extra time refused for dyslexic DD's A levels

[yolofish]

just that really! Her reading and comprehension have been assessed as still slower/below average, but not bad enough to meet the exam board threshhold for extra time.

she had extra time at GCSE, and should apparently have had a reader although she says she didnt know that. all her teachers have assumed she will get extra time for A levels, with advice including "use your extra time to map out the essay" etc etc

her main problem is not reading/comprehension, but getting the ideas out of her head and onto paper, so writing an essay is a tortuous process for example, although she gets there in the end.

I have asked the school whether there is a writing test, rather than a reading and comprehension test, and whether there is scope for input from teachers re the amount of time/effort she has to put in to produce written work.

she is now very stressed... any other ideas about how I can help her anyone please? TIA

thanks again poison I have just pinched some of your words in my latest email to school, and delicately questioned deadline for application.

I am dyslexic myself so I just hope it wasn't some of my twisted syntax

I really hope it works out for your DD.

I test for EAA. It is my decision who gets ET. I do not necessarily accept external reports. Advice from teachers is essential. The problem is that it is very late now if she is taking exams this May. If someone comes out of the woodwork now and teachers have not noticed anything then I have to say 'no' because
I would have no 'evidence of need' to show the inspectors. JCQ send out inspectors and if they don't approve of a decision then they will pull that eaa for the candidate and possibly all candidates. They can shut the centre down. Therefore SENCOs have to be very careful.

As to tests she needs to be tested on single word reading, a reading speed test, a comprehension test, DASH handwriting assessment plus a test of processing speed. I would do this as a norm. The trouble is that schools might not have the tests in house (they are costly) or someone with a qualification to test. I would want to know why she wasn't retested during the ?christmas term or early January.

Needing extra time has to be her "normal way of working". This means that she should get and use extra time in class tests and timed essays. The school needs to provide evidence, such as changing pen colour at the end of regular time.

no poison it was brill! thank you fugacity I will raise those points. This is what I dont understand... she had the ET before, she is clearly dyslexic, it doesnt just disappear, and dyslexia is not just about reading/comprehension but about processing speed. All her teachers have assumed she would get it again, and told her she must use the extra time to assess the task and plan her essays. so just because her reading/comprehension has picked up a bit she must automatically be able to increase her brain to page speed?

just an update: she is having a computerised assessment sometime this week, a programme which school has actually bought (due to shortage of time); SENCO tells me there will be enough time to make applications and get resolution.

OK, so she scored too high to get the ET. dont know what the assessment programme is, but the benchmark over 5 tests was 84, with a grey area of 85-89, and she got an average of 93 so scored too highly.

She is pretty philosophical actually, a bit pissed off of course, but the SENCO had a really good chat with her about strategies for how to cope without the extra time and I am confident SENCO will keep on her and teachers' case to make sure staff are aware and help her focus.

Cant fault the school because they have really done their best for her.