SEN / Disability: Adjustment under Equality Act & Extra Time

Advice on Special Needs and the 11 Plus Exams

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exam2019
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Re: SEN / Disability: Adjustment under Equality Act & Extra

Post by exam2019 »

mystery wrote:That's a very non-scientific approach isn't it
Yes that about sums it up. Total lottery.
mystery
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Re: SEN / Disability: Adjustment under Equality Act & Extra

Post by mystery »

Guest55 wrote:There are standardised tasks ....
Yes, I am sure that some SENCOs have a few standardised tests at their disposal - but not every SENCO by any means. I volunteered at schools with no standardised tests of any sort whatsoever. They cost money and there are a plethora of them. Or were you thinking of something or other that a teacher might use in the classroom somehow or other?

Which tests are you thinking of that would be a fair test from which to decide to give a child extra time at KS2 and / or 11 plus? And with what kind of test results would one grant this with?
Optymum
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Re: SEN / Disability: Adjustment under Equality Act & Extra

Post by Optymum »

Plenty of children can quite easily get through KS2 without SEN being identified, particularly if they are bright. If they are meeting the expected level overall and get on and behave and work hard in class, they will certainly slip through the net. My DD exceeds expected level for maths& comprehension but has below average spelling and below chronological age reading for phonological reading. We had a private Ed psych assessment with identified dyslexia and slow processing speed, but it has been an uphill battle to get support, as apart from spelling she more than ticks all the boxes. She did get extra time on the 11+ (Kent) although the school were very reticent to apply as the SenCo (who had never spent any time with her at this point) said she could access the test. ( The SenCo seemed to think you needed a physical disability to get extra time.)
A colleagues daughter in year 9 has just been diagnosed with SEN at a super selective grammar school.
Bright kids with SEN develop a whole host of strategies to get by, which can mean in a class of 30 at primary school they can certainly go under the radar. As they progress through secondary the strategies start to break down as the volume of reading/ work increases.
mm23292
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Re: SEN / Disability: Adjustment under Equality Act & Extra

Post by mm23292 »

I am currently looking at applying for this arrangement for our daughter in the Bucks test. She receives extra time in school, both for class work and exams, but her performance can vary depending on her health at any given time. She is under the care of multiple specialists, whom she sees regularly, and coupled with intermittent episodes of illness, means she has 70-80% attendance. She falls under EQA definition, although I'm not sure that actually means or warrants anything in itself, and my understanding is that application for extra time, is based purely on providing evidence of slower processing speed. An EP from 18 months ago, showed very high ability yet below average processing speed, yet her latest EP, shows even higher ability, yet processing speeds were falling into the low average range, (90-95) so we have been told this may not be sufficient evidence.
This is quite confusing, as a previous SEN implied that as long as the school could confirm the arrangement, it would be sufficient. If anyone can shed any light on this, it would be much appreciated. Do EP scores need to be below 85 as well as having school arrangements in place, or would school confirmation, plus medical evidence etc be accepted? Thank you!
yoyo123
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Re: SEN / Disability: Adjustment under Equality Act & Extra

Post by yoyo123 »

I can’t say about 11plus. But, if something is normal practice in the classroom, then it can be provided during sats. So if a child needs to use a keyboard or is given more time to complete work, or access to somewhere quiet to work, then that is OK.

I am fairly sure (although am no longer working in schools) that you longer need to apply individually.
Etienne
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Re: SEN / Disability: Adjustment under Equality Act & Extra

Post by Etienne »

Latest arrangements for the Bucks test (2020):
EQUALITY ACT 2010
Guidelines for Requesting Reasonable Adjustments to the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test Materials / Conditions as agreed with GL Assessment by The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS)

https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/451373 ... -final.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
    • [initial] deadline for receipt of completed request for adjustments: 5pm on 4 June 2019
      The Special Access Panel comprises an Educational Psychologist, a representative with an understanding of pupils with Special Educational Needs and a representative with experience as a headteacher in a Buckinghamshire primary school
mm23292 wrote:a previous SEN implied that as long as the school could confirm the arrangement, it would be sufficient.
I think the panel do normally expect special arrangements to be already in place at school.

They will also expect to see evidence from other professionals, such as an EP, but I don't know what decision they would take in the circumstances you describe.
    • The request form must be accompanied by supporting evidence from the other professionals involved with the child
    • An Educational Psychologist’s report containing cognitive ability test results (i.e. WISC5, BAS3) will be accepted where it is no more than 24 months old, however information relating to the child’s academic attainments (such as reading and spelling levels) must be updated if the psychologist’s assessment was conducted more than six months prior to the application (i.e. reading and spelling levels are valid for the application as long as they have been measured after 1 January 2019). Tests of reading and spelling can be conducted in school and therefore there is no need for an external professional to retest a child for the purposes of this application.Other professional reports (i.e. Speech & Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy) must be up-to-date, again no more than six months old (dated no earlier than 1 January 2019)
mm23292 wrote:She falls under EQA definition
Each individual body (e.g. special access panel, selection review panel, independent appeal panel) must consider the Equality Act and take its own decision on whether or not the Act applies in a particular case.
Etienne
mm23292
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Re: SEN / Disability: Adjustment under Equality Act & Extra

Post by mm23292 »

Thank you so much Etienne, you have explained it brilliantly!
silver01
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Re: SEN / Disability: Adjustment under Equality Act & Extra

Post by silver01 »

KatharineB wrote: Sun Jul 08, 2018 1:40 pm Hi there. My DD has a diagnosis of ASD and has speech dysfluency - stuttered speech that increases with her anxiety. She has speed issues physically with her writing and processing delays.

She sat the 11+ in Slough and Bucks. She had an EP report and S+L report recommending that she gets extra time for tests, which she does get at school and did get for her SATs.

I do not think Bucks makes allowances for extra time very often from what I have heard. All our paperwork was not enough to get extra time allowed. They did however allow her to take the test in a room on her own with breaks for if she needed to take a moment. This actually was more beneficial than extra time. The conditions were silent, calm and staff were fab. She took the test at the council building rather than a loud school. She missed the mock as I couldnt get time off work (her test date changed last minute). Although she had a disadvantage with speed, she did well with no extra time due to the ASD friendly testing environment.

Our experience in Slough was quite the opposite. She got 25% extra time but was in a room with others by the main hall. She had no breaks. The extra time had no benefit as they started her room off before the main hall and she came out saying she was distracted by the tape playing for the test in the hall and by other noises. Upon flagging it up I had the reaction "We do the best we can". She did not finish that test even with extra time.

Different areas seem to offer different provisions, so it may be worth asking your SENco what may be available in your testing area.

Hello Katherine. What is an S+L Report? My son recently sat his 11 plus and narrowly missed out. I had an EP assess him for academic evidence for the appeal (which was very strong) but they also found a stealth dyslexia and that is official in the EP report. I am interested to see what other evidence you thought you needed to confirm the SEN and make sure your child is afforded extra time in tests, and you mentioned the S+L report.
hermanmunster
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Re: SEN / Disability: Adjustment under Equality Act & Extra Time

Post by hermanmunster »

Hi Silver01 - the post you are quoting is 5 years old and the author may not see your question, you could try sending a private message instead as they may get notified of that
Aethel
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Re: SEN / Disability: Adjustment under Equality Act & Extra Time

Post by Aethel »

Hi Silver: I’m not that poster but my DD sat the same year’s exam: S&L is I believe a Speech And Language assessment: it’s part of the testing that is done by an Educational Psychologist.

Some of the SEnCOs can order this, other folks do it privately.
but if you get an Ed Psych report (or a dyslexia assessment) I think that it’s included.
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