Langley Grammar support for Dyslexia...

[Aethel]

I am posting this in Berkshire rather than SEN as I'd like info from parents of chhildren already at LGS...

Does anyone know of children at Langley Grammar who (or whose friends may have) dyslexia? We're considering LGS for DD2 but have heard mixed reports about SEN (one very sensible friend's daughter who basically said their SEN support is sink-or-swim)
Their website says "we have very few children with SEN" and that children with English -as-a-second-language are catered for but their SEN policy seems cut-and-pasted as a list of what they "could" do if such a child were to attend...

Also the open day last yesr stated the children got 2 hours homework per night which I suspect Dd2 would struggle with... does anyone know if the workload is modified at all for the SEN pupils to accomodate? I think what I'm really asking is should I discount this school from our CAF options, or can someone give me a positive example of dyslexics being supported at LGS please? (She is musical which is why we're thinking about the school, and we are in area 1 ie local).

[Aethel]

Wow, that's a deafening silence....!

[BlueBerry]

Hi Aethel,
Have you been to their open day? Is this something that you can ask them?

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Edited for all of my appalling spelling mistakes!

[Aethel]

Their "new" open day is next Tuesday....which clashes with Burnham Grammar's open afternoon (BGS is where big sister goes already, and is a definite option for us, I have heard they are very good with SEN support).

We will go and ask in person if we get a chance, but When we visited Langley Grammar last year there was no mention at all of SEN provision At All, though they were keen to tell us that the school has 4 (!) school counsellors available.....so I was wondering if any parents who actually know the school could provide advice.

[BlueBerry]

Oh what a pain! Isn't there another open day that you can attend?

[Aethel]

Oh what a pain! Isn't there another open day that you can attend?

Well, there was last year's.... nope, it's quite hard to get to anything else, LGS s very strict about not having additional visitors (presumably to avoid getting swamped). We have other options and to be honest the open day visit is likely to be a carbon copy of the one from last year... might try to do them two-in-a-row if DD2 will put up with that!
But to be honest the impression I get is of huge academic pressure so if they *don't* have robust SEN support, I suspect it will not be the right school for DD2 anyway. Two hours of homework a night aged ten and a bit would, I suspect, not be her bag, and if they are not supportive that two hours could take her three....

[KatharineB]

I hate the talk to negatively but honestly my experience of LGS was pretty terrible when I was there with writing issues. The only support I got was yo write lines in my lunch break. Granted this was a fair while ago. I have an autistic child sitting the 11+ tomorrow morning and we also went to their open evening last year. The school seemed very unfriendly to be honest to extra needs.

Have you considered Upton Grammar? I was honestly very impressed with their SEN staff with Miss Earle I believe having been in charge and there for a long while. Just in the entering process she helped liase with my daughter's primary school as to how to best apply for her needs and we are not even guaranteed to go there yet. I have also heard good things about St Bernards as one of her friends with Autism goes there.

For SEN students I highly recommend finding somewhere that welcomes it and has experience. Apologies for the long post. I hope you find somewhere that accept you for who you are and embraces it.

[Aethel]

Thanks KatherinB, that's really helpful to know.

I agree it's about giving them a chance to try, and then finding the "best fit" for their needs.

Good luck for your DC!

[hel_tcw]

I can give another thumbs up for St Bernards 're SEN.

My DD is Autistic (though more on the Aspie side), and goes to St B's.

Before she started there, the school let her have some extra transition afternoons, and that was before she was diagnosed (I did explain at the time that she was on the waiting list go be assessed, so they treated her as if she was until they knew otherwise).

Although the SENCo left last year, the Heads of Year took on the roll - her Yr7 HoY arranged for her to start a Social Skills programme which she started at the beginning of this term. There is also now a new SENCo, who happened to be her history teacher last year.

Homework wise they are meant to get about 7 hours a week, though some pieces take longer than the expected 30-40 mins, especially when she gets distracted (which is most of the time unfortunately).

My DS is also ASD; we are currently waiting to see if he has passed the 11+, so he can join his big Sis as I know that the Pastoral care will be there.

Good luck.