How do I get an assessment for my 15 ... - The Dyslexia Comm...
How do I get an assessment for my 15 year old son? School has been reluctant to act on my concerns but I hope to see the SENCO tomorrow.
This rings a bell with me. I have an eight year old son that was struggling in school. He did have a little bit of help with what they called ''pop art'. I did a lot of my own research and I was convinced that he was dyslexic. When I approached the school they didn t seem convinced. I rang the local education department and asked if they had someone that could help me. They had a Dyslexic Advisory teacher. She came out to assess him and she confirmed what I thought. She advised the school that he should go out twice a week to the Senco. For a long time the only time that he would go out with the Senco was the week before a meeting was due. For nearly two years we had numerous meetings with the advisory teacher and the school Senco. In all this time things were getting worse for our son. His selfesteem was rock bottom. The advisory teacher can only advise the school they cannot make the school do what they are told. Last July we came to the desicion to move schools. This was a very dramatic time all round. He didn t want to move but he realised that we didn t have a choice. I can t say as yet that he has settled fully but it's coming with time. We now have the pleasure of taking him to school and watching him run in where as before he would hold my hand and be upset about going in. Please telephone your local education department and ask for help. Don t always listen to the school.
Thank you! Have to say the school has been very "well even if he is what do you expect to happen"! Because he already has 25% extra time for exams their attitude is rather "nothing more we can do" but the SENCO is going to talk to his teachers. Thank you again and I will continue to dig deeper. I hope your son settles well and that things start to improve for him. I know that people with dyslexia can achieve amazing things - my nephew is about to finish his archeology degree!
First thing you should be asking is do the school think he is dyslexic? What evidence have they got. Ask if they would formally assess your son by an Educational Pyschologist or a specialist dyslexic teacher a member of the BDA. Often schools dont have a budget to assess and it falls to the parent. To be honest you will need a report for the school to do anything and if they wont pay it will have to come out of your pocket. Expect to pay £250 for a full report and always tell them you want a list of recommendations at the end of it ie does you son require high level teaching etc how may hours, is specialist intervention required. Dont know how it works at age 15 but our son in Primary and they have school action and school action plus for children who are making slow progress and have dyslexic or SEN problems. Has he an individual education plan? You need to keep a log of every conversation you have with the school keep all paperwork because you dont know when you will need it ie if your son falls on the percentile scale that indicates he really does require specialist intervention you may find yourself having to ask the Local Authority for a Statutory Assessment. This is where we are at and we are meeting our LA at tribunal later on in the year as they refuse to assess. You need to start gathering evidence of your childs needs. Hope this helps
Thank you! Having thought and queried for some time if he had a problem, one of his teachers finally suggested he may be dyslexic. The school's attitude is "even if he was, what do you want from a diagnosis"? He has 25% extra exam time after he started having seizures two years ago. Although these have ceased he is still getting the extra time. It is a shame for our son that someone other than me has finally noticed something! He is not staying on for sixth form in September but is going on to a further education college who have already said they will reassess him when he goes in so I am hoping they will be more supportive. However, I am hoping it is not too late as he needs basic maths and English to get on his course. I am hoping he may get by without the results as he is doing very well in his ATC squadron and has shown true grit and determiantion despite his ill-health and did very well in his interview. Thank you so much for your information and support!
We as parents were prepared to pay for a private assessment by a psychologist but the headmaster informed us that he wasn't t prepared to look at a private report therefore the only was we could 'jump them queue' was to apply for a statement which we did. Recommendations were given by the psychologist after the assessment and this is what made us decide to move schools. We weren't successful with the statement but we have what s calle a 'note in lieu' which I hope will help him. We have only just been advised to apply for an IDP which we are looking into at the moment. I hope things work out for you and your son. Keep in touch. x