Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Anneuk

Quick Ask

Recommended Posts

Hi All,

 

Wonder if anyone can help,

 

My DD is 11 with Aspergers and Is doing superbly well at English in yr 7.

 

She is getting level 6A's and 7's.

 

However a problem has come to light, to date the regular assessments she has had in class have all been of the short answer type but recently she had an hour to write 2 A4 sides of an Essay.

 

The thing is By the time she has ordered things in her mind over half of her time has gone, and she can't seem to skip laying things out in her mind before putting pen to paper. She is now getting very worried about her latest assessment as she feels she will be marked down due to the fact that she only wrote just over one side A4 when the minimum was two, I'm sure the content will be excellent, but still...

 

What I need to know, Is this, are teachers able to offer extra time for children with AS to complete assessments and further still, what will happen in GCSE's and other exams?

 

DD was very brave and tried to expalin her situation to her teacher who replied ' tough'!!! I am furious, but I want to write a note and be able to be calm and to be able to expalin the situation in a legally correct way, I don't want to fuss if dd just has to get by...

 

I know this is a rambling letter but I don't have my daughters gift of the written word I hope someone can offer advice....

 

Thanks

 

Anne

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

short answer YES extra time is allowed as is doing exams in quiet area, as phas jr is disturbed by others fidgetting,coughing shuffling etc he was given option of all this but he turned it down as he felt "it was cheating"but it is there you may just need to ask though as even though phas jr school is excellent when it comes to sen they didn't offer as although phas jr is dx he is not on any iep or support as he apparently has "no school issues"lol!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
short answer YES extra time is allowed as is doing exams in quiet area, as phas jr is disturbed by others fidgetting,coughing shuffling etc he was given option of all this but he turned it down as he felt "it was cheating"but it is there you may just need to ask though as even though phas jr school is excellent when it comes to sen they didn't offer as although phas jr is dx he is not on any iep or support as he apparently has "no school issues"lol!

 

Yes Amazing how many of our children have no school issues isn't it!!

 

So she is 'entitled' to have extra time in all assessments?

 

Is their any particualr legislation or documentation I can refer to? DD has an IEP but no statement, in fact no extra care at all as the IEP seems to mean diddly squat...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Anne,

 

Familiar problem: my daughter (now 17) struggled all the way through school to complete tests and exams. She had the same problems in planning that you describe, and in addition she found handwriting difficult and painful so could never write fast enough. She used to get extremely frustrated.

 

She was granted extra time in her year 6 Sats and in all her exams from year 8 onwards. For Sats and GCSE's the school applies for this, submitting the relevant evidence to the examining body. I think the process is fairly straightforward: my daughter didn't even have a formal dx when the extra time was granted. She was also allowed the use of a laptop which greatly increased her speed and output - is this something which might help your daughter?.

 

In addition to extra time, your daughter is entitled to be in a quiet room and to take breaks if she needs them. She doesn't just have to get by, and you're right to push for reasonable adjustments to be made for her AS. It's good to start now in the early years whilst there isn't too much at stake, so that any measures are well in place before the pressure of public exams.

 

K x

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Anne,

 

Back again with a link nellie posted a while ago. It might be useful in giving you some ammunition to approach the school with.

 

Oaasis website.

 

If you click on info sheets and scroll down to Educational, you'll find a factsheet on exam arrangements for pupils with SEN. I don't know how up to date it is, but I hope it's of some help.

 

 

K x

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Hi Anne,

 

Back again with a link nellie posted a while ago. It might be useful in giving you some ammunition to approach the school with.

 

Oaasis website.

 

If you click on info sheets and scroll down to Educational, you'll find a factsheet on exam arrangements for pupils with SEN. I don't know how up to date it is, but I hope it's of some help.

K x

 

 

Thank you for your help,

 

In the past when I have made queries, I am always very intimidated and am often told " well this is a main stream school you know"

To which I reply, "and you are so lucky to have my daughter as she is a real credit to your school" but I still come away apologising for her behaviour!

 

I just think they try to do things the easy way and don't want anything to rock the boat.

 

Anne

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Teachers are supposed to check the guidelines every year for children who have problems sitting exams. Some teachers can not be bothered to check. Insist with your childs teacher, senco and headmistress once they do it once then they get better in supporting your child through examinations.

 

My son has a break in the middle of every exam. He goes out to bounce a ball which gives him time to reduce his sensory input. It also means he can complete the exam paper.

 

Jen

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Can't add much to the excellent advice already given, but wanted to offer support! I'm sure that your daughter should get extra time, or someone to script for her, or a laptop etc. Kathryn hits the nail on the head in her post.

 

Just a thought, could the Association for Gifted Children offer any further support or ideas? I think they have a website.

 

Lizzie

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Can't add much to the excellent advice already given, but wanted to offer support! I'm sure that your daughter should get extra time, or someone to script for her, or a laptop etc. Kathryn hits the nail on the head in her post.

 

Just a thought, could the Association for Gifted Children offer any further support or ideas? I think they have a website.

 

Lizzie

 

 

Am so proud of her , she got 2 more results today one level 7 and one 6b for the one she didn't finish,.

 

What I am worried about is if they say "well she is already above average so what are you worried about"....

 

I am thinking she may take a GCSE in English a bit earlier than her other subjects to allow her less stress on other subjects. It is so frustrating she is doing so well in English but In Maths where the teacher only cares about the high flyers she has dropped two grades as she is terrified to ask him questions.

