How far behind is my child (predicted 1&2 in gcse)

[pickedsoup]

My child is year 10 and struggles appears to make no progress.

Currently predicted a 1/2 in gcse maths and English

How far behind are they in years? I finally got my head around key stage grading and now it's all changed

Well, the baseline pass is a 4. Does she have leaning difficulties? What is the school saying?

Yes working memory, processing and dyslexic, now in year 10 all intervention has stopped as she needs to be in the classroom

Just gets 15 mins a week to work on maths at 15 mins to work on spelling that's it, used to get good few hours a week instead of MFL

I'd be looking to drop a GCSE subject and use the extra time in learning support to do extra maths or English / general work. I suspect that getting a 4 next year is going to be hard, you may have to play the long game, aim to pull up a bit in y11 then expect retake at college.

Does she qualify for extra time with her difficulties?

A 1-2 is about old GCSE grades G-E so she is very weak in those subjects, below the level expected at the end of primary school.

Was she weak in primary?

When you spoke to the senco about it, what did they advise?

TeenTimesTwo yes she gets extra time and reader in exams.

She's also suffering with anxiety and panic attacks and starting to refuse school as she is struggling so much and can't cope, also admitted to me most her class work is copied as she doesn't understand

We saw doctor today who was shocked that she hadn't test seen a Ed Pcych and has said the school need to do this now.

I know the school won't drop gcse without a fight so I need to word this and go about it the right way, any advice?

Yes weak in primary only ever achieved a 2c by the end of year 5

Primary were rubbish and brushed off all my concerns

Senco currently think they are doing enough with the 2x 15 intervention in tutor time every week

I strongly disagree, I want her properly assessed by a Ed Pchyc as I think this has gone on long enough, she has struggled her whole school life and has lost so much confidence

With working memory and processing everything takes so much longer to achieve. I'd be tempted to try:

• predicted grades are low
• she's not coping, is suffering from anxiety and refusing school
• even if she gets through the next 14 months she won't have a hope of revising everything properly (as everything will take longer for her than typical kids)

So options are

• continue will full workload, she'll likely crack and may miss loads of school, predicted outcome few if any passes
• drop one or 2 subjects, lighten load, use free classes in learning support starting homework, revision or getting extra help. predicted outcome she stays in school and has a chance of passing more / doing better

Whether they'll listen is another matter. DD1 dropped history in y11 after finally getting dyspraxia diagnosis and bombing English & History mocks. By not having to do history, we were able to get her to pass English.

I have a child with similar dyslexia issues. Was predicted 2/3 in both English exams. By only taking 8 gcses and using extra time for learning support, plus input from an English tutor, passed 6 out 8 subjects including Eng Lang and maths. Y11 was horrendous but we totally focused on those two subjects as the essentials. You definitely need extra input from school and a clear strategy. Dropping 1-2 subjects is essential. She will need 4- 5 passes to progress to college or apprenticeship.

Whilst it may well help to drop a subject or two, it isn't quite as straightforward as it may seem. The ideal would be to have additional support with other subjects at those times, but assuming three lessons per week per subject, that's three or six lessons 'spare.'

In an ideal world, there would be someone who could work with her on those other subjects, but there may be no one available to support. Timetabling is very complex and the staff will be timetabled in lessons themselves. Would she be able to organise herself to get on with work on her own? It's not always possible to use Learning Support either. TAs and LS staff are also timetabled. I'm not trying to put you off, but I was the LS manager for many years and it was so difficult trying to timetable the support needed for everyone.

The school must have acknowledged her difficulties to some extent, if there have been interventions, brief though they are at the moment. Is there an IEP and reviews? Does she meet the criteria for referral to the EdPsych? I think that you need to ask for a meeting with the SENCo, at the very least, to find out what their plans are for support in achieving some GCSEs.

What are the predictions based on?

@Fffion GCSE targets for ALL subjects are based on the child's performance at the end of KS2 in the year 6 SATs if a state school . Bearing in mind children only take SATs in Maths and English, the target system is mind-boggling. Secondary and high schools have absolutely no control over these targets and that is why a much larger proportion of secondary schools are rated inadequate or requires improvement by ofsted than primary schools. It is extremely difficult to facilitate children meeting these targets, particularly when SATS are often taken in much more relaxed, less formal conditions than GCSEs (e.g. SATs are usually taken in a classroom with the usual class teacher there offering support and bending the rules as far as possible, at GCSE, students will be in a hall on individual desks, with unfamiliar invigilators patrolling absolutely no support offered)

To be honest I know MLD children who have done better than this in special schools and I think that because she is poor at everything and has not seen an Ed Psych she is in the wrong school. A bit late to see an Ed Psych as well. There are expert staff in special schools and there is more attention given to the students. Can you see if she could get a statement and extra help? Otherwise reduce GCSEs. I cannot see why the school would be ok with this low level of progress and achievement.

Ah MrsP (& FFion )you have responded talking about target grades.
Ffion's question was about predicted grades.

Predicted grades are generally the school's best guess as to what the pupil will end up at GCSE based on current attainment, progress to date, and attitude to school work.

Predictions should be reviewed probably termly during y10 & y11.

Where have the processing/ memory/ dyslexia things come from if she's never seen an ed psych?

2c at end if primary is poor: end year 1/ beginning of year 2 age so 4 to 5 years behind back then. It is indeed shocking that she has never seen an ed psych.

I am not familiar with predictions being based on prior attainment. I find that MidYIS predictions are more useful.

If she qualifies for extra time and a reader she must have been assessed by an Edpsych or suitably qualified SENCO/teacher. If she has processing and/or working memory issues she will struggle to access the gcse curriculum without additional support and rationally concentrating on the basics of literacy and numeracy so that she can progress at y12 seems a better tactic.

Would it be possible to home educate her? She can sit the GCSEs as an external candidate and you can choose how many she sits. You can postpone the exam diet until next academic year allowing time for an Ed Psych assessment.