Severe Dyslexia and statements

[mifta]

Having paid privately to get my daughters educational needs assessed by a child psychologist, as the school did not have sufficient resources to do it, I received the full report today. It states, amongst many other things, that the results of all the tests indicate she has severe dyslexia. She is 10 years old and going into year 6 in September. My question is to any teachers out there. Should a child with severe dyslexia have a statutory assessment with a view to a statement of educational needs. The reason I ask is because I think we will have battle with the school and have no experience of how to approach this. Many thanks

[froggequene]

I'm not a teacher, I can't comment on how appropriate it is to request a Statutory Assessment but there are currently two methods (in my Authority, I can't speak for others) of requesting a Statutory Assessment, either the school applies or the parent can speak directly the Authority & request a Statutory Assessment.

Bearing in mind we're now in a new financial year, it may be worthwhile approaching the SENCO again & going through the report with her. There is nothing to stop you from simultaneously contacting your Local Authority & requesting a Statutory Assessment of your child's special educational needs.

If you decide to request a Statutory Assessment, the Authority will write to you & may include a form for you to fill in, they will also write to the Educational Psychology Services (EPS) and the school - the EPS & the sch will be given 3 weeks to submit their information and six weeks from the date the request is made the Authority will have to make a decision about whether or not to proceed. If the school applies, the Authority will have to make a decision six weeks from the date the application is received. You may have gone through this with the parent partnership already, they may also have informed you that a diagnosis is not enough to secure a Statutory Assessment or a Statement.

You must make the best decision you can about your child & her special needs, if you feel that the school isn't taking appropriate action and you feel requesting a Statutory Assessment is the best thing in the circumstances then that is what you must do. Even if the Authority says no, it might just shake up the school & get them to do something, the Authority may also make recommendations about steps they feel the school should take to meet your child's needs.

[mifta]

Many thanks, I have been in touch with the parent partnership and got some advice on the next step to take.