Refused extra time Bexley test
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 4:38 pm
I don't even know where to begin and I don't even know if I've come to the right place!
My son is due to sit the Bexley tests. I have been voicing my concerns about his literacy difficulties to the school since Year 1. We had him assessed for dyslexia in Year 3 and unfortunately he was too young for a full diagnosis. He struggled on all through Year 4 and eventually at the beginning of Year 5 we paid again for an independent assessment by a well known and highly regarded Educational Pyschologist who finally diagnosed him with Dyslexia. She believes that mistakes were made in the original report.
Since Year 4 we have been removing our son at our insistence, with the Head's permission, to have him tutored on a one to one basis for his literacy (which we have had to pay for). His self-esteem was so low he was constantly crying and refusing to go to school. He has come on leaps and bounds and has scored average to above in his SATs. His IQ is 118 and his reading age is 12 years 4 months but his reading speed is on the lowest centile. He has a spelling age of 9 years and struggles with times tables etc as he cannot process the information as quickly as others. The Ed Psych explained that as we had helped him the school had taken the credit and he had slipped through the loop at school.
I had to push the Head to apply to Bexley for extra time as he said he was doing OK. OK for whom? His IQ is clearly stating that has potential and yet I cannot get any help for him. Since he has been diagnosed, despite assurances from the school that they would help, he has not even been seen by the Senco.
The report quite clearly states that he needs to receive extra time for all tests. I have constantly been in the school requesting him to have extra time and he has never ever been given any. On Thursday he came home from school so distressed at having sat a practice test and only managing 65 questions instead of the 85 that he was physically sick.
On Friday the Head called me to say that he had been refused extra time as the Education Authority felt that his dyslexia did not impact his reading and writing significantly. I am absolutely spitting. He has worked so hard for nothing. He still isn't having his disability recognised. Today I have learned that a girl who goes to a private school in Bexley and who does not have a statement has been granted an extra 25 minutes and is able to sit the exam a week later than her peers!!!!
Arrgghhhhhhh. Anyone have any advice or ideas? Many thanks in advance.
My son is due to sit the Bexley tests. I have been voicing my concerns about his literacy difficulties to the school since Year 1. We had him assessed for dyslexia in Year 3 and unfortunately he was too young for a full diagnosis. He struggled on all through Year 4 and eventually at the beginning of Year 5 we paid again for an independent assessment by a well known and highly regarded Educational Pyschologist who finally diagnosed him with Dyslexia. She believes that mistakes were made in the original report.
Since Year 4 we have been removing our son at our insistence, with the Head's permission, to have him tutored on a one to one basis for his literacy (which we have had to pay for). His self-esteem was so low he was constantly crying and refusing to go to school. He has come on leaps and bounds and has scored average to above in his SATs. His IQ is 118 and his reading age is 12 years 4 months but his reading speed is on the lowest centile. He has a spelling age of 9 years and struggles with times tables etc as he cannot process the information as quickly as others. The Ed Psych explained that as we had helped him the school had taken the credit and he had slipped through the loop at school.
I had to push the Head to apply to Bexley for extra time as he said he was doing OK. OK for whom? His IQ is clearly stating that has potential and yet I cannot get any help for him. Since he has been diagnosed, despite assurances from the school that they would help, he has not even been seen by the Senco.
The report quite clearly states that he needs to receive extra time for all tests. I have constantly been in the school requesting him to have extra time and he has never ever been given any. On Thursday he came home from school so distressed at having sat a practice test and only managing 65 questions instead of the 85 that he was physically sick.
On Friday the Head called me to say that he had been refused extra time as the Education Authority felt that his dyslexia did not impact his reading and writing significantly. I am absolutely spitting. He has worked so hard for nothing. He still isn't having his disability recognised. Today I have learned that a girl who goes to a private school in Bexley and who does not have a statement has been granted an extra 25 minutes and is able to sit the exam a week later than her peers!!!!
Arrgghhhhhhh. Anyone have any advice or ideas? Many thanks in advance.