Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
SEN

Here you'll find advice from parents and teachers on special needs education.

Original poster

Anyone know of a Dyslexic child with a Statement?

17 replies

yesitsme · 22/09/2009 19:16

My son has been assessed by 2 educational psychologists and been told he is severley dyslexic, school have applied for formal assessment to have him Statemented, he is in year 6.

I believe it is very difficult to get a statement for just Dyslexia alone with no other problems.

So I wanted to know if there was anyone who actually has a child who has a Statement for dyslexia?

OP posts:
Original poster
yesitsme · 24/09/2009 10:17

I guess it's pretty rare for a child to be statemented for Dyslexia then?
Our application goes before the panel on Tuesday, I'm not holding out much hope :-(

OP posts:
mollyroger · 24/09/2009 10:22

Good luck! nothing is impossible

My poor ds (non-statemented)has just started yr7 and it is v hard for his problems to be taken seriously.

Original poster
yesitsme · 24/09/2009 10:25

Thanks mollyroger is your DS Dyslexic?
What have secondary school done about his problems?

OP posts:
mollyroger · 27/09/2009 13:11

hi, sorry for delay in responding, RL got in the way.
yes he is dyslexic but can read. Spelling and handwriting are terrifyingly bad though.
We're only on week 3 of secondary school (yr 7) so too early to say. As I understand it, all staff has seen his dossier. He was allowed a scribe for SATS. At least one teacher has already emailed me to say I am allowed to scribe his homework if it is in essay form (yeah, thanks for that! lol) and I am urging ds to ask teachers himself if mind-maps, pictures, typing is acceptable for homework.

We are really struggling to keep on top of homework though - there is so much and it takes him twice as long as other children to do. Plus, we can't decipher ds's writing to see what homework is. He struggles to copy from the board especially with time constrainsts, so I will be asking teachers to write our homework for him.
French is a nightmare as he can't spell in his own language, let alone an unfamiliar one . He gets all his vowels confused.

Original poster
yesitsme · 27/09/2009 18:14

Hi just read your post and it's good to hear of other peoples experiences, so that I know what to expect and maybe prepare my Ds for.
I do tend to think French is such a waste of time for some dyslexics surely it would be better to spend that extra time on learning to read and write in English. I can see us having some of the same problems with homework etc

OP posts:
misscutandstick · 30/09/2009 18:27

My son has just moved up to yr8 and Ive been in and discussed his dyslexia (luckily not too bad - but he cant read his writing, and he gets the meaning of whatever hes reading mixed up) and apparently the teachers SHOULD be writing his home-work in his planner for him - or perhaps have a buddy do it for him?

We have bought a netbook for him to use at school, but need to final OK it with school first (and buy a decent protection/case for it!)

He says that although it does take a while for him to type at least he can read it when its done.

Original poster
yesitsme · 01/10/2009 10:40

I've heard alot of schools use these Alpha Smarts in school?

OP posts:
Marney · 08/10/2009 20:18

I have a 16 year old daughter who has dyslexia its been difficult all the way.She never had behaviour problems if she had it probably would have got her a statement.
She is now doing A levels two are sciences despite the teacher at primary school who told me i would have to accept she would never even do gcses Fortunately the six form college she has just started at is not like her schools have been and the support offered to all students is outstanding .She told me in the first few weeks the teachers smile at you and if any pupil wants a bit of support in any subject perhaps unsure about their homework there is always a member of staff avalable during their free periods or at dinnr time .Students just have to go along to the relevant department'
Homework at primary was so frustrating I often wasnt sure if she was doing what she was supposed to be doing !!!but if you asked could the homework be written down no chance it was seen as not the right way i think i was told it was good for children to try to remember.The good news despite the lack of support she got 9 gces and even some As.But sadly still has to have my help to check her spellings and last week i discovererd she cant yet spell lost.

