[senco-forum] Dyslexia

See my previous response to this thread Mazie -- you' seem to bemixing up LA local banding formula for delegating funding to schools, with quite different criteria to that?in the CoP. I can send you detailed reasons for LAs issuing far less new statements if you're interested?(the national figures are that issuing of new statements is down by one third). 

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LAs will tell you that?this is because more / or all of?their?central SEN funds?are now delegated to schools, and so?more children will?be having there?SEN met at School Action -- including literacy difficulty children.

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In reality LAs (whether or not schools are receiving significantly increased SEN delegated funding through enhanced banding formula)?are setting local general "guidance" criteria, for determining whether a child should be assessed and possibly?statemented, that are so restrictive as to virtually rule out all dyslexic / discalculaic / dyspraxic / high functionong ASD / ADHD / ESBD / language impaired?children. 

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In other words virtually all SEN children in mainstream -- no matter how severly they may be struggling, floundering or failing in their local mainstream school.??The CoP criteria?-- that?it becomes?'neccessary' to assess and statement?whenever a?child?despite the school having taken relevant and purposful action, with the support of external specialists, the child still does not make expected progress -- is clearly being flouted nationwide. This is why appeals against refusals to assess and statement children are at an all time high. And why it is reasonable to encourage parents to request an assessment and appeal if refused? -- wherever their child is floundering and coming within the CoP criteria relating to the fact that the school is unable to sufficently meet all of a child's SEN. This CoP criteria?must override all overly restrictive local criteria.

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The green light?for?this nationwide phenomena, was singled in the strategy document issued in 2004 by the DfES "Removing Barriers to Acheivement" which ironically has?triggered a raising of barriers for very many SEN children?-- by encouraging LAs to place less reliance upon statementing (but not at the expense of children's entitlements) and by delegating / devolving more of its central SEN funds to mainstream schools. The bit I've bracketed, seems to be being conveniently overlooked in very many LA areas,?I'm afraid. Brendan King

-----Original Message-----

From: Maggie Downie 

To: chris white ; 'senco-forum new' 

Sent: Mon, Nov 5 2:56 PM

Subject: RE: [senco-forum] Dyslexia - what are the scores on the doors?

It's quite a while since I read the Code of Practice and I don't deal with SEN   matters daily, so this may be a faulty overview. Others will correct me if I'm   wildly wrong!    But, as I understand it, the 'categories' of SEN fall into a series of Bands, A   - F (or is it G?).  Children are allocated to Bands A - C by the school Senco,   following guidance from the Code of Practice (COP).  Band A are children with a   'need' which has to be recorded, but may not necessarily need any action by the   school (because they are academically fine) apart from awareness of things such   as seating arrangements (for impaired hearing, monocular vision etc.).  Band B   seems to be children at School Action (SA), where children are differentiated   for within class and/ or receiving interventions for some learning difficulties.    Band C are at SA+ - outside agencies are involved.  Below Band C evidence has to   go to the LA Inclusion Panel that children need support over and above SA+ and   receive extra funding.  Children at Band D do not have statements, but undergo   the Annual Review process.  Below Band D children are usually statemented.    This is how it seems to work at our school - from what I've seen of the COP it   seems to be less than straightforward to interpret and the Inclusion Panel has   been known to make some odd decisions... it is very noticeable that our LA   issues far fewer statements than it did a few years ago - particularly for SPLD.    >From discussions I've seen on this list it seems that there are many grey   areas...    Maggie    chris white chris19251 at blueyonder.co.uk> wrote: I'm sorry to show my ignorance.   But what is Band D please?  Chris    -----Original Message-----  From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk  [mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Maggie Downie  Sent: 05 November 2007 17:08  To: Stuart Lucas; senco-forum new  Subject: Re: [senco-forum] Dyslexia - what are the scores on the doors?    Do you mean 'statemented or Band D' for dyslexia', or just assesed by the  edpsych as having SPLD (Specific Learning Difficulty).  Dylexia is not a  word that is used 'officially' in our LA and children certainly do not get  statements for SPLD now as readily as the LA has handed them out in the  past.  The most they are likely to get is a Band D for Moderate Learning  Difficulties (MLD).    On the Band D for MLD criteria we would have about 2- 3% at our school.  (about 3 -4 Band Ds in each year group of 150)    Maggie    Stuart Lucas  wrote: My Director of Studies is asking  the following question:         "what are the current percentage of primary and secondary school pupils  diagnosed as dyslexic by whatever psychological, psychometric or  physiological means?"         Any ideas?         I have heard the 'figure out there' is 10% - but where did that come  from?    Will ask Scottish Executive for their figures -         Is Jean out there? - any ideas?    Tks    Stuart                           ---------------------------------   For ideas on reducing your carbon footprint visit Yahoo! For Good this  month.                     ---------------------------------   For ideas on reducing your carbon footprint visit Yahoo! For Good this month.  

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