Schools provision for partially sighted kids

[BusyLizzy]

Hello Peeps,
I have a new pupil starting today with me. I am a private tutor and mainly teach kids approaching exams, as well as those with dyslexia/dyspraxia.
Emily is 13 and is partially sighted. She was only diagnosed two years ago as having had a brain haemorrhage which has permanently damaged her vision.
Her vision is 6/24 in both eyes (the same as my worst KC eye).
No provision is being made for her in her secondary school.
I can easily enlarge materials and use different coloured contrast/fonts on the computer for her, but I also want to see justice done for her in school so that she can thrive there, too.

Do any of you know what support should be made available in school and how to go about obtaining this?

I would appreciate your input!

[Anne Klepacz]

Hi there - any child with special needs should have those catered for at school. The local education authority will have a special needs advisor (if the school itself hasn't) who will be able to arrange for the child to be assessed and the appropriate help put in place. I'll also PM you with the contact details of Elizabeth (the organiser of the Scottish group). She works in the special needs area herself and will know more about the Scottish system and how to access the help your pupil needs.
Anne

[Janet Manning]

Every school has a special needs co-ordinator and this should be the first contact for the parents. The child should have a statement of special educational needs, which should then help with access to the appropriate funding.

If she cannot read normal books, there are machines which can enlarge the text. The staff should all know about her difficulties and produce any handouts in suitably enlarged print as a matter of course. She will probably be eligible for her own laptop, so that she can word process assignments in a font she can read, but print them for submission in smaller font.

The RNIB may also be able to advise on what is available, so that the parents know what to ask for. Depending on the education authority, aids may be offered generously or minimally. If it's the latter, it's useful to know what is available.

It's a good thing she has you, with some understanding of sight problems, to help her get what she deserves.

[Prue B]

In Victoria, they have visiting teachers who go to the school and teach the teachers how to help a partially sighted child. If the child is bad enough they can qualify for an aid, but if not they have this support group of teachers, that asses the child in the school and tell the teachers how to cope. To be eligible vision has to be worse than 6/18 corrected. If you want I can find the link for you.

[Andrew MacLean]

Lizzy

which Education Authority is responsible for her school? I'd phone their hq and ask to speak to their special needs adviser and insist that provision is made for a partially sighted child.

Andrew

[Anne B]

You probally know this but all schools have a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator)> So you could try talking to them. Or the school nurse, these are not normally based in the school anymore.
And maybe the health visiter could help.

All of these people were great when my eldest was waiting for her grommet operation and had very bad hearing. (the head teacher wasn't very helpful!

Hope you get it sorted and keep on pushing

Anne)

[Anne B]

Whoops sorry i just read a post above me, and Janet had already mentioned about the SENCO.

I just like the sound of my own voice

Anne

[BusyLizzy]

Emily attends Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh. (West Dunbartonshire).
The statementing system used for all special needs kids has changed and at the moment all such kids are left without either a coordinated support plan or appropriate provision, as funding as been withdrawn.
Initially she had some sort of audio feedback assistance in class (not sure of the exam name of it), but it irritated the teacher and it had to be taken away.
The school refuses to enlarge any materials for her. They do not have a visual impairment teacher or technician to enlarge anything for her.
The only support she had last term was a learning support teacher who sat beside her in every class, dictating to her what she should write.

This led to her being picked on and called names and now she is too traumatised to go to school.
As well as that, she has fallen years begin academically due to plain struggling just to see print. She's been expected just to follow the main curriculum.
I can address the lacunae in he reading etc and enlarge materials, tilt the page, allow her to use white on black contrast on my fab wee Mac laptop, use a thick marker on white board, allow her to use whichever pen provides most visibility on the page.

But schoolwise she's not going back. She's being tutored for now. It seems the only possible and sensible course of action to enable her to recover her confidence and address her reading ability etc, in the right environment with the appropriate visual aids.
She has a place at the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh but no funding to attend.
It would seem drastic for her to no longer be in mainstream education or consider herself a sighted person in her position.
I will write letters and phone the appropriate bodies or even speak to newspapers if need be. Alll I need are the names of the right people to contact.

[Andrew MacLean]

Contact your MSP and local councillor. they ought to be able to motivate the LEA to do the right thing. I am frankly dismayed to hear that a school with the reputation of the Hermitage does not have provision to assist a visually impaired child.

Andrew

[Janet Manning]

I am totally enraged by your daughter's experience. It never ceases to amaze me how inconsiderate sighted people can be. Imagine taking her aid away because it irritated the teacher!!!! When I was studying immediately post graft with no lenses and no correction from glasses, I came up against a brick wall from some staff, who gave all sorts of ridiculous excuses why they couldn't enlarge stuff for me or use a thick black pen on the white board. You get so sick of constantly asking. It wasn't until a fellow student started speaking up for me that they were shamed into doing something.

I suggest you write to the education authority and set out clearly what your daughter's needs are and how they were NOT met at the school, including the bullying not being addressed. Copy the letter to your MP, the Minister for Education and Tony Blair. The latter is very keen on his rhetoric of education, education, education, so let's see if he can put his money where his mouth is for once! Include the lack of funding for the place in Edinburgh and the tutoring you have had to resort to in the meantime. It is also important to point out how she is missing out and falling behind, when there is no need for this.

Our KC group document for students and school pupils might help you in setting out your daughter's requirements - available online on this site or hard copy from Anne Klepaz.

The very act of copying your letter to others should focus the education authority's mind, if they have one!

I know how hard it can be to fight for your rights and write such letters when you are the vulnerable one, so if you would like some support, do send me a PM and we can arrange to talk.

Janet