7 year old ds1. Please help me help him :(

[becaroo]

I have a 7 year old ds1. He is s sweet natured, very intelligent and kind boy. He was at the local school til Jan this year when I removed him and have been home schooling him since then. There were serious bullying issues which the school did nothing about but the main problem was that within 5 weeks of starting year 1 ds1 came home and told me that he had "a stupid brain" He was on the lowest ability table and was called "slow" and "thick" because of that. He was 5.

At his 1st year 1 parents evening we were told he was "struggling" with literacy. We asked what we could do to help him....given no advice.

I had 2 meetings with the teacher which were not helpful. I researched ways to help him with his literacy and paid for him to complete the "headsprout" online reading programme which he did, but struggled with the last 10 or so episodes and didnt really finish the programme reading as well as he could have IYSWIM?

After that I started using "Toe by Toe" which was also helpful but, again, he struggles with it and we are still ploughing on.

I also pushed for him to be assessed by the SENCO which they eventually did but she said he was not dyslexic and that he would catch up in time.

He was 7 in June and we are in the process of getting him into a different local school as I feel he needs a more formal learning environment.

Surely he should be able to read by now??? He genuinely seems to forget what he has learnt....we had a break from Toe by toe (various reasons) and have started again and stuff he knew 4 months ago has just...gone

(He is quite good at maths though)

Is this normal?????????
I know he is young but I also know he is very behind the other dc his age.

Can I ask his new HT to assess him again???
I really feel the 1st assessment was done to "shut me up" so to speak.

am even considering getting a kindle to see if that helps him!

Help!!

Has he got a special need as such? If not then yes he should be able to read by now. What other concerns do you have?

It is hard to define dyslexia before aged 7 although they may have tried. Ask your gp to refer him for a paed assessment or find a local Ed Psych to do so privately.

Does he have a DX of anything becaroo? I agree with rainbowinthesky that, yes, normally, he should be able to read by now. Sound's like something has been overlooked - the obvious answer, to me, being dyslexia or some sort of language impairment. Fwiw, my DS (8) has (or had) a language impairment and was always really strong on maths/anything non-language but now (partly due to all the correct help he's received) he's strongest in literacy/writing according to his Yr 4 teacher.

I do hope you get some answers soon. What kind of school is he going to be starting at?

He is quite good at numeracy and his vocab is excellent.

He was a late talker - well late developmentally at everything really....he was undiagnosed IUGR and after his birth they thought he had CP but he didnt.

He is very physically able and fit...does karate x 2 per week, swimming and beavers which he loves.

No social issues apart from his anxiety about new things/new situations. He gets on well with everyone and is just a nice kid, you know? Sadly he was badly bullied over 3 years and this has left its mark.

The school I am thinking of is a small village school - 149 pupils and his cousins got there too (not in same year though)

The class size is big - 30 - but there is only 1 class of year 3 as opposed to 3 year 3 classes at his old school.

OFSETD report satisfactory - but I am not sure I set much store by them tbh - his old school was rated "outstanding"

I have talked to the HT and was impressed...she was already talking about getting him assessed for dyslexia and a reading recovery programme they ahve at their school (which my nephew has done with great success)

Just want to help him

well that all sounds v. positive about the new school, hope the little chap regains confidence there, having cousins there should be a plus. and yes, feel free to ask new school to look at this again - but agree with LizS - training/expertise of a senco to diagnose is somewhat limited - better off with paed or ed psych.

So if the school ask me to let him be assessed do I let them or do it privately??

I was under the impression that the LAs dont give much credence to private assessments???

And how long would I have to wait for a ed psych app????

yes, let school do their own internal assessment as well, to help them put in whatever support they can, just that for a definite yes/no answer re:dyslexia you would need to go down the medical route.

DS saw an ed psych under different circumstances so I can't really offer relevant advice about that side of things, sorry, hopefully Liz or other knowledgeable people will come back.

We've only used the private system for ds (LA want nothing to do with it as ds is in an independent school ). I have heard anecdotally of private reports not being given the same credence but ironically the EP we saw privately also works for them ! Unless there are other issues it seems unlikely you'd go down the statement route (ie for dyslexia alone) so it probably won't make much odds if you went private atm and he'd certainly be seen quicker.

Thanks LIZS