DS, Year 5, Level 2 writing. What should we/ school be doing?

[bunny3]

Got school reports today. Ds is level 2 writing, level 3 reading. Just realised level 2 is where they should be in Y2 so that puts him 3 years behind . He has no extra help tho we are having one hour a week private tutoring due to start tomorrow. I am pissed off school has let allowed him to sit at this level. We have had numerous meetings and he has an IEP but it seems he has made no progressfor years. What can I expect? Am planning on seeing Head first thing tomorrow.

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Anyone??

ooked at last years report, ds was Level 3 writing at wnd of Year4 so he has actually gone down a whole level.

Can't offer any advice i'm afraid, but my DS is at the end of year 4, and is also at level 2 writing.

Are the school concerned?

Same as MaryBS and we were not made aware either that he was really behind. I do not understand how we missed it , we have 2 parents evenings a year and were always told he was doing fine. I do not know what to do about it as I can't help but blaming myself more than the school.

ask the tutor to identify his strengths and weaknesses. Do you think he would get a higher level if someone scribed for him?

Well, they haven't said they are - but on the other hand, he's vastly improved in other areas - literacy was always a big problem, now he's caught up.

Unfortunately DH went in to sign his IEP, so I didn't get a chance to talk to them...

gorionine, I feel i have totally let him down.

I have talked about a scribe in the past but the school were vague about what they could provide. He has low muscle tone and finds holding and controlling a pencil difficult. A scribe would be good.

that's what you need to ask for then when you go in
does he have anything from a medical professional that is evidence of his poor muscle tone?

He does, yes it is a medical diagnosis of hypermobility. He used to see an OT and a Physio but has now been discharged. I assumed that meant he was ok. I think the school have given up on him. When they withdrew his extra support I assumed it was because he didnt need it but he obviously does.

Dh is furious and wants to put ds into a private school but it will break his heart to leave his freinds behind.

DD struggles with her writing as she has dyspraxia. She has always had extra help from the Senco but it didn't seem to make that much difference. Until this year when her form tutor and English teacher asked my permission to really push her as they were worried that the SATs examiner wouldn't be able to read her writing and she wouldn't get the marks she should get for English (she's year 6).

Not sure what they did but her writing has come on leaps and bounds . Results are out on Monday so don't know yet what she has but no one got lower than a 4b apparently. The other paper she has always done well on getting 5s so I guess she could have got lower than a 4b which is the year 6 average, but not hugely so. Just want to give you hope that they can catch up.

In your position I would be looking gor the school to be giving him weekly sessions with the Senco at the very least and updating you regularly as to his progress. A tutor is an excellent idea and I regret not getting DD to do a small amount of practice daily, just a few minutes. Also I think there's something called 'write from the
start' that is supposed to be very good.

You know me by the way, I'm a sweet teapot if that makes any sense living not too far from you (hope that isn't too cryptic!)

Ask them on what basis they withdrew the support. Can you go back to the O.T/physio and ask them to write a note to ask for access arrangements for examinations?

I've got two in my class that use laptops.
You need to really unpick what makes him a level 2 writer.
Does his work make sense?
Can he use basic punctuation accurately?
Can he spell?
Does he write using interesting words, adjectives, more challenging verbs, adverbs?
Is it the length of what he writes? Can he produce a page of writing?

You need to unpick the reading as well, is it the reading that's a problem, or producing a written response to reading?

I agree that he should never have got this far without specific targets on his IEP that should have been achieved, with strategies and support detailed on the IEP. They are supposed to be reviewed every 4 months at least.

yes write from the start is good. Unless the SENCO has training she may not know how to support him though.
Did he have any rest breaks during his tests?

Sorry, am a bit slow as on phone. I think he will have gone where DD went for OT and physio. They do discharge them once have worked with them and seen an improvement but I was told that she may need more help later and could go back. So year 3 I think thongs weren't going well and she went back to co-ordination clinic. Ask the school to refer him back again.

