What support would you expect from school if 8 year old cannot read at all

[shouldbeironing]

If you had 8 year old in year 3 and he could not read - had difficulty in recognising letters (did not know the letters k, m or d for example), couldnt read a simple word like "mat", how much extra time/help would you expect school to provide?

Lots of one-on-one time with someone other than the class teacher. If there's no one else then the head teacher should do it - unless there is some particular SEN reason, then this is definitely off track.

I would expect them to have a statement and be receiving lots of one to one help daily.

I'd expect there to be some form of intervention going on. But I would also be doing something myself.

how has it got to this level?

How often do you read with him at home? And have you been aware of the problems since he started school?

Have you had discussions with the school about his inability to read/have they brought it to your attention?

Tbh I would have been expecting them to be doing daily reading with him from at least two years ago.

So if it's got to this level then further intervention is required that involves the senco, and potentially external bodies that can help with any issues that may be causing his difficulties.

Has he had an eye test recently?

I am not at all surprised by this.
An school getting 80%+ or thereabouts in their Key Stage 2 literacy is actually saying that 20% of their children are to all intents and purposes unable to read adequately.
I think it is quite understandable that in a class of year 3 children there will be non readers who have not been picked up.

This is some of what I do
assess what the child can actually do; check their KS1 SATs results to see if they are actually an accurate representation of the child.
ensure that the child receives daily phonics teaching and is given suitable books to read at home and at school;
set some small, measurable targets for the child to achieve.
talk to the SENCO ( actually I jump up and down and nag until they come and see me)
try and ascertain if there is an underlying reason ie do a screening test for at risk of dyslexia
be honest with the parents about the situation and try and find out if there are any issues in the family.
persevere, persevere and persevere.

dyslexia screening, and lots more one to one

but would be amazed that it would get to part way through year 3 before anyone noticed.

DSs dyslexia picked up on half way through year 2, a key time apparently

Is this a child you know or work with?
Yes...as others have said...i would expect them to be giving him lots of 1:1 time..and looking into funding for a possible sen

A child of this age would not have a statement but I would expect them to be on the SN register on at least school action if not school action+ which would involve at least twice yearly IEPs .

There should be intensive extra reading (both individual and in a group) support for the child on a daily basis.

Thanks for replies - not my child. Child has been identified as dyslexic (not statemented I dont think but on the SEN register if that makes sense) and needing help (would have been hard not to spot this) but IMO the help is not enough and I just came on here to see if any teachers/parents with children with such difficulties would be able to reassure me as to what would normally be offered.

As far as I know the help given is along the lines of what Robinpud mentioned - a short phonics session 4 times a week - so about 2 hours in total per week plus the odd reading session which all the children have. I just wondered if this was about right or whether more could/should be done.

My dyslexic 10 year old has been through an Australian programme called MULTILIT (making up for lost time in literacy) developed by Macquarie University in Sydney this year, and the improvement has been dramatic. It is a combination of phonics, sight words and reading practice. It was approx. 20 minutes four times per week and I made sure that I read with him at home for 10 minutes 5/7 nights as well. (I was also trained as a tutor on this programme at school so I could work with him and other children.) It is absolutely fantastic and very easy to do, you can get it and use it at home.

It sounds like the child you're talking about is getting a reasonable amount of help (DS2 got 1/2 hour a week non-specific help in the UK), as long as that time is being used wisely. I would suggest nightly reading as well (ask the school for book recommendations for a suitable level), and going right back to the beginning with lists of key words and getting the child to learn them as sight words. Short, regular sessions with lots of praise is the key. My best advice though would be to monitor the situation closely - if progress isn't being made after a few months then something more needs to be done.

Sen register

one on one help at the least

You may get more information if you post under Special Needs area.

I'm interested to know why GrimmaTheNome says "Lots of one-on-one time with someone other than the class teacher" who would you suggest?

I would not trust any school to help a child who had managed to get to age 8 without being taught how to read. I frankly think it is disgusting that this should have happened.

The state education system should be made to pay for this child to have specialist reading lessons using an evidence-based programme from an outside tutor, PDQ.