What do I need to ask for in school (dyslexia)?

[Sleeperandthespindle]

Hi,
I'm really struggling to get support for my 7 year old (y3) daughter. She has a diagnosis of dyslexia. We had a private ed psych assessment 6 months ago as school finally agreed there were significant difficulties but said that they wouldn't be able to fund as she was coping and behaviour was good.

She scored very highly (gifted) in certain areas, and very poorly in others (mostly phonological awareness), leading to the dx.

By the time the report was done, it was SATS time so y2 didn't put in any further support. I met the y3 teacher and senco early in the autumn term. I was repeatedly told they couldn't help much 'as there's no money and she's not as bad as some children'. However, they did offer a small group typing session and that they would try a 'word mat'.

At parents evening yesterday, I was apologised to by class teacher who said they hadn't implemented anything yet, apart from a withdrawal group for literacy with a TA. I was shown this work, which wasn't marked and was well below DDs usual standard (apart from the spelling, which was normal for her).

Very little work has been marked in any book (making me think the teacher can't read it). Where it is marked, it is unhelpful ('use full stops' for example). I showed the teacher many pages in which, for example, DD had made a simple copying mistake many, many times (k and m the wrong way round in km), which, if corrected at the beginning of the work, might have enabled her to copy the right thing 20 times rather than embedding the wrong thing. I was just told 'it's hard with 30 children'.

I don't know what to ask for now. We do additional support at home but DD hates it. She's tired and wants to do other things. I don't blame her! She is certainly not reaching her potential in anyway and is beginning to feel she is 'rubbish' at school.

Does anyone have any useful advice? Thanks

Does she have to write by hand?

Couldn't she just type or voice-dictate everything?

No, they won't let her. Everything like that I suggest is met with 'no, she can't do that or all the others will want to'

Senco and CT.

First - is she on the SEN register at school? If so you should meet with the SENCO once a term to discuss your DDs plan and how it's going. If she is not on SEN Support then write formally to the SENCO and ask her to be placed on it.

In theory children on SEN Support should have additional funds to help them in areas of difficulty. In practice you will have to be persistent to get that help for her. I took too long to realise that it is the "squeaky wheel that gets the oil". Keep popping in and asking for meetings until you have something in place.

I don't know what classroom accommodations are for dyslexia but our council has a document on its local offer of what it expects to have been tried before an EHCP is requested. Can you find similar? Did the EP not make suggestions?

If you are feeling fobbed off put your requests in an email and start keeping notes/letters in a file. It was when I started writing requests that things got done - incriminating paper trail....

Hopefully that should do it. Their budgets and other kids' needs are irrelevant. Your DD deserves support and if on the SEN register the school are collecting funding for her. If you get to January and your letters are un-answered say you will apply for an EHCP. That should get things moving.

Also consider looking up a local tutor on PATOSS website. I know of one lady who does a little work with a local girl but mainly gives the parents notes to pass to the school telling them what to put in place. The school probably don't like it but they can't really decline if their not offering an alternative!

Good luck