Too cryptic for me!! Can I have another clue please? Were yoe previously using a feline/condiment name?

Cornsilky,, I think that's a good idea. I might ring gp this morning for a rereferral. Maybe the gp is more able to access help for ds, the school seem clueless.

The OT does school visits and can help support him in the classroom with his writing, eg. Different chair, writing board etc. The subject of Lap tops did come up over the years and she did use one a bit in Year 5 but we decided to take the route of trying to improve her writing as we felt she would improve. Had she not we'd have gone the laptop route.

Hi bunny,

I would also post on the Special Needs: Children part of this website too as they may be able to help with this issue too.

Think twice before putting him into a private school. Private school may not necessarily help him here as they work outside the LEAs control and have their own agenda.

My advice to you is to go into school and ask the SENCO some harsh questions re obtaining a scribe. Is he actually on their SEN register?. A poorly worded IEP means bugger all really, also that should really be drawn up with you present. Bad practice of school to just ask you to come into sign it.

Are you still in contact with the person who made the diagnosis of hypermobility?. I would talk to this person as well. When was he discharged from OT and Physio?. He may actually have been discharged due to the authority wanting to save money.

You need to remember always that you are your child's best - and only - advocate. No-one else is better placed than you to fight his corner for him. This is because no-one else actually will.

Oh yes I was, that was the name before the last one ! (I'm not very awake yet) if you'd like to come for a coffee anytime and have a chat about it you'd be very welcome, promise I'll be more awake and make more sense!

Goblinchild thats very helpful thanks. I will ask about the points you have lsited. I know he cant write a page, his writing is difficult to read and his spelling poor. How old are the children that use laptops? We have discussed it at previuos meetings but the school have always said maybe when ds is older... .

He didnt have rest breaks in his tests. Should he? Who decides this?

WynkenBlynkenandNod, was the coordination clinic at the hospital? It was never referred to as that, I am wondering if there is an untapped source of help locally.

Atilla, I have really let him down havent I? . I am reluctant to put him into a private school, I think dh assumes if we pay enough it will all be ok. I hope to see the SENCO today, I dont know her as she is newly appointed. I am going to demand some answers and some action.

Thanks for the reassurance Wynken, and the offer of coffee. Would love to. The fact that your dd has made such good progress is heartening.

Am armed with lots of ideas now. Thank you everyone. Better do breakfasts/lunches etc and drag dcs off to school. Thanks again.

I teach Y5, but there are Y1 children who use something called a Thinkpad, cheaper than a laptop but works the same way with a keyboard and a display.
No excuse to deny him access at all, if his writing stamina and coordination is the issue, he could achieve with a laptop. It would also help him spellcheck.
It does sound as if the school are clueless and out of date on current good practice, time to get proactive on them.
Ditto to what the Meerkat said. You are his best advocate, and at the moment it appears you are the only one. You need to be much more forceful about making them fulfill their responsibilities.
Come over to SN for ammunition refills.

Yes it was. The OT and physio there were really really good . I know they were saying that unfortunately they anticipated cut backs and children like DD were less likely to be seen but it is worth having a go at a referral, GP probably the best route. They were saying that they were thinking of doing so private work so there was still access to them if funding got cut drastically so I don't quite know the situation at the moment but hopefully your GP would know. They really are lovely and made a big difference to DD at the time. Not just writing but things like she desperately wanted to skip to join in at school so physio got her doing that plus it was her who picked up that her Tongue didn't move properly which was why her speech wasn't clear .

You haven't let him down, the school have. Now you are going to kick ass until they access everything that's out there to support him. Private ed may well be no better informed, pick very carefully if you do choose that route.

Would also say you have not let him down, the school have done this.

I would be very wary about private schooling because they won't necessarily help him either. Also such schools are outside the LEA's control and have their own agenda.

Let us know how you get on with the SENCO.