Standardised tests for monitoring progress in secondary school

[Atomsaway]

Hello,
I’ve posted this in SEN too.
My son has an EHCP for dyslexia. His annual review will be coming up in the next couple of months and as far as I know, our school does not use any standardised tests to monitor progress. They just go on assessments either written by the teachers or a bought in scheme of work.
I would like to know exactly how much progress my son is making so that I can approach the LEA with regards to a specialist school. I will need concrete evidence of progress or not.
Can anyone recommend a brand of standardised test for this purpose?
Thanks!

Where are you OP? In my LA that wouldn’t be the evidence that you need. Instead you would need an EP & a SENDO to attend the review and for the EP to recommend special.
I know that isn’t what you asked. Sorry

Thanks New. I’m in Greater London.
LA have already said no to a specialist school. I want to get a variety of evidence in case I need to approach them again. I realise that wouldn’t be the only thing they consider but if my son is failing to make progress despite the invention provided in the plan, I need something to go on. Something that is a reliable indicator.
At the moment, my son is happy in a year 7 transition group. My concern is how he will progress once he’s in the wider school and the resulting effect on his mental health.

Has he been assessed by an EP from the LA or by a privately commissioned one? If he has an EHCP you could request that the school commission the EP to do further assessments (of the type you describe) and prepare a report for the review. (We use a school-commissioned independent EP because LA ones ares so thin on the ground) Does the SENDCo know that you would like special for him? Ask if you can meet with the EP prior to the review to go through the report and get his/her recommendations. The EP’s advice is one that matters. If they recommend special and you don’t oppose that, the LA are required to find a special placement- it can take a while though even once agreed.

Thanks again New. He has been assessed twice, one private and one LA EP. Our Senco knows I would consider pushing for a special dyslexia school if he is not making sustained progress. She doesn’t think he would get funding though.
At the moment and because of the lockdown, there is very little information on my son. To cut a long story short, not all of the specifications of the plan are not being met because of a mess up with the funding.
I am gathering my thoughts and planning for the annual review in May. An accurate way of tracking how well he is doing is something I am keen on, which can also be presented to the LA if needed.
I am not talking about the type of testing for diagnosing difficulties. We have a very detailed and thorough report on that already. I am looking for a brand of standardised test that can be used to measure how well his literacy and maths are progressing. The special school I have in mind use Wide Range Ability Tests every term or so. I would like to know if there is anything similar or should I just ask for WRATs testing?

You could ask the school to do a WRAT test.
What you are asking for though is a change of provision. A test which shows that your child isn’t progressing won’t necessarily won’t necessarily mean that he needs a change of provision. For that you need an EP.
I can suggest some tests if you think that would help.

Yes please. I think it would benefit the school actually. I teach there too.
I’m not asking for a change of provision yet. I’m asking to see if he is making progress because the assessments (so far) don’t tell me anything.
Thanks so much for your help!

We don't use EPs in my county for this, we have a specialist teacher team who come into school and conduct assessments. All children with an EHCP are assessed every year, using a bank of standardised tests appropriate for their learning needs and those with Other SEN at least every two years. The standardised tests used include Coloured Progressive Matrices for Verbal reasoning, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test for receptive vocabulary, HAST for spelling, YARC for reading, Turner RIdsdale for working memory etc. We therefore have an accurate standardised assessment which we use in conjunction with PIVATS and/or national tests depending on learning profile.

Thank you spaniel. This is exactly what I’m after!