Test score 2008

Our new SENCo freely offered us Matthew's end of year test scores this year, prevously I have had to ask for them and have been begridgingly given them.

English.........................Maths......................... Welsh Reading Test
(Average 88-111) ...............(Avg 88-111) ...........................No Avg given
(Class Range 82-127)........ (class Range 74-137) ...............(Range 72-130)

2008...... 97............................. 103......................... 89(8yrs 2months) 2007 .......91............................. 104........................................... 80
2006....... 95.............................. 88........................................... 91

The SENCo showed us an example of the welsh reading test it was filling the gaps in a reading passage, so more a test of vocabulary gained by the amount of reading experience. The 1st language children are inevitably going to outscore the 2nd language pupils, which is probaly why there is no average given. She also told us that most children do get considerably lower scores in this, she showed the test to my husband to illustrate the difficulty of the test.
I am in fact pleased that the score has increased since last time, and he has not declined any further.
The English test was a booklet where spelling, listening and comprehension was tested, so unless she went really slowly through the tests to allow for Matthew's (and the other SEN children's)difficulties, they are going to appear to perform at a lower level. She said that Matthew was given extra time at the end of the tests but only needed 5 mins., he needed the thinking time more withn the test than at the end! Much of the English test was read out by the teacher, so the pace she went at would be a limiting factor for children with processing deficeits. Good result I think.
But I'm pleased on the whole, things are moving in the right direction.
The only thing that is really concerning is welsh spelling, which is 7 yrs and 6months. I have read on several sites that the welsh reading and spelling should be easier as it's phonetic, we are not seeing this. Spelling tests have been stopped in school as some "expert advisor" came in and said that they were old fashioned and out dated. This is the 1 and only way that Matthew learns to spell, he learns words quiclky that way but must make a mental note of them. We will be asking his tutor to look into a spelling list to learn.