What's involved in the identification process in a mainstream school?
Mainstream schools in Scotland work to a staged intervention system when it comes to identifying and supporting children with additional support needs.
Staged intervention systems generally have around 3-5 stages (the number of stages can vary from authority to authority). Children begin at stage 1 and move to the next level as and when the school feels it is appropriate.
Formal identification of dyslexia is not necessarily the goal within any particular staged intervention level. The aim of staged intervention is to help identify what a child is challenged by and to work on ways to make learning easier.
During staged intervention you might find that other supportive measures are considered i.e. colour rulers/overlays or hearing checks. You can read more about the effects of visual stress in our Dyslexia and visual issues leaflet.
Click here to see our leaflet on Identification of Dyslexia in Schools leaflet.
As there can be variations in staged intervention systems between local authorities, we have provided a few links below to give you an idea of what is already in place in Stirling and Perth & Kinross authorities. These might give you an idea of what to expect from your own local authority.
Tried Staged Intervention? Not Working for Your Child?
If you feel the staged intervention system is not working for your child, do let the school know this and ask what alternative identification processes they can offer you.
If you feel that your concerns are not being listened to by the school, or the response you get is unsatisfactory, you could speak to the ASL Manager/Officer located at your local education department.
You should also be aware that if your child is identified as being dyslexic, it will not automatically mean that they will be entitled to more support. Call us on 0344 800 8484 if you would like to explore this aspect further.
The Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit is an online resource for teachers which gives guidance on how teachers can identify and support children with literacy difficulties. Parents will also find the Toolkit invaluable as it provides lots of information about the staged intervention system and many ideas about how to support a child.