Need advice about Y2 DS

[Smoodle]

Hello!

Have a meeting with DS's class teacher and SENCO next week and would really appreciate some help in understanding how behind he is and what interventions they should have in place.

He is in Y2 now, July birthday. At the end of Y1 he was 1a in maths but 1c in reading and writing. He failed the Y1 phonics test with a score of 19/40. He ended Y1 on blue books and is still on that level and not showing signs of being able to move up. I don't know what his NC levels are now as they will tell me next week, but the improvement in his reading and writing is so slight that I would be surprised if they've changed. His maths is definitely better though.

How far behind is he based on that info? We are getting really worried about him but his teacher is adamant that it's just a maturity thing and it will all just click at some point. Problem is that we have been waiting for this magic click to happen for ages now. He is otherwise a bright, articulate, bouncy little boy in fact he was put on the G&T list at the end of YR for his amazing understanding and interest in science. A year or so later and he is in the SEN register and we are really really worried. The big difference between where he is verbally and his progress in written work and reading is a huge red flag for us that there is an underlying problem that hasn't been picked up (dyslexia?) and we can't understand why the school aren't as concerned (it is a school recently rated "good" btw). They have very begrudgingly agreed to run some screening tests.

Would really appreciate some advice. How behind is he? What interventions should be in place? Are the school right and we are just fussing? Can some children just take ages for it all to click? What would you be asking the school to do in our shoes?

Thanks. Sorry for essay.

'Get the right support in place and it will all click into place I'm sure'

If that was true, virtually everyone would leave primary literate. But they don't. Around 20% of children leave primary only semi-literate.

I know many dyslexic children who have had all the support school can offer and still left primary unable to read or write.

There is absolutely in guarantee that it will ever click into place.

No, there is no guarantee Castles, but if the child has spent his school career so far unable to see text correctly it is highly likely that that is the reason for current low levels in reading and writing. Glasses and focused interventions to strength eye tracking and develop phonics skills may well solve it. The fact that OP is meeting with school and can discuss these interventions and how they will monitor how successful they are being is what she should be focusing, rather than all doom-and-gloom negativity as if it is already a forgone conclusion that the child will remain illiterate.

the thing is castles is that issues are very often not picked up (dyslexia etc) until 2 late. People are dismissive put it down to being a boy etc. This child is not progressing equally which can't be right. Hopefully it is just eyesight and will be sorted with glasses.