how worried should I be? DS age 6

[bassingtonffrench]

When DS2 started school I knew there would be problems. He could not count or write his name. He has made stacks of progress over the last two years, particularly with his teacher this year (Y1) who is quite vivacious but he is still very behind and I am beginning to worry the school are overlooking him.

failed phonics test with a score of 13
reads at P8 level so not even on national curriculum levels yet
ORT tree red books
maths at 1c though the teacher wasn't 'exactly sure' as she didn't have the paperwork (this is at a scheduled meeting )

I have been consistently asking for DS to be put on the SEN register since he began school as I believe he has some specific processing problems. The school's response has been non committal e.g.

we'll wait and see
do some extra work at home
we can't afford to pay for an educational psychologist £600
why not pay for an assessment for dyslexia yourself?

he is absolutely the bottom of the class for reading and maths and I'm worried about the effect on him. I know i shouldn't compare but there are other children in the class with SEN and DS performs worse than all of them, including a child he reads with who has a full time TA. I can't understand why the school aren't more proactive in trying to help him as they seem to with other children.

DS' teacher told me some months ago he was having some tests with SENco for auditory and visual processing. When I asked at our meeting for the results of the tests she had entirely forgotten about them and couldn't lay her hands on the paperwork.

i'm really disappointed. he is in a bigger class next year and I'm worried he will be even more lost.

what should I do?

[screamingeels]

Hi I'm afraid I can't really help, but didn't want to leave you unanswered as it does sound worrying.

I think P8 levels are classed as 'well below expected' which I think is education code for 'take action'. So I'm a bit suprised school aren't doing more. My DD struggles and she's had several interventions and booster groups - though obviously I'm convinced its all my extra phonics practice that has got her her 1b in reading at end of Y1.

[screamingeels]

Hi I'm afraid I can't really help, but didn't want to leave you unanswered as it does sound worrying.

I think P8 levels are classed as 'well below expected' which I think is education code for 'take action'. So I'm a bit suprised school aren't doing more. My DD struggles and she's had several interventions and booster groups - though obviously I'm convinced its all my extra phonics practice that has got her her 1b in reading at end of Y1.

[screamingeels]

Hi I'm afraid I can't really help, but didn't want to leave you unanswered as it does sound worrying.

I think P8 levels are classed as 'well below expected' which I think is education code for 'take action'. So I'm a bit suprised school aren't doing more. My DD struggles and she's had several interventions and booster groups - though obviously I'm convinced its all my extra phonics practice that has got her her 1b in reading at end of Y1.

[screamingeels]

Hi I'm afraid I can't really help, but didn't want to leave you unanswered as it does sound worrying.

I think P8 levels are classed as 'well below expected' which I think is education code for 'take action'. So I'm a bit suprised school aren't doing more. My DD struggles and she's had several interventions and booster groups - though obviously I'm convinced its all my extra phonics practice that has got her her 1b in reading at end of Y1.

[screamingeels]

sorry - posting on phone, on train. Bad idea!

[Hattifattiner]

I don't think that's good enough. They are fobbing you off. The admin sounds appalling. Have you met the senco?
I think you need to compose a firm but polite factual letter detailing what has/hasn't happened and send it to the headteacher.
The school has the money to pay for an ed psych - it is choosing not to spend it. If you do have the money, I would arrange it yourself for the start of next term. If you don't I think you should push hard for this asap.

[headoverheels]

OP, you could try posting in Special Needs: Children for more support.

[mrz]

The P scales are only meant to be used for children with identified SEN (P8 is the step below 1C ) so I would advise making an appointment with his new teacher and asking for the SENCO to also attend. You want a clear picture of how they plan to support your son in Y2.

[Mumof3xox]

Have you spoken to the head?

[Smartiepants79]

I think you need to start pushing hard for them to do something.
Is this a state primary?
It's true that funding for children with issues like your sons is dwindling. He may not be considered high enough priority. I know where I work we can only refer 2 kids per term to the ed phsyc. Even in a very small school this means that kids have to be seen in order of highest need/concern.
BUT he sounds like he needs some help. He should be getting some specific intervention programmes at least.
Can you afford private diagnoses?
I know it is not ideal but it would speed the process up.
Start making a nuisance of yourself. Promising tests and then not following thru is extremely poor practice.

[MrsKCastle]

I agree that it's worrying. Not so much the levels themselves, but the fact that the school don't appear to be taking action to support him. Definitely contact the new teacher as soon as the term starts, arrange a meeting and take notes- ask for a clear plan of support and push for him to be added to the SEN register. Then summarize the meeting in an email to the teacher/SENCO so that you've got a record of what was agreed. After that, give it half a term or so (no more) then ask to meet again and review progress.

[fairgame]

You definitely need to have a meeting with the head, his new teacher and SENCO to discuss what to do going forward. It's unlikely they will want to apply for a statement for him because he is not far enough behind to warrant one atm. However they should be supporting him through school action or school action plus.
Just because he's further behind then another child with SEN is irrelevant. My DS has a statement for full time 1:1 support and is going to special school but not because he struggles academically, so they may have support for other reasons.
If you look on the IPSEA website there is some information on there about school action and what to do if your worried.
You could also try speaking to your local parent partnership as well.

