If a child is not making progress, what would you expect from the school?

[Sleeperandthespindle]

DD has a diagnosis of dyslexia. I have had a number of meetings with school and no support has been put into place. I can see no progress in at least a term in her writing.

There are a lot of things we do at home. But I would like to know what I can realistically ask school to support with. So far they have refused touch typing lessons or access to a laptop,any specific small group or individual phonics support, reduction in her expected 'spelling tests', use of any electronic spelling aids. This was all on the grounds of 'no money' or 'everyone else would want one'.

What CAN I ask for?

What other children need is not relevant to your childs needs, so don't let them focus on other children. They have an obligation to act to support your child, failure to do so is disability discrimination. You go back to school and ask for the things you have already suggested above, you ask them to put their refusal in writing if they once again refuse to support in any way and even if they won't do that you take a formal complaint to the governors about it.

A child in our schools in those circumstances would get:

Smaller spelling lists
Afternoon group sessions dyslexia support (Beat Dyslexia scheme) probably twice a week.
Morning phonics intervention (8.30-9.00) before school led by a ta.
She'd also be taught cursive if she didn't know this as it helps spelling.

We couldn't offer a laptop - we don't have any and we don't have any money. Not just saying that - we really don't.

If she continued to make no progress I would ask for her to be seen by the inclusion consultant to identify what else we can do for her. We get a certain number of hours and a child making absolutely no progress would be priority.

Thanks for your input. It gives me more confidence that my suggestions are reasonable!
We have said we will supply a lap top. But they won't let her use one. I don't think there is anyone in school who knows how to provide the kind of support she needs. She has been withdrawn for a smaller group literacy session recently, but from what I can work out this is not focussed on her specific needs and is more a 'fun' session with a TA.

I would be unhappy with withdrawal and use of a laptop

What would children in this position in your school receive in terms of support, Mrz?

I volunteer in my kids school,( small, about 120 kids, so low funding) they do intervention groups with v capable ta s every dayand one of the class teachers is the SENCO, who has a great attitude, and over sees all special needs.
Don't know of any of this is standard, as it's my only experience of primary.

Firstly we would want to establish the exact nature of the problem. A diagnosis of dyslexia is pretty meaningless. I would want interventions to target specific areas of difficulty in addition to normal class teaching not as a substitute delivered during lessons outside the classroom. Struggling children have as much right to teacher time as their peers.
Handwriting often helps with memory and spelling so I'd be very reluctant to overuse technology as a plaster over the problem rather than as an effective strategy.

Her cursive handwriting is excellent, but isn't helping with her spelling problem.

Ed Psych report mentions dyslexia in the final paragraph but is much more specific than that throughout. However, her specific difficulties are very obvious. She does not know how to spell many of the alternative spellings for sounds and cannot remember or work out which spellings of sounds to use. She also lacks visual memory of those spellings (hct for 'ch' for example). Writing has become difficult, disheartening and she produced very little. What she does produce is not at all in line with her verbal abilities.

I agree entirely about the need for teacher time. Withdrawal seems to be with a very mixed group and at a much lower level than the main class.

I would use a phonics assessment to identify gaps in phonic knowledge so that teaching is targeted.
If visual memory is an issue I'd ensure that activities to support development is included in her daily routine (plus ideas to use at home)
Can I ask which phonics program the school uses with her and who delivers it?

School isn't no longer using a phonics program as she is 'in year 3 and they all have to master year 3 spellings' (literal quote from class teacher). However, these spellings are sent home to learn and are not taught in school.
Previously, in both schools, she was taught using 'Letters and Sounds' - well taught in yR but haphazardly later and changed schools after a term in year 2.

Mine is in same year and has intensive TA sessions with two other children

"School isn't no longer using a phonics program as she is 'in year 3 and they all have to master year 3 spellings" and they couldn't possibly teach Year 3 to encode words for spelling ...I despair!

http://sounds-write.co.uk/Wordlist/Years3456wordlist2016.pdf

This might help with spellings

Yes, I despair too...

The teacher should be able to tell you specific actions.
It could be:

Making sure your DC is in a focus group and working with a teacher more often
Given 1-1 quick 'gap filling' interventions e.g. teacher knows your DC doesn't understand fractions so takes them to one side and does extra work on it
Gives extra homework/resources/ideas for work at home
Specialist teacher or TA interventions e.g. phonics catch up
Making sure your DC is more engaged in lessons

Or could just be that the teacher is very aware of your DC's gaps and target areas and is planning carefully to make sure these are filled in.