Every child in the UK is entitled to full-time education and having dyslexia or any other learning difficulty must not be allowed to stand in their way. With dyslexia being officially recognised as a disability under the Equality Act 2010, educational institutions now have a legal obligation to offer appropriate support to anyone suffering from a disability.
Indeed, the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice requires that schools provide enough appropriate support so that every child in the UK is able to reap all of the benefits of an inclusive education. Dyslexic children should receive special support that addresses their particular learning needs.
Does my child have dyslexia?
There is a whole host of indicators that your child may suffer from dyslexia which their teachers may not have noticed. These include, but are not limited, to the following:
- Your child is confused by directional words such as 'up and 'down', 'left' and 'right', and 'in' and 'out'
- For no clear reason, your child has markedly different good and bad days
- Your child struggles with sequence, e.g. numbers, days of the week
- If there is a family history of dyslexia, this is a strong indicator that your child may also be affected
The website for the British Dyslexia Organisation has a large number of other indicators that may help you determine whether your child does, in fact, suffer from dyslexia.
What can I do if my child's school does not agree that my child has dyslexia?
There are many reasons why you may have to take a more proactive approach in order to get the help you and your child need.
It is always a possibility that your school does not have a very clear understanding of dyslexia, or they may not have adequate funding to offer the support your child needs. In either case, you have a right to seek the support they are unable to offer.
If your school argues that your child is too young to be assessed for dyslexia, you have a right to question their judgement. Intervention at as young an age as possible (as soon as your child begins to display symptoms) is always recommended in order to ensure that your child has access to the full curriculum.
Even if the school claims to have carried out a test, it is possible that this is only a screening test, which can certainly indicate dyslexic tendencies but might not be 100% reliable.
In any of these cases, if you are not convinced or satisfied by the school's performance, your first course of action should be to obtain and read a copy of their Information Report and Special Needs Policy. After which, you should make an appointment to speak to your child's class teacher.
If you are still dissatisfied, Match Solicitors may be able to help. We assist parents in obtaining the right support for their child's needs, so call one of our specialist education lawyers today.
