Introduction to CReSTeD

The Council for the Registration of Schools Teaching Dyslexic pupils is a charity set up to help parents and those who advise them choose schools for children with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) of which the main difficulty is dyslexia.  There is however a general recognition that dyslexia rarely exists in isolation and latest research demonstrates a high level of co-morbidity with other difficulties.  These include Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, ADD, as well as Pragmatic and Semantic Language Difficulties.  

CReSTED acts as a source of school names which parents can use as their first step towards making a placement decision which will be critical to their child’s educational future.  CReSTeD is a valuable resource for parents, educational advisers and schools.  

CReSTeD was established in 1989 and publishes its Register of schools annually.  These schools cover all levels of provision for dyslexic pupils and include both state and independent provision.

The Administrator, Christine Hancock, is available to answer queries from schools about registration and to ensure that schools are visited on a regular basis.

The Register
CReSTeD’s main activity is to produce, and supply to parents free of charge, a Register of schools that provide for SpLD pupils.  The levels of provision at schools are divided into four broad categories labelled Specialist Provision (Category SP), Dyslexia Unit (Category DU), Specialist Classes (Category SC) and Withdrawal System (Category WS).  Children have different needs and the categories are a way of helping match the level of the pupil’s needs to the level of provision at the school.  An educational psychologist’s report should offer guidance as to the level of provision relevant to the child.

A child at the severe end of the dyslexia spectrum will probably require a Category Specialist Provision school, whereas a child with, for example, only some lag in spelling skills may be suitably provided for in a school from Category Withdrawal System.  The categories offer this guidance.

The Register includes a checklist to help parents decide if a school can meet their child’s special educational needs.  It also provides a geographical index of schools.

CReSTeD Criteria and Visits
There are several lists of schools which offer provision for dyslexic pupils.  Unfortunately for parents the information in these lists is often provided by the schools and is not subject to any verification.

The first stage of registration is for the school to complete the (inevitable) form and to provide supporting documentation, such as policies for dyslexia.  The Registration application form covers staff development, admission policy, organisation of the school week, specific arrangements for dyslexic pupils, examination results for the school in general and for its dyslexic pupils in particular, resources and a list of parents’ names so that the Consultant may check parents’ feelings about the school.

The schools are visited by Consultants who look to see if this information is accurate and that the basic criteria set by CReSTeD Council for the particular category are met by the school.

These criteria include the provision of relevant and high quality information technology resources, BDA approved training qualifications for teachers, awareness of the needs of dyslexic pupils by the non-specialist staff, and arrangements to obtain and provide special provision for examinations.  It has to be said that there have been too many occasions when such basic criteria have not been met, despite the school purporting to help dyslexic pupils.

Schools are visited on a three yearly cycle, with possible earlier visits if there is a change in location.  If the Head of a CReSTeD school changes, we require the school to inform us and ask the new Head to confirm that the school intends to continue with the dyslexia provision in accordance with the criteria set by CReSTeD (at the agreed category level).   This enables us to retain the school’s details in the Register without the need for an extra visit.  CReSTeD Council will also initiate ‘responsive’ visits if it has any cause for concern about a particular school.  Thus CReSTeD gives some reassurance as to the level of provision of a school.

The Register
The Register of schools is published annually and is obtainable from the CReSTeD Administrator.   To encourage accuracy, Council require schools to inform it of significant changes which impact on provision for its dyslexic pupils.

CReSTeD Council
The Council includes representatives from Dyslexia Action, the British Dyslexia Association and schools.  A solicitor who is a specialist in the legal aspects of dyslexia is an Honorary Advisor to the Council. 

Conclusion
CReSTeD was founded to help parents.  It has had, and will continue to have, influence on the standards of provision for dyslexic pupils.  Council is grateful for the support of Dyslexia Action, the British Dyslexia Association, the schools on the Register and parents.

 

  Categories of Schools

Specialist Provision Schools - SP 
The school is established primarily to teach pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties (dyslexia).  The curriculum and timetable are designed to meet specific needs in a holistic, co-ordinated manner with a significant number of staff qualified in teaching dyslexic pupils.

Dyslexia Unit - DU  
The school has a designated Unit or Centre that provides specialist tuition on a small group or individual basis, according to need.  The Unit or Centre is an adequately resourced teaching area under the management of a senior specialist teacher, who co-ordinates the work of other specialist teachers and ensures on-going liaison with all mainstream teachers.  This senior specialist teacher will probably have Head of Department status, and will certainly have significant input into the curriculum design and delivery.

Specialist Classes - SC  
Schools where dyslexic pupils are taught in separate classes within the school for some lessons, most probably English and mathematics.  These are taught by teachers with qualifications in teaching dyslexic pupils.  These teachers are deemed responsible for communicating with the pupils’ other subject teachers.

