Is son with dyslexia allowed extra time?

Advice on Special Needs and the 11 Plus Exams

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wardie
Posts: 48
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:23 am
Location: T Wells, KENT

Is son with dyslexia allowed extra time?

Post by wardie »

My son in year 5 was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 7 when the school gave him a reading age of 5. They put him on school action plus and took him out for 2xhalf hours a week and we had 2 IEPs a year. Then he reached year 4 and became a free reader (reading age 11) and went into top sets for maths and english, This is where the IEPs stopped and when we questioned them it transpired the SENCO had left and the school now have a 'provisions manager' AND they said he had not only dropped to school action they now said he no longer needed to be on the SEN register.
Therefore he receives nothing extra and no aditional help within the classroom. He is a bright boy and finds ways of getting round the dyslexia.
I don't really want to pay for an new Ed Psych report (£340) but wander if he might benefit from the extra time or am I deluding myself.

Bewildered and confused.......

Wardie *** :? :? :?
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Post by yoyo123 »

If I remember correctly the pupil would have to be on School Action Plus, but I can't swear to it. If the provisions manager can't hrlp try ringing teh area office.
wardie
Posts: 48
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:23 am
Location: T Wells, KENT

Post by wardie »

I had my worries a while back and spoke to the LEA who suggested I speak to the school as the head has to apply for the extra time.

I spoke to his teacher in october to request extra time and it came as a shock to her that he was dyslexic, but she said she'd ask. Consultations are coming up in Feb so I will ask again.

Part of me thinks he should be able to pass without the extra time cos grammar can have a tough workload.

Ho Hum we'll have to wait and see
patricia
Posts: 2803
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:07 pm

Post by patricia »

Dear Wardie

What area are you from?

Follows a link to the Bucks framwork on disability discrimination act and the 11 plus...

http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/schools/docum ... idance.pdf

Patrica
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Post by yoyo123 »

just realised thatI was thinking of extra time for SATs rather then Kent Test. Not sure in that case... sorry
ahs
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2006 12:37 pm

dyslexia

Post by ahs »

My child has been though the 11+ system last year,I also was worried about getting extra time, after talking to the head and he looked into extra time, paperwork was submitted to county and extra time was allowed.
We submitted letters from the tutor which diagnosed the problem and also school had a person from county to assess the children concerned.all in all 5 children were tested and 4 got given extra time, It does happen don,t give up speak to the head, county.
All the best
Y
Posts: 463
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 12:49 pm

Post by Y »

Hi ahs

What county are you in?

Y
ahs
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2006 12:37 pm

Post by ahs »

Y


I am in Bucks

AHS
HP
Posts: 438
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2006 2:06 pm

Post by HP »

Dear Wardie,

You should apply for extra time. Children who are dyslexic, and who apparently overcome their difficulties are often left with subtle residual difficulties, e.g reading at a slightly slower pace, writing which is not quite as fluent as it should be, possibly processing difficulties etc. Under exam conditions, these difficulties are exacerbated by time pressures, which are not apparent in the classroom. The extra time is to compensate for this and to allow the dyslexic child the opportunity to display their full potential and not be disadvantaged by what is a hidden disability.

Patricia has helpfully posted the link for Bucks, you do not say which area you are in but do follow this up via your school and county council if necessary, and be prepared to be persistant.

We applied for and got 25% extra time for our daughter for the entrance exam for the secondary school she currently attends. She and is now in Year 8 and doing extremely well. Yes the workload is heavy, but she has not found being dyslexic and dyspraxic a drawback in a selective environment.

Hope this helps

HP
GillyGillyOxenPepper
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:55 pm
Location: Essex

Post by GillyGillyOxenPepper »

Dear HP,

I wonder if you could offer any advice to me re: my 11 year old son. The description you give of children "who apparently overcome their difficulties" describes my son perfectly!

My son has a fairly high IQ (calculated at 124 and on the 95th centile) but constantly displays all the symptoms of dyslexia/auditory processing problems - slow to speak, read, bad at English, terrible at spelling, equally terrible at French. He did have an assessment with an ed-pych recommended by his (independent) school when he was 7 who said that despite having very low English/Comprehension skills, whilst having other skills rating highly, he was not dyslexic. We accepted this and have relied on just giving lots of help at home. More recently I have heard that this ed-pych, whilst I'm sure highly qualified, does not seem to have a good reputation with parents.

He is transferring to grammar in September and I am wondering if a diagnosis of dyslexia could help, especially with extra time in SATS/GCSE's etc. He failed to gain a place at his first choice of grammar where his brother goes as he struggles with speed - Maths is good.

Hope you don't mind me asking for advice but your earlier comments to Wardie really struck a nerve.
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