What should I expect from high school re: dyslexia?

[LynetteScavo]

DD has just started Y7.

I'll try and keep it short;

If she had an IEP (or what ever they're called now) in primary should she have one now? I didn't manage to catch her teacher at the end of last term about this (I did phone school a couple of times), and am really kicking myself now!

What support should I expect her to have if any?

She was given an English test today. Apparently he didn't understand anything. Everybody else could write much faster than her. She obviously felt very lost in the lesson.

Not really sure what I should be asking the school, but feel a bit desperate she might slip through the net and not make much progress. Should I ask if she should have an IEP?

She should be assessed by the Sen dept and given an iep if appropriate. I'd call and ask for a call back from senco.

School aren't getting back to me.

There was a y7 meeting and I managed to speak to HofY...apparently they were given a reading comprehension test and DD only just scraped not being in the bottom 10 in the year...those DC are being taught in a deprecate class. The rest of y7 aren't streamed. It was suggested she may be put in this class at some point. I think that would be the worst thing for her.
Maybe dyslexics don't need any extra support if what they write can be deciphered by teachers? She's just at that point.

Separate*

E mail the head teacher and copy to chair of BofGov asking to see the senco ASAP. Also ask for a cooy of the SENCOP (Sen code of practice)
That should ensure you get a phone call back.
Please make sure every contact with the school is via e mail or letter - that is, can be kept and filed for further reference.
Shockingly bad on the schools part
I'm 😡 For you
I'm afraid ime schools do very little for dyslexic children unless they also have behavioural issues too.
Is your child quiet, well behaved and just tries hard?

No.
No phone calls.
E mail or letter!

But I'm not sure what I actually want/should expect. I don't know what I'm asking for.

DD isn't quiet - she loves to talk, is very articulate, and has an advanced vocabulary, although she talks rubbish most of the time. But she certainly wouldn't be disruptive in class, and is very keen to please teachers, but can be a bit bossy with peers IMO.

If she were put in a class with EAL students and those of generally low ability she would either become "mother" and take charge - or become very despondent.

Maybe I should just relax and see how things go?

Well an assessment by the senco would be a good place to start....

Ok, so I ask for an assessment.. is that a normal request? What exactly do I want them to asses her for?

Any processing disorder, dyslexia..

does your dd have an official diagnosis of dyslexia?

I am really only place marking as my dd is also dyslexic. I know they have been doing CATS testing this week so ive been holding off calling but am, like you, thinking i should be making my presence felt as it were.

We do have an external tutor for dd, it is £££ but we have been fortunate enough to secure a grant to cover the cost. tbh her primary school were pretty ineffective at supporting her and we had to push for an educational psychologist report.

It didn't really seem to help much though.

Dd now loves reading but her writing is illegible so i share the same worries that she will be streamed with those with generally low ability rather than getting specialist support.

Am going to request a meeting with the senco i think.

Is handwriting is an issue perhaps ask for dyspraxia test too...

Did the school not ask you to complete a form detailing any SEN? I teach in a secondary school and had details of my pupils' SEN on the first inset of the year - including the new year 7. I think ours comes from a combination of info sent from the primary school and info from parents.

I haven't had to complete any form, but presumably high school will have her records transferred...or maybe not.

She had a full dyslexia assessment paid for by primary school less than a year ago. Very detailed report. I don't think any assessment high school can do would tell us any more. I've also had her tested for other things such as auditory processing, but apparently that's not an issue, she definitely not dyspraxic or anything else. She has tinted glasses prescribed by a behavioural optometrists. We worked on her poor tracking. I think most things that can be assessed have been. Her issues are with reading comprehension and writing. She has poor working memory (below first centile) but had the vocabulary of a 14 yo when tested 18months ago.

She can blind you with her bullshit for want of a better phrase, she's very sharp, but doesn't actually know the right answers. I can see her getting really left behind because she not actually very academic- she's definitely no maths or science whizz- plus she can't read or write well, but she does an amazing job of presenting as bright somehow