Withdrawal System - WS 
Schools where dyslexic pupils are withdrawn from appropriately selected lessons for specialist tuition from a teacher qualified in teaching dyslexic pupils.  There is on-going communication between mainstream and specialist teachers.

NB:  
1.  'Qualified' is  holding AMBDA status or, as a minimum, a qualification recognised by the Joint Council for Qualifications as eligible for preparing reports in support of access arrangements.  Please see www.jcq.org.uk/access_arrangements for the current qualifications acceptable for this purpose.
2.  For the purposes of CReSTeD, a 'teacher' is a person who delivers lessons.  If a Learning Support Assistant is charged with delivering lessons (1:1 or groups) then this person will be regarded as a teacher by CReSTeD.

 

Criteria for Categories

 

	SP	DU	SC	WS
1. The school is established primarily to teach pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia).
2. Assessment for admission to the school includes Educational Psychologist’s reports.
3.  The Head of Learning Support (or equivalent) should ideally have AMBDA status but, as a minimum, hold a qualification recognised by the Joint Council for Qualifications as being valid at the the preparation of a report for access arrangements.
4.  As a minimum, all English and specialist teachers of literacy skills are qualified in the teaching of dyslexic children or are undergoing training.
5.  All members of staff demonstrate the ability to meet the needs of SpLD pupils within their own departments.
6.  The school has a designated Unit or Centre that provides specialist tuition on a small group or individual basis.
7.  The Unit or Centre is adequately resourced, under the management of a senior specialist teacher, who co-ordinates the work of other specialist teachers.
8.  There is an awareness by other members of staff of the necessity to adjust their teaching to meet the needs of dyslexic pupils and this is evident across the curriculum.
9.  The Head of Unit or Centre will have Head of Department status, and must have an input into curriculum design and delivery.
10.  The majority of lessons in the Unit or Centre to be taught by those having qualifications or undergoing training towards qualification in the teaching of dyslexic pupils.
11.  Dyslexic pupils are taught in separate classes within the school for some lessons, most probably English and mathematics.
12.  Teachers of these separate  classes are responsible for communicating with other subject teachers regarding the dyslexic pupils.
13.  There is awareness by other members of staff of the needs of dyslexic pupils.
14.  The majority of specialist teachers are qualified in the teaching of dyslexic pupils or are undergoing training.
15.  There is provision for individual lessons on a withdrawal basis, and these teachers communicate with mainstream teachers regarding the dyslexic pupils.

NOTE:
1.  'Qualified' is  holding AMBDA status or, as a minimum, a qualification recognised by the Joint Council for Qualifications as eligible for preparing reports in support of access arrangements.  Please see www.jcq.org.uk/access_arrangements for the current qualifications acceptable for this purpose.
2.  For the purposes of CReSTeD, a 'teacher' is a person who delivers lessons.  If a Learning Support Assistant is charged with delivering lessons (1:1 or groups) then this person will be regarded as a teacher by CReSTeD.

CReSTeD would expect to see in all schools:

•  Resources for learning being appropriate to the level of need

•  IT provision being relevant and of high quality, with up to date and regularly used programmes for dyslexic pupils

•  Special arrangements for all examinations being sought as necessary

•  A documented reading scheme

•  IEPs for all SpLD pupils

•  A system for regular monitoring of provision for and achievement of pupils.

 

 

Registration Fees

   

1.   Assessment for Registration
Category SP	Two consultants for one day	£770
Category DU	Two consultants for one day	£770
Category SC	One consultant for one day	£385
Category WS	One consultant for one day	£385
2.   Review Visit (due to change of premises, or other significant event)
	One consultant for one day	£385
3.   Re-Registration Visit
All Categories	One consultant for one day	£385
4.   Registration Fee An annual fee of £300 is charged for inclusion in the CReSTeD Register.

Consultants are self-employed and serve as agents of Council. Schools will be invoiced by CReSTeD for the visit fee plus a standard cost of £150 per consultant to cover expenses.   Payment must be received before the visit date is arranged.  Fee increases take place annually in September linked to the national teach er s’ pay increase.

Mileage rate for consultants is 40p per mile.

 

 Lesson Checklist

 

This checklist is used by consultants when visiting classes.

1.         Seating facilitates easy access teacher-pupil, pupil-board/OHP
2.         Introduction
                 Revision of topics covered in previous lessons - setting the scene
                 Revision of main points already covered
                 Revision of content covered in previous lesson
3.         Homework reviewed
                  Pupils contributing
                  Mistakes used as teaching points, not as confidence destroyers!
4.         Spoken content clