[SENco-forum] Toe by Toe/Specialist Dyslexia trained staff

Sharon -- likewise you are correct as always.

My most recent dyslaexia case, involved a newly issued (first-time) statement for a secondary phase boy who had been on Action+ during primary, but he'd started failing big time when hitting the pace and demands of secondary -- plus losing a competent LSA at transition.

The first hurdle was a refusal to assess. But when an appeal was lodged -- pointing out that no EP or specialist advice was sought when arriving at the decision not to assess -- the LA agreed to assess.

The Primary School had bought in the provision of a very good dyslexia adviser (BDA recognised degree trained in Dyslexia teaching) who had done a terrific assessment and a very comprehensive range of advices on programmes and strategies which had sustained him in the later stages of primary.

But this had been 9 months ago. When parents lodged a 2nd appeal, this time on lack of specialist advice and monitoring specified within the new statement, the secondary school bought in a similar quality of advice -- which produced valuable additional evidence we required for the 2nd appeal. With the LA now agreeing to immediately provide 20 hrs LSA, plus the new specialist advice now available, the lad started making dramitically improved progress (and became a happy chappie as well). On the basis of this evidence the parents requested specilaist input to be specified in Part 3.

This request -- for termly specialist monitoring, of similar depth and quality as had been bought in - to be specified in the statement (meaning the speciailist monitoring provision would have to be additionally funded by the LA unless school agreed to continue buying in -- which it wisely stated it would not do) was refused on the grounds that there 'was no evidence recommending this in the assessment advices to the statement'. This was true, as the EPs report was very shallow and purposefully vague about required provision.

We lodged an appeal on the grounds that the evidence was clear that specialist input was required as the school had no established expertise and were already buying in such speciailst monitoring and advice which was proving invaluable. And we argued that more than once a year was required to match with the termly reviews and annual review as set out in the monitoring section of the statement.

At case statement stage, despite the EP refusing our written request to be clearer on description of the lad's needs and likely provision requirements, the LA conceeded. So this satisfactory outcome was achieved without ever actually going to appeal -- or having to commission very expensive independent EP assessments to produce further evidence of needs and required provision -- and despite a very inadequate statutory assessment.

But parents, throughout the land, would have absolutely no power to press effectively for this sufficient level of provision -- that dramatically changes and improves dyslexia childrens educational and life chances -- without the SENDIST being there to make LAs accountable. Without the the judicial, independant, trbunal system, very many LAs would undoubtedly ride roughshod over many more childrens entitlements to special educational provision, than they already do so, in those cases where parents decide not to request this essential provision where it is evidenced and appeal if unreasonably refused. Brendan King  

-----Original Message-----
From: SEN at tringham.net
To: kngbrndn at aol.com; senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Sent: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 8.48AM
Subject: RE: [SENco-forum] Toe by Toe/Specialist Dyslexia trained staff

Correct as always that LEA's can be made to stipulate Specialist dyslexia
teachers.  What has to be watched is what kind.  We asked for, and got at
Tribunal, an AMBDA dyslexia diploma holding teacher.  This means the person
meets BDA requirements including a minimum of 2 years teaching + 30 hours
1:1 tuition with SpLD children. Some dyslexia qualifications are not worth
the paper they are written on and others, while sound, are theory based
only.

Access to external 'specialists' also needs to be monitored as it becomes a
very muddy area especially for those without statements.  Schools with
devolved budgets can buy in visits by dyslexia trained staff to assess and
'set & monitor' programmes for LSA's to administer.  While these are usually
termly  some schools have not had visits for 18 months due to sickness,
staff shortages or re-clustering etc etc.

Sharon Tringham

--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.4/702 - Release Date: 25/02/2007
15:16