[mrz]

Just to say that in Sept there is no School Action, School Action Plus or new statements but schools must still provide appropriate support.

[bassingtonffrench]

thanks so much for the responses. Over the last two years I have had a number of meetings with the school about my concerns including one with the SENCO but their response has been quite lame in my opinion. He is taught in smaller groups and has had some 'interventions' but I'd really like him to be officially on the SEN register.

his teacher next year is the same one.

[IsItFridayYetPlease]

The threshold for when we add children to the SEN register is far lower from September. P8 in Year 2 is not considered by the LA to be far enough behind to warrant adding to the register. Schools should, however, be providing support and intervention.

[bassingtonffrench]

Thanks for the information

[sazale]

My DS scored 5 in Y1 phonics test and finished Y1 at level P8. He has just finished Y2 at level 1C and scored 20 in the Y2 phonics test retake.

He now has a diagnosis of moderate dyslexia and a statement of SEN. We're still working on the provision for the statement.

DS's school were not supportive of a statement and have been very secretive about the level of support they give him which makes it difficult.

DS has some auditory processing difficulties. The LA EP diagnosed the dyslexia as part of the statutory assessment process. I did pay for an independent dyslexia screener from a local dyslexia service that cost me £70. It gave us a very good profile of his difficulties and advice of what support he needed. The EP found it very useful.

Does your DS have any other difficulties? The SEN register/support is based on far more than academic levels. My daughter has a statement of SEN and she is academically in front!

[mrz]

As a SENCO I would include any child receiving additional support /interventions on our SEN register (under current system as School Action and under new system as SEND support). I review the impact of interventions every 10 weeks and children are moved on and off as necessary. It isn't controlled by the LEA unless I request a statement (EHC plan).

[bassingtonffrench]

in answer to your questions. yes it is a state primary. no i have not had a meeting with the head. Yes I have had various meetings over the last two years with teachers and one with SENCO. parents evenings and a few extra ones.

sazale our situations sound similar. Yes DS does have some extra difficulties. long story but he had some medical problems as a toddler which may well have affected his development. he has got miles better though which we are obviously delighted about but it does mean we are now out of the loop with regard to paeds etc though I do have some reports from SALT and other professionals which might help. he was borderline selectively mute as a toddler and still has some difficulties speaking to unfamiliar adults.

my big fear is that the reason he is not getting more support is because i am not shouting loud enough and the children who are getting support (there are loads, school has very high % of children with SEN) are those with parents who are more pushy than me! I'm not saying thats the case, just that is my biggest worry.

so sazale can you tell me how your DS got his diagnosis for dyslexia and how you got him assessed by an Ed Psych? How did you go about getting a statement, can you apply as a parent?

Thanks,

[bassingtonffrench]

also, I'm not sure what counts as an 'intervention'. DS is taught in smaller groups but all of the children are taught in small ability groups. he did have some extra lessons at lunchtimes with his class teacher for a short time. volunteer parents listen to him read, but IMO this isn't that helpful as he often can't read the books they give him. so would these be 'interventions' or not?

what i really would like to see is the school develop are more personalised understsanding of how he processes information and the exact areas he struggles with.

[mrz]

extra lessons at lunchtime would certainly qualify as "interventions"

[sazale]

Hi Bassington,

My DS has also had some SALT interventions and he is also borderline selective mute! He also has hypermobility which impacts his ability to physically write.

I applied for the statement and the LA refused to assess. I appealed and the LA conceded before tribunal. The EP diagnosed dyslexia in the assessment he did as part of the statutory assessment.

DS had been having involvement from the LA specialist teaching service and the EP had started attending meetings at school. In my LA the EP's are happy to speak to parents and although can't get too involved until school request them they will raise your child when they go in if they think you have valid concerns.

The SEN system is all about to change from the 1st September but until then it's still the current system. You can apply by writing to your LA SEN dept to request a statutory assessment.

www.ipsea.org.uk/What-you-need-to-know/SEN/Statutory-assessment.aspx

[Pigriver]

I second the info that your child isn't 'low enough' to attract a lot of external support or funding (p4 at beginning of y1 for specific funding here ) everyone else can access from a generic pot for the whole school.

Support could include
Daily reading practice (or more times a week than rest of class)
Specific small group phonics teaching
Small group support in lessons (more regular than other groups)
Small group specific targets worked on regularly
Generally any differentiated learning that allows him to access whole class teaching.

More structured interventions could be
ELS (early literacy support)
Toe by toe (dyslexia program)
FFT reading ( Fischer family trust)
lexia reading program

Lots of LEAs do not diagnose dyslexia and mine would never give a statement except in extreme circumstances. I would definitely chase up the memory/processing assessments and ask for suggestions to support at home too.

good luck in asking for more info