How to increase writing speed

[golfbuggy]

DS's GCSE mocks results today. He has done abysmally in every subject that requires extended writing e.g. English. This is, I suspect mainly due to the fact that he writes so slowly that he only completed half the paper in these subjects. This has been an issue with him since he learnt to write and I've always been told .. "he's a boy", "he's summer born", "children mature at different rates", "it will come with practice" etc etc. Basically he's been doing "just about well enough" so it's never been considered a problem.

I went to talk to the SENCO to discuss whether there was any possibility that he might have a specific learning difficulty or at least get help with writing, but was basically fobbed off.

So ... advice needed ... regardless of whether or not there is a "reason" he needs to learn to write more quickly (and he needs to learn quickly!). Any ideas (please not "he just needs more practice")?

I think I'm correct in saying that universities will require an ed.psych report thats no more than 2 years old if he needs extra time and a lap top.

The JCQ do not require an e.d. psych report for extra time, you can get extra time from an internal assessment and evidence that giving extra time is a normal way of working. For use of a laptop all you need is evidence it is the student's normal way of working (no assessment). I don't know whether university requirements are any different. For a levels a new handwriting assessment does not need to be done, the student just has to sign a data privacy agreement, to allow the school / college to share their relevant info with the JCQ, and there needs to be evidence they still are being given and use the extra time.

Yes, as others have said, you don't need a formal diagnosis while at school. The important thing is the school putting in place access arrangements.

I work in FE and it's pretty sad watching people struggling to get GCSE maths and English language, sometimes until they are 19, so I would really push for extra time and maybe a PC for writing, plus encourage DS to focus a lot on those 2 subjects, and to learn the exam.

@AtomicRabbit - learning to touchtype is a brilliant idea. There are loads of free online courses. Try and get one with a login as it will remember what stage he's at. 10 minutes a day practice.