It is during the UK primary school process that most children who have dyslexia and/or other special educational needs are formally diagnosed.
Unfortunately, the UK schooling system does not currently offer a formal dyslexia diagnosis option, so many families have to undertake this investigation privately.
We had our son assessed for Dyslexia and other learning needs through The Helen Arkell centre https://www.helenarkell.org.uk/ when he was eight years old.
I phoned the centre to discuss which type of report they would recommend and because the dyslexia didn't seem like the only thing going on, they suggested an Educational Psychologist review.
It was expensive, but it was the best money we have ever spent. That 33 page report was like a key to understanding our son's needs.
The report was not an easy read, and there was a lot of information to absorb, almost too much to start with.
One of the key things that was a catalyst for us, was the celebration of his intelligence. We had spent so long focusing on the struggles, and the class position and his low self-esteem, that his natural ability had been forgotten almost. The old round peg, square hole analogy.
The report really highlighted his strengths and praised his potential. It became very clear to us as parents, that we were going to have to get a lot louder and more confident on the level of support our son needed at school and how we could help him. This report gave us something tangible to focus on and a boosted guidance for the support he needed.
......scored in the high average range overall in full scale IQ in the 86th percentile. His verbal reasoning is in the high/ superior range in the 99th percentile and his fluid (visual) reasoning is in the 84th percentile. Overall his reasoning scores are excellent and this indicates that he has considerable ability and is a very intelligent boy. His processing speed was in the low average range in the 16th percentile and he will need more time to complete class work and future examinations.
This detail reminded us that he was capable and very bright, so we needed to make sure the school could bridge the gap between his cognitive ability and his slow processing speed and his biggest challenge of "getting it down on paper'.
We also needed to think about the next school provisions moving forward. His primary school was a lovely small rural - one form entry - and the SEND support was inclusive. However our nearest secondary mainstream option had almost seven and a half times more students. The overwhelm and the worry of him coping in that environment spiralled us into action:
What next...
Nobody's Dyslexia is the same.
This is so important to understand as a neuro-typical. Two dyslexics can be in a class, and their challenges will look very different. The stereotype that accompanies dyslexia can often be, 'Oh spelling and jumbling up words,' but the reality is very different.
With our boy, if his class was purely verbal, then he would blend in and his enthusiasm and ability to remember certain facts, would make him a keen contributing member of any class. But that is not typical - the requirement to record knowledge on paper, write words off the board and spend time focusing quietly, means that regular obstacles are hit along the way.
So armed with this insightful report and a diagnosis, we started to research secondary school options when our son was in Year 4. To look at the SEND provision for secondary schools in mainstream education, means you have to become a bit of a Sherlock Holmes.
Here are a few of the things that we did that really helped:
Go to any event that the school holds publicly, e.g Christmas Fayre, Summer Fete etc. These are a great chance to get a feel for the school community.
Attend the open evenings when your child is in year four - this might feel really early, but it will give you a first impression and help you decide on a short list.
Start the conversation with the schools key teacher's and SENCo
Some good questions to ask:
How large is the SEN team and what is their experience and training for helping students with dyslexia?
How long has the SENCo been in the role?
How many students within the school have dyslexia?
How often do we meet to review the progress and SEND provision specific to my child?
How are the dyslexic students supported in an inclusive way?
How does the school bridge the gap in cognitive ability and attainment?
How does the school work with different learning levels? What if your child has the cognitive ability to be in "top set' with their written work they are closer to 'bottom set'?
Do you have any student case-studies or success stories to share?
There is a lot of helpful information online to assist you with your search.
The Good Schools Guide has a useful section:
The British Dyslexia Association has some additional questions and great support guidance on their website:
Council for the Registration of Schools Teaching Dyslexic Pupils - CReSTeD is an excellent resource for parents to find the right provision for their Dyslexic child.
Also make sure you visit your local authority's website, which will have a complete SEND section.
It is stressful making this decision for your special one.
Take your time, trust your instincts and ask LOTS of questions.
There are amazing resources out there if you are feeling a bit lost.
As always, good luck and I hope you have found this post useful.
More on our journey and EHCP story to come....
Excellent article, with some great insight and really good questions to ask.