Test Results

[salsa]

Why should poor spelling deny a child either a grammar education or Latin lessons. And knowledge of Latin could help with some aspects of English spelling and the process of learning Latin, if taught well, could help her learn how to learn English spellings.

Triuble is, little is taught thoroughly and logically these days which probably one of the reasons why no one has succeeded in improving your clever daughter's spellings over the years.

Problem we had was we suspected she was dyslexic in year 1 but kept being told she's a young one, she'll catch up. My husband is dyslexic, my niece on my side of the family was picked up after struggling at Stoke university, so I knew it was a possibility. Even with this knowledge they denied a problem even though she was slightly below targets. They won't test either but when she hit year 3 I had had enough and got her privately assessed. She was very very dyslexic, and has Irlen syndrome too. Took the report into the senco and was told, no surprise there then, could of slapped her but being of pedigree lol I restrained myself. The year 3 teacher worked hard with her with some interventions from the report and by end of year 3 she was at the expected level. Start of year 4 I asked what interventions she would have to be told, we don't have to implement any as she's at the national average. I questioned it to be told if she's drops off we'll start the interventions again. This is what they did, so all through primary we have had peaks with help and drops without. It's the system. Now my older daughter who is doing very well at the grammar, but whos spelling is terrible too has started to struggle reading more complex text as she's hit year 8. I don't know if its just because academically she's being stretched or if indeed she is dyslexic but managed to find coping mechanisms. Either way she's booked in for an assessment as I would rather catch problems early rather than leave it!

Dear Bexamy,
Children should be taught according to their potential not whether they have reached a national average. Your daughter has potential and should, with the appropriate help, fulfil it! Did you get extra time for the exam because of her dyslexia?

[bexamy]

Why should poor spelling deny a child either a grammar education or Latin lessons. And knowledge of Latin could help with some aspects of English spelling and the process of learning Latin, if taught well, could help her learn how to learn English spellings.

Triuble is, little is taught thoroughly and logically these days which probably one of the reasons why no one has succeeded in improving your clever daughter's spellings over the years.

Problem we had was we suspected she was dyslexic in year 1 but kept being told she's a young one, she'll catch up. My husband is dyslexic, my niece on my side of the family was picked up after struggling at Stoke university, so I knew it was a possibility. Even with this knowledge they denied a problem even though she was slightly below targets. They won't test either but when she hit year 3 I had had enough and got her privately assessed. She was very very dyslexic, and has Irlen syndrome too. Took the report into the senco and was told, no surprise there then, could of slapped her but being of pedigree lol I restrained myself. The year 3 teacher worked hard with her with some interventions from the report and by end of year 3 she was at the expected level. Start of year 4 I asked what interventions she would have to be told, we don't have to implement any as she's at the national average. I questioned it to be told if she's drops off we'll start the interventions again. This is what they did, so all through primary we have had peaks with help and drops without. It's the system. Now my older daughter who is doing very well at the grammar, but whos spelling is terrible too has started to struggle reading more complex text as she's hit year 8. I don't know if its just because academically she's being stretched or if indeed she is dyslexic but managed to find coping mechanisms. Either way she's booked in for an assessment as I would rather catch problems early rather than leave it!

Dear Bexamy,
Children should be taught according to their potential not whether they have reached a national average. Your daughter has potential and should, with the appropriate help, fulfil it! Did you get extra time for the exam because of her dyslexia?

Dyslexic report advised 25% as does the Irlen syndrome one. We requested it via the school as advised. It came back she was allowed 10% extra time. However other dyslexic children I am led to believe had 25%. Apparently it's the schools that supply KCC with the info of their recommendations. Because daughter gets interventions when school feels like it I suspect they couldn't evidence extra support given to validate the requirement for 25% extra time. It's an Ofsted outstanding school, ticks all the "right" boxes for Ofsted but doesn't necessarily mean it is good at providing support.

[mystery]

The more I hear about what really happens in some schools the more rubbish I think Ofsted is. Whether or not a child meets some definition or not of needing support it's clear to any decent teacher that she needs some help to improve her reading and / or spelling. If school doesn't have the time they could use the parent more - they could teach you the intervention method that was effective. None of it is rocket science unless they really don't know how to teach spelling or reading accurately to a child who has a tendency to "muddlesomeness" in these aspects of English for some reason or other. Usually the same methods are beneficial to all children in some way and, to a degree, an be included in mainstream classroom practice.

It really does not sound as though your child's test result could do her justice. Will you appeal?

[salsa]

I'm with Mystery, good grounds for an appeal!

[bexamy]

Unfortunately I think (and it is only an opinion based on personal experiences as a parent) that in our school its a case of teachers being forced to do as they're told. This year the turnaround of teachers and teaching assistants was 7, and in previous years longstanding teachers/tas have left in 3s and 4s. Just my opinion but I feel Ofsted to our head is paramount importance.

[mystery]

Yes, and if ofsted inspections were worth the public money that goes on them (big sums) someone like you would easily have been able to communicate with the inspectors and show them how a child like yours whose spelling needs a bit of extra thought is not getting it at an "outstanding" school and children are picked for Latin in some hidden way.

[mamu]

Do we know when are we expecting the result?
We are OOC so probably will not get the result through school.

[PettswoodFiona]

Hi Mamu, 14th October from Kent but will just be a selective / non selective score. No reason why an OOC head won't give you a detailed breakdown. If they don't volunteer it, ask.

[mystery]

Yes, and you can also email Kent admissions for the raw score details - but you might not get this until a little later as they get very busy.

We asked the school, in advance, for the total score and the individual paper scores. They gave them to us over the phone a day or two after results day - everyone was telephoned by the school. I had wanted the total score to get some idea about whether or not it was likely to be a superselective score or not. When it was read out over the phone two days late I was a bit dubious so I got it in writing from the local authority too just in case there had been error somewhere along the way.

[chimera-ma]

No, the schools don't have them yet but should do by the end of the week. Headteachers' appeals will be done early next week.

Does anyone know if the Headteacher appeals process is over yet?