say. Also is is very good that the teacher has noticed some problems, flagged them up and is monitoring them.

Ok thanks.
But I could see the teacher had no intetion to talk to me about it if I didn't approach her.
Maybe she thinks she didn't have yet enough time to work with Dd....
Who knows.

Anyway, homework was good and we finished all.
Will just keep doing my best whenever I can and try to work on her self esteem too.

Well son's school has been brilliant at supporting him but not so much at communicating to me what they are doing so I have had to push every inch of the way for meetings and updates.

His school doesn't test for dyslexia until year 4 as they feel that below that age there are too many false positives and negatives. In year two they did look at whether colour transparencies helped (look up Irlen syndrome) but that wasn't an issue for him. We had an appointment with the educational psychologist as well as with occupational therapist to check on everything I guess.

Then in the last two weeks of year 3 he went through several hours of testing over the course of a week. The results were thorough. His language skills and reading are two years behind his peers. He is on level for maths but they found he had non verbal reasoning skills two years ahead of his age. This helps him do better in maths but there is still a processing problem there. It is just more hidden.

He has been put on Springboard, a literacy programme, with a tutor who has specialist dyslexia training. We are also applying for a statement. Also the speech and language therapist has worked on a programme with his TA to help with his language skills. And he has an OT secession once a week to help with his concentration.

I think 6 is too young my son is nearly 5 and is reception and what you say is about right. He is a winter born. Think she is at a disadvantage because of her birthday but does sound about right for a six year old.

Just work with her at home one to one does really help little ones just make it fun and you will be suprised wirh amount they learn anyway good luck

One of the younger children so its only natural that a child one year older will find it easier to understand and do more things. This is not always the case but is sometimes the case as long as she is progressing and you and school are working with her then dont worry. Dont let it bother you what table she is sitting at as it doesnt really matter not be recorded and will not affect what she wants to do. Sometimes extra support is a good thing and children do really well as a result plz try relax

To assess / not assess - it's a really tricky question because it depends so much on what the school is doing already.

In the schools I have worked at, if we have a child who is struggling with reading, phonics, ordering, working memory etc etc [all possible 'indicators'] then we provide support and differentiation of the type that would be required if the child had a diagnosis of dyslexia, simply because if a child is having difficulty then the appropriate thing to do is to offer the best possible support to help them to overcome it. Diagnp=osis, as we frequently point out, would not lead to us doing anything differently - it would just give a 'label'.

However, I do know that there are some schools where provision is less good, and the diagnosis gives parents the power that they need to force the school to do something