 

tonight she had one of her biggest meltdowns in the past few years, in the end I just ran upstairs and hid my head under the pillow, then she started to hyperventilate and got herself to the point of passing out... so hard, to be so glad about one aspect of her life to then be brought down to earth with a huge bump!!

 

Sorry just needed to rant... :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It all doesn't sound quite right to me. Is the SENCO involved at school? If she has an IEP, what does it cover? Saying 'tough' when a child has a problem with something is downright inadequate.

 

You need some of the education big guns on this - hopefully someone more knowledgeable will join this post soon.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
It all doesn't sound quite right to me. Is the SENCO involved at school? If she has an IEP, what does it cover? Saying 'tough' when a child has a problem with something is downright inadequate.

 

You need some of the education big guns on this - hopefully someone more knowledgeable will join this post soon.

 

 

When she started at secondary, I wanted her statementing, I was told she would not get a statement becuase she didn't have educational difficulties. I said just being at school raised her stress levels and caused her difficulty but they said that didn't count -- fair enough.

 

I was then told that having a statement would make no difference and that she would be treated the same whatever.

Since then I have had a couple of chats with the head of special needs when their has been an incident but other than that, no follow up. When she was in yr 6 at primary I used to go in two or three times a year and discuss progress and sign her IEP but not here, I presumed it was becuase things are different at secondary.

 

I think the problem is becuase she generally copes really well and is getting better and better at hiding her stress at school, so things seem ok at school but she is more tempestuous when she gets home becuase she can release it here.

 

Anyway I sent a note in yesterday addressed to her English teacher, the note was promptly despatched to the head of special needs so i wait with baited breath. The last time I tried to set up a meeting, Iwas told that I must understand that it was a main stream school that I had chosen to send her to. I just now answer that they must feel very lucky to have her :)

 

Anyway all comments again appreciated, I will let you all know how things pan out.

 

Anne

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My lad is 13 and gets extra time in exams, he also has someone to write for him and the school have set up arrangements for him to do his exams in a private room so he won't be distracted by other pupils. Alex is easily distracted and after looking into what is allowed in exams (we're in Scotland) the person writing for him has been told she is allowed to remind him of the time and suggest moving onto the next question if his attention wanders.

I don't know if things are different in England but Alex gets his support because of social/ behavioural problems as he is on a par with his peers educationally, so being able to do the work isn't the be all and end all of it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Can't do the quote thing, but I want to refer to Anneuk's comment about choosing a mainstream school and the 'like it or lump it' attitude.

 

Did you really get a choice in where you sent your daughter? If a Statement was dismissed from the start, then there's no way she would have got into a special schoo, so what are they talking about?? And what about inclusion??? Sounds to me like school can't be bothered. I hate this attitude - this is what my son gets at his school.

 

If your daughter has an IEP, then SENCo should be involved.. At my school the SENCO is pretty low-key (Hmph) so the head takes on a lot of her role.

 

I think you need to get heavy with school, in the nicest possible way, of course! We need someone like Phasmid to get on the case here with some excellent advice. Phasmid, are you there???

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Anyway I sent a note in yesterday addressed to her English teacher, the note was promptly despatched to the head of special needs so i wait with baited breath. The last time I tried to set up a meeting, Iwas told that I must understand that it was a main stream school that I had chosen to send her to. I just now answer that they must feel very lucky to have her :)

 

 

Anne your post has made me :angry: You've chosen to send her to a mainstream school? It's news to most of us that we actually have a choice! The school are trying to push all the responsibility and all the blame on to you - but it sounds like you aren't letting them get away with it. :ninja:

 

As for the comments about treating her "the same whatever", would they say this if she had a hearing impairment; was a wheelchair user? :angry:

 

I have to admit this situation brings up strong feelings for me as my own daughter was struggling in a very similar way in year 7 - albeit without a dx at the time. She also shone at English and a few other subjects where she could impress with her factual skills and verbal knowledge, and the school reacted like yours - they didn't take her problems seriously as she wasn't being disruptive or showing obvious signs of stress. She went unsupported for five years and slipped out of the system at the beginning of year 11. We are still dealing with the fallout.

 

Don't be afraid to bug the school continually - your daughter needs support and recognition of her difficulties now, before stress builds up to crisis point. She's holding it together at the moment, but the pressures will increase year on year, particulary from the end of year 9 onwards with the build up to GCSE, choosing options, work experience, coursework ... there are so many more challenges to negotiate, even before adding in all the social hurdles she might face.

 

If you want to go down the statementing route you can apply for a statutory assessment yourself, whatever the school say, but you'll have to gather lots of evidence of her difficulties and be prepared for a fight if the school isn't on your side. If there's an ASD advisory team in your LEA you can ask the senco to refer your daughter - they can visit the school, observe your daughter, talk to the staff and make recommendations - even without a statement.

 

Good luck, I hope you get somewhere with the school and that they start listening to you. One other thing - you may be doing it already, but it's a good idea keep copies and notes of any communication you have with the school, later on it may be useful hard evidence of the steps they've taken (or not!) to address your daughter's problems.

 

K x

Edited by Kathryn

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just a quick update,

 

The SENCO head replied to my letter and told me that J should be getting 25% extra time for her assessments and she has written a message in her planner so that at the beginning of an assessment J just has to show the teacher her book, the message explains briefly that J must have the required 25% extra time, the reasons why and reminds them to read her IEP for further info...

 

So I am fairly happy.....

 

Anne-

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...