Is a visual processing disorder classed as a SEN?

[christinarossetti19]

I ask because Y6 ds was diagnosed with a visual processing disorder in the autumn via Ed Psych assessment. She made recommendations for adjustments including 25% extra time in SATS (obviously not needed this year!), work broken into chunks, considering using a laptop etc.

None of this was put into place although tbf the SENCO left at Xmas then lock down happened etc. Ds has been back at school full time since 1 June though.

Ds also saw a behavioural optometrist in January, who prescribed prism glasses and daily eye therapy, which have made a lot of difference.

We received a report with a different format to usual. I noticed at the top it had 'SEN - N', presumably meaning no SEN.

My only concern is that ds will need the adjustments that the Ed Psych recommended for secondary school. I mentioned that he had a VPD on the registration form, but if the school have communicated that he doesn't have any form of SEN, I'm worried that it will be overlooked.

I don't care what label, if any, ds is given or not given, but I do want to ensure that he gets the support that he needs. I'm happy to share the Ed Psych report with the secondary school, but as we had it done privately (his school had got a bit fixated on 'he needs to focus more'...) will it be taken seriously?

TIA.

As you say in your last paragraph, it doesn't really matter what is or isn't 'classed as SEN' by one person or another person, what you need to do is get in touch with the SENCo, or Head of Year (for most seconday schools that will be on the website, otherwise send to the generic 'Enquiries@secondary school name' from their website and mark for attention of HoY and SENCo.

Just state that, you realise this has been a difficult year with most of the Summer Term lost, the Junior school SENCO leaving at Christmas, and usual transitions not happeneing, so just wanted to be sure they had received all the information about your ds's needs and recommended adjustments. Send a copy of the Ed Psych Assessment, and the recommendations.

Also send the information that ds saw a behavioural optometrist in January, who prescribed prism glasses and daily eye therapy, which have made a lot of difference. That's really good in fact because you can state it in a really positive way "Since these daily eye therapy and the prism glasses have been put into place, we can already see what a difference it has made to ds" type of thing. Does the 'daily eye therapy' have to happen in school? Or is this something he does at home before / after school ? You can say either 'so we will continue to do this each day at home' or 'can we talk about what arrangements can be put into place so this can happen each day at school' - as applies.

The school will want your ds to succeed.

Thanks BackforGood.

Yes, I do intend to contact the SENCO just before or at the beginning of term. I've already informed them of his VPD on the registration form and during an email exchange about tests for a particular pathway that ds was interested in sitting.

Eye therapy done at home and now reduced to twice a week rather than daily thank goodness.

The legal definition of SEN (Section 20 of the Children & Families Act 2014)

A child or young person has special educational needs if he or she has a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.

www.ipsea.org.uk/what-are-special-educational-needs

If your son does not fit the criteria for SEN, he will fit the definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010.

A disability means a physical or a mental condition which has a substantial and long-term impact on your ability to do normal day to day activities.

Under the Equality Act schools are legally required to make reasonable adjustments for pupils with disabilities.

www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/reasonable_adjustments_for_disabled_pupils_1.pdf

Thanks Ellie56.

Yes, I use the EA at work (different context) and maybe naively thought that a diagnosed disability would push his primary into making proper adjustments. They didn't really seem to 'get it' iyswim, despite me providing the ed psych report and a breakdown of her suggested actions.

Then covid happened, and he was leaving anyway, so no point in pushing, but I was surprised that he wasn't even registered with a SEN on their own documents.

Irrelevant now, except if the primary had communicated this to the secondary I would feel more confident that it would be taken seriously.