School dyslexia screening delay and we are not allowed to pay privately

[pootleperkinandposy22]

DC is 12 and has terrible spelling and writing amongst many other things. I have always suspected Dyslexia but primary school didn't agree because DC is a very good reader (took a long time to learn to read then it clicked about age 8).

I thought it might be picked up on the CAT tests at senior school but Dc said he just got mixed up with which box to put his crosses in!
So despite being able to understand high level stuff, he is in a low set and finds the content of the work boring and too easy.

I spoke to his English teacher who said their yr11's had terrible spelling and it didn't really matter!!!!
Now DC gets more spellings/punctuation to correct in History and Languages than in English!

I spoke to the form tutor who said she would refer him for screening as the problem is across subjects and that would take place in the next couple of weeks. It has been 3 weeks and it is half term next wk and still nothing. I have been looking at other schools for next Sept (other reasons too) and the current school knows. Do you think the test is being withheld because of this? He is really struggling to get his homework done (must be handwritten).

I checked the schools policies on this and it actually states that they will not accept a private report because we would have done that by now.
Also, is it true that the screening test is not very accurate because it only picks out the severe cases? In that case DC is screwed. Either way he is in trouble as I know another child at this school who really was severely dyslexic and the school were dreadful with him. He now has behavioural issues and very little chance of getting GCSE's.

Any advice would be gratefully received please...

If you don't mind me saying, this sounds totally bizarre. What do you mean "they wont accept a private report"? For what? Thousands of children have educational psychology reports every year. They are conducted by registered professionals. Some of the assessments are paid for by their parents to save on a wait (or to get them to actually happen) This sounds very odd. The education authority accepts private reports so o don't see how a school can say it won't? Getting support however is a whole different story.

Thank you Tainbri I think I may be getting confused.

The only thing I can find about identifying DC with SEN is in the schools Access arrangements policy that states :-

"Private or independent tests/assessments e.g. by the Dyslexia Association cannot be accepted. In line with JCQ guidelines, all assessments must be conducted in the school context."

Would I be right in thinking that this actually means that I cannot get a private diagnosis done just before the GCSE exams and expect special arrangements to be made, without the school doing their own tests also?

But that I can get a private test done now, show the school the report and ask them to conduct their own tests and provide support should my DC need it? (yes whether dc would actually get the support is another matter! )

The access arrangements are purely for exams (such as getting extra time, reader/scribe etc) so in that case the school has to provide evidence to the exam board that special arrangements are required (for the exams) for which there is a formal procedure or everyone would want extra time and it would be seen as cheating but that is very different from getting a dyslexia assessment in order for strategies and support to be put in place to help a child with their education.

By the way, you haven't said how old the child is? If he's doing his mocks and GCSEs are next term then you've probably left it too late but you say he's changing schools?

Thank you, I understand now. Luckily DC is 12 so hopefully we have enough time to get this sorted.
I was looking at other schools as I'm not sure how much support will be given at the current one given their track record (friends children).
I will pay for a private test and see what happens from then on.

Yes, if you can afford it go for an educational psychology report as they have a lot more authority and tend to be taken notice of rather than a simple "screening".