Year 9 Senco assessment

[bruffin]

DS 14 is on the special needs register for SLD mainly writing.

We had a letter to say they will be doing assessments all this week for those with SEN.
Started yesterday with comprehension, looks like it's math today, and looks like some sort of visual test and a writing one.

Is this normal in Year9 , is it in preperation for GCSE?
Also will they still be looking for difference in abilities? ie DS has excellent comprehension skills but he can spell the same word wrong 3 times on the same page. He can often spell words out loud but not when he writes it down on paper.

It might be wrt GCSEs, it might be just an annual thing to check on abilities/progress.
Many schools do modular exams now - especially in science and maths. And also many in many schools they sit the first module in yr9.

If they are eligible for exam concessions (eg extra time, reader, scribe etc.), then these have to be assessed for and applied of r well in advance.

my son who has just started in year 10 was also assessed in this fashion. It is for public exam concessions, either lap top usage or extra time. They have GCSE science modules in November. Can your son touch type?

Yes , he can touch type and he has always been allowed to do his homework on pc.
He is supposed to be starting science gcse after christmas.

They will be doing it for that then - they need to know whether he needs any extra help, and what sort would benefit him most (ie whether he would be better with extra time - which is unlikely if he is quick at answering the questions - or whether he needs a scribe - mostly for illegibly handwriting, and the inability to use a keyboard - or whether he can use a laptop - most likely if he needs extra help but can use a keyboard).