Cognitive and Learning Disability Testing in Education

306

25/03/2022

FOI

I am writing to make a request under The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, regarding an enquiry surrounding the testing, diagnosis and reasonable adjustments that are put in place for those suspected or confirmed as having a cognition and learning difficulty within your Education Department and I would be grateful if you could answer the following queries:1. Does the Education Department, test all children for the following and if so, at what stage of their development?a. Dyslexiab. Dyscalculia
c. Dyspraxia
2. If learning disabilities are not diagnosed but suspected by staff or parent/carer, would the Education department instigate testing and what professionals would be involved?
a. Dyslexia
b. Dyscalculia
c. Dyspraxia
3. Does the Education department recognise Dyscalculia as a learning difficulty and what actions are put in place by schools to ensure individual support is provided under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 for those with Dyscalculia, particularly for those participating in SQA examinations?
4. If a private diagnosis has been obtained by parent/carer, would the Education Department accept this as evidence and would reason adjustments be actioned to ensure the Education
(Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 and Equality Act 2010 was adhered too?

1. No.   We monitor development in each of these areas through our staged intervention process and, as concerns are identified, we will implement cycles of assessment and intervention determined according to individual circumstances and needs. Consultation with other agencies will be sought as appropriate. In the case of concerns regarding dyspraxia for example, Occupational Therapy consultation is likely to be sought.
Our approach to assessment and identification of dyslexia is set out in our comprehensive documentation to support practice in this area. Use of the word 'test' in this context requires some qualification in the context of the conceptualisation of dyslexia in the policy. The SBC policy is based on the definition of dyslexia as endorsed by Scottish Government and Dyslexia Scotland. Assessments that may be used can be standardised or criterion referenced but their use and validity will be dependent upon the context for an individual child or young person. In particular, taking account of the definition of dyslexia used, the SBC policy does not endorse the appropriateness of one-off tests to identify dyslexia. The approach taken emphasises that the identification of dyslexia rests on limited response to appropriately targeted intervention over time. This can be evidenced through a wide range of means including, for example, observations, samples of work, checklists, information about adaptations made and/or interventions tried, information about the pupil's response to interventions, information about the pupil's strengths and needs from professionals and parents, information from the pupil and relevant factors in developmental history.
The following types of assessment are identified in the policy as having particular relevance:
* Formative assessment/AfL – seeking and interpreting evidence, through day to day activities, for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how they are going to get there.
* Teacher-constructed summative assessment tasks at the end of a block of learning.
* Criterion referenced assessment – e.g. tasks made up of items with right or wrong answers to determine whether specific phonic skills or sight words being taught are secure.
* Assessment through teaching to explore and clarify whether a child responds well to particular teaching approaches or to adaptations in the learning environment (dynamic assessment).
The approach taken in relation to dyscalculia is broadly equivalent to that for dyslexia.

2. We view intellectual (or learning) disability as a clinical term for a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) diagnosed by CAMHS. Education staff would not identify a learning disability as it is a NDD and requires both psychometric and adaptive-functional assessment to diagnose. We would not therefore instigate assessments within education for the express purpose of diagnosing a learning disability. The focus of our assessments would be to inform the development of learning profiles and to generate strategies to support positive intervention to promote learning.
We do recognise that some young people experience learning difficulties. We use this term and these difficulties may be very specific, localised to a specific area such as one or more areas of literacy, mathematical processing or motor co-ordination.   However some children and young people will experience difficulties across a wider number of areas of learning. For example, if a child or young person's learning needs are complex and/or profound (consistent with a severe or profound learning disability) we would not necessarily view assessment and identification of dyslexia, dyscalculia or dyspraxia as the most helpful way of understanding and conceptualising their learning needs. For such children and young people we would provide individualised programmes of support to promote development and learning outcomes across each of these areas of development.

3. Yes we would recognise dyscalculia as a learning difficulty. Our conceptualisation and approach to supporting children and young people with dyscalculia mirrors the approach we take in relation to those with difficulties in literacy and dyslexia (as discussed in relation to question 1 above). The emphasis in the approach taken is to clarify the learning challenges and to emphasise positive adaptations made and/or interventions to support learning. The supports and interventions provided will vary according to the specific nature of the challenges experienced by the individual child or young person.
With regard to participation in SQA examinations, reasonable adjustments applied for may include, for example, use of a number square or line, a multiplication square or a basic, four-function, calculator in mathematic assessments. In the interests of fairness to all candidates, the recommendation of such reasonable adjustments requires evidence to have been generated that a candidate has a particular learning difficulty with numbers and that they would, without this support, be placed at a substantial disadvantage in demonstrating their attainment. It is important to emphasise that entitlement is based on evidence. Identification of dyscalculia is not sufficient evidence, on its own, for the provision of Alternative Assessment Arrangements.
Each secondary school in Scottish Borders will have a member of the senior management team designated as the SQA co-ordinator. They oversee and manage the application process to SQA for alternative assessment arrangements, liaising closely with Support for Learning Teacher colleagues who in turn liaise with subject teachers.
It should be emphasised that some young people who have a learning difficulty which is appropriately classified as dyscalculia will also have other appropriate needs for support e.g. with reading. In such cases it is important that the young person receives a package of measures adjusted to meet their demonstrated support requirements in different subjects.

4. The education authority is required legally to consider and take account of privately obtained reports and advice.   It would be important as a first step to determine that the report or advice had been generated by an appropriately qualified and registered professional. Advice provided to SBC schools is that such reports and advice should be added to the pupil's learning profile and held as a part of the evidence gathering procedure. Schools are also required to seek and take account of the views of parents and of pupils themselves in relation to such reports and advice.
Private diagnoses can frequently be made on the basis of a one-off assessment. Any single stand-alone assessment occurs at a particular point in time and in a specific context. SBC policies require schools to take a contextualised approach that seeks and takes account of all information available. This includes any privately obtained recommendations or advice but also includes the gathering of information and views held by relevant partner agencies and external services.   A private diagnosis does not on its own provide sufficient grounds for reasonable adjustments to be enacted. However, schools are required to take full account of this information and associated recommendations in the light of all the information available and the established systems of support in place for the pupil. If privately recommended supports were not to be enacted there would need to be clear grounds established for this. Where appropriate, further information, assessment or advice may be required.

Cognitive and Learning Disability Testing in Education - Freedom of information requests