Marney · 08/10/2009 20:41

Hope you dont mind me adding more thought it might help other parents in the same position.My spelling isnt always good!!!
One school said it would take 18 months to be assessed by an Educational physicologist Icant spell that!!!but the dyslexia association told me to phone the ed myself the assesement was done in a couple of weeks along with all her recomendations which was nearly as good as a statement.But she was entitled to exta time in her gcses and before each exam she was left to ask for this each time .ON ONE OCCASION SENT TRAIPSING ROUND A SO CALLED DYSLECIC FRIENDLY SCHOOL TILL THEY FOUND HER A PLAICE IN A ROOM WITH TWO SICK INFECTIOUS PUPILS'Before another exam she had to argue with the head of english who had no idea about her being dyslexic no one passed the info on that she should have some extra time
Who decdes schools are dyslexic friendly!!!!

Marney · 08/10/2009 20:53

Just one more thing in year 10 the pressure built up and she decided she wanted to drop a subject it was the best thing she could have doneBut the school didnt want to let her!!! No one needs 10 gces and it was the best thing she could have done it freed up time for her to spend on her other subjects Now she is struggling to do 4 a levels WHO SAYS YOU HAVE TO DO 4 YOU ONLY NEED 3 FOR UNIVERITY so she might ask to drop one .At least we know the college she is at now is likely to understand and say okay

Hassled · 08/10/2009 21:02

I know two - both DCs of friends. One got his Statement in yr 6 - wasn't much use by the time it arrived for Junior School, but invaluable to have in place pre High School. He's doing well

The other got his in Yr3. No other problems AFAIK. Good luck with it.

shoppers · 13/10/2009 10:52

My son is in year 5 at a specialist school for dyslexic (specific learning difficulties)children. It is a private school in London and we had to go to SENDIST to get our local authority to fund him. They were determined to fight us all the way particularly given that the fees are over £25,000 per year.

He was given a statement in year 1 but not for dyslexia. He was diagnosed with ADD at that age by the child development centre and that diagnosis was written into his statement. Anyway by age 7/8 we really felt all the professionals were barking up the wrong tree and we had him privately assessed for dyslexia.
The ed psych said the severity of his dyslexia was very rare(only 1% of dyslexics so severe)and we then battled with th L.A. to get his statement changed which culminated in the Tribunal. We won on every point and the statement was rewritten exactly as we wanted with the new school named and all parts written as we needed.

The C.D.C. have in the past year withdrawn their diagnosis of ADD and undertaken an internal investigation into their diagnostic procedures. Obviously their shabby methods had a huge effect on how our child was viewed at his old mainstream primary school.

Anyway from our experience it is possible to have dyslexia written into a statement but it was extremely tough for our family. So all the best with your situation.

isgrassgreener · 13/10/2009 11:08

Yes, my son also went to a specialist private dyslexic school and there were some children there who had statements, but all of them had to go to Sendist, at great cost to get into the school.

Obviously it was worth it as the fees are then paid, but it is really hard.

We did not try for a statement (but I do have one for my other dc for a different reason) and just paid the fees ourself for two years.

My local council seem to quote needing to be 4 years behind, although this is not anywhere in the guide books!

My ds has now returned to state education and so far is not getting any help at all. We have a tutor for him and have to help him a lot at home. I am not sure how it is all going to work, we will have to wait and see.

I think that your success in getting a statement will depend on where you live and how far you are willing/able to push for it.

Good luck

isgrassgreener · 13/10/2009 11:14

Just wanted to hijack with message for Mollyroger, yes we are in the same place yr 7. Spelling so bad I can't understand what he is trying to say.

Homework is a bit of a nightmare, I feel like I have gone back to school!

But.... he loves secondary school so far.

Good luck with everything

flumperoo · 13/10/2009 12:24

My child was statemented in Year 6 purely for dyslexia. That was 3 years ago and it was pretty straightforward. I didn't have to fight or push for it at all

eatyourveg · 15/10/2009 20:20

my neighbours daughter is in mensa but has severe dyslexia and she fought for a statement and got one on appeal. It is possible always worth a go

Dolfin · 17/10/2009 22:22

My son has an educational statement for severe and persistant dyslexia (

New posts on this thread. Refresh page