Possible SEN discrimination after child moved down maths set at school

[Meforthree]

Does anyone have any experience with SEN needs discrimination? Our DC is in year 6 at a relatively selective school with documented slow processing and dyslexia but regularly scores 129ish in maths assessments.

He has now been moved out of the top maths set (the lower sets do less challenging work) after having a teacher who was very noticeably resistant to making SEN adjustments for him - and given those grades, (which put him in the 97th percentile nationally) the only thing I can think is they equate his slower pace with lower cognitive ability. Surely this is discrimination?

You’re right, Nd

Although I don’t really agree with you that this is the massive deal you’re making it, the only thing you can do is to do and speak to school. Hear what they’ve got to say about their reasoning. Then state your case for why he shouldn’t have been moved. See what they say. Insist on the adjustments in his new group. Would they agree to a move in January if he’s shown himself to be excelling by then?

The issue is he can’t keep up with the class speed. It is not a reasonable adjustment to slow the class down for him, even if he is capable of understanding the complexity of the maths.
What adjustments do you actually expect/ want? He would fall behind because he can’t keep up with the pace and miss information. Especially as the maths gets increasingly complicated.

You’re right, and we will. Not going to go all guns blazing. Tbh it’s really just the latest in a line of clear signals that they just don’t understand my child and we’re exhausted. Not planning on going in being all unreasonable, was just looking for empathy from people who might have experienced the same really . It just feels really hard when you have a smart kid with a documented disability whose school doesn’t get it.

What are the small adjustments that your son needs?

Can he actually keep up with the pace of the lessons? If he can’t, maybe the pace of the next set down works better for him and the other pupils in that class?

Are you planning to move him for secondary? I think that's your best option if you feel that the school don't understand him and aren't meeting his needs.

A Mathematics tutor if the work they are covering in his current set is below his ability and to keep his confidence up. A tutor is not just or children who are behind.

Surely the major difference between set 1 and set 2 is processing speed. The set 2 kids need a bit more time to grasp the concepts and a bit more time to answer the questions. So set 2 should be fine for your kid.

also, it really doesn’t matter in the long run. Dont put pressure on your kid for academic excellence and then he won’t care which set he is in and can just be happy.

Eg just taking his time to compete questions rather than moving on with pace of the class. Being given fewer questions on a topic if he’s already proven he understand a singular concept. Very typical processing adjustments that don’t affect the rest of the class but still enable the student in question to access a more challenging curriculum.

could it be more about the way they teach the maths ? different class might suit child’s learning needs more - if doesn’t suit can change again - speak with teachers

op it’s the Equality Act if you intend referencing it. There aren’t many specified disabilities under the Act, there’s a test:
A physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities

just to help if you are having chats with school

Taking longer to process the information is not the same as talking longer to understand it. Many teachers do not have adequate training in this area, as many parents find out to their frustration and their child's frustration.

Nope, another difference is that they are literally given different (harder or easier) challenges. That’s like saying don’t give a dyslexic kid comprehension on Dickens because it’s too hard to read. It’s about access to a curriculum they can actually access (and I guess, crucially, seriously benefit from) given small adjustments, and without them will be treated as having a lower cognitive ability than they actually have.

This. Moving a child with slower processing speed to a class where things are taught at a slightly slower speed sounds completely reasonable.

I have ADHD myself. I was moved down a set mid-year in year 7 or 8. I remember having a sudden revelation after a few lessons of "wow maths is way more interesting when it's not taught at 1000mph."

THANK YOU. I feel like so few people understand this? He’s so capable of understanding it! Feel like I’m going a bit mad here.

Does the school have the equivalent of a SENCO and what has that person said about the adjustments?

who made the assessment of the slow processing need and how was it done - private or via school? and how was the result communicated to the school?

Secondly - the adjustments you asked for that helped his grades shoot up - what were these, specifically? I assume mostly things to support reduction of cognitive load … what did those look like within a maths class? Or are you just talking about extra time in tests/exams?

Did the school reverse those adjustments recently / why are they not helping his classroom performance enough any more (that may be a question for school!)?

I have a y3 boy with slow processing and his maths skills are fine for his age (normal state school and no special tutoring or SEN adjustments as yet). I totally agree that his ability isn’t limited by the processing shortfall overall but he does appear (and often feels) “stupid” in class because he takes longer to access the topics he’s learning,

I am sympathetic overall - my ds can handle a complex technical Lego build because he already understands in principle what the LEGO parts do. But if I gave him a completely new toy - like a Gravitrax - he might take longer to understand and play with it. But once he gets going he’s ok.

However Since school is really ALL about new stuff, I suspect both your ds and mine may fare better in a lower set where they can master new skills, rather than racing on to new concepts too quickly for their capacity.

The school may argue that allowing him to take more time to answer questions does affect the rest of the class, especially if they are trying to encourage speed in the top set. The class can’t move on unless everyone is ready without discriminating in a different way.

Ask the school for their reasoning and how they will ensure your son has the same mathematical opportunities.

But surely the two add together, you process then understand or understand then process it takes more time if a child is slower at either or both. You need both to move forward.

It might be that it is easier to give him extension work in a class with a slower work pace than it is to slow him down in a speedier class.

It is unlikely that the next set down is missing large core chunks of the curriculum; do you have an understanding of any particular topic areas that set 1 is covering that set 2 is not?

The school don’t sound very understanding of your ds’s needs. Even if moving a set is going to help him, they should have communicated this clearly to you.

I hope you’re looking at more suitable alternatives for year 7 onwards - state and private

You are not going mad. I feel your frustration, it's incredibly frustrating when there are easy work arounds.

This is what I would expect is the school's reasoning.

TBF two of my close relatives quit teaching because the expectations to understand and adapt to every kid in a class of 20-30 (and with multiple classes, one teacher can easily have 100+ kids) was getting too much.

@Meforthree my 11 year old was in a similar situation. Diagnosed with ADHD, no adjustments needed except movement breaks between lessons. Academic selective private school. They wouldn’t move her up to top set for ages, despite getting high marks and even a 100% in the year end exam. I had to bring out my sharp elbows as it was beginning to affect her self esteem - she had worked hard to score well for multiple terms. So many reasons…
In the end they ran out of arguments and moved her up and she did great, no problem at all.

in your position I’d be guided by whatever the child needs to feel they are in the ‘right’ place rather than your needs / school convenience.