Year 7 'screening' tests?

[ScreeningY7]

Afternoon,

My daughter recently started Year 7 (academically selective independent school)

A couple of weeks back the whole of Year 7 sat some 'screening tests' on computers.

We were told by email this was happening and we likely wouldn't hear anything further about it.

I've just seen a number of the children, mine included, will be having further screening tests soon.

It's organised by the SEND department.

I know that DD is doing fine academically with them, great feedback so far and teachers very happy with her work.

I'm wondering what sort of screening a year 7 child might be having via the SEND staff?

Just a complete guess but Dyslexia perhaps?

Thanks for the reply.

I would have thought that would have been part of the first screening.

But DD has always been years ahead reading/writing so can't imagine she'd have been called back if it were the case.

ADHD/Autism/Anxiety yes - school are aware. But I wouldn't expect that to be an assessment of this style?

I'm sure we'll find out in time if necessary but was hoping someone who works with similar would have some ideas.

We do one which gives us info about processing speed and comprehension at sentence/word level
depending on the scores we might follow up with some more specifically aimed at dyslexic traits.

we’re academically selective but even so there’s a huge disparity in reading and comprehension ability across the year group, as well as reading habits and wider understanding of cultural references which are important for making meaning. The selection tests are verbal, mathematical and verbal reasoning so they can get in with very good maths scores. It doesn’t always reflect sats scores either which is why we do our own.

the data belongs to the student so if you are want I see it, they can request it.

Thanks so much.

I guess perhaps I'm being naive that because she reads/writes so much and so well that there couldn't be other processing issues.

Grateful that her school is taking the time to look into things further. Her primary left a lot to be desired in that respect (she was bright and well behaved and so no issues ever noted) so I think extra attention makes me suspicious as opposed to how I should be feeling - grateful.

If she’s been called back then there’s a few possibilities but most likely is that there’s some disparity between her scores - perhaps she scored very low in processing but has high sats results, or scored very highly in word comprehension but not sentence. The second screen might be to look at that and explore what’s going on. Sometimes it is simply that the child didn’t quite get the software or it froze and they didn’t feel they could say anything!
there’s a lot of reasons but it’s absolutely fine to ask the send dept what they’re thinking g

@LottieMary thanks!

I don't want to bug them while tests are still happening. They've been great with her so far and she's settled in amazingly.

Equally I am a nosey person. So asking here seemed a good way to get a couple of answers without being a pest to them!

I wouldn't be surprised at all if she scored super highly in most areas and then got the wrong end of the stick for others (ADHD) so in any case it'll highlight areas where potentially she needs some help.

Lots of schools do y7 CAT testing at this time of year but it’s not usually done by the send department.

Done on computer it could be the NGRT tests or something similar, which are reading and spelling based. Sometimes children don't complete in the time set.

CATS
SEALS
NGRT

We do all of them in this first term

DD sat some dyslexia screening test and the MidYis test at the beginning of y7. Parents weren't told, she told me about it herself on the day she had done the tests. If there are any concerns they will contact you.

That’ll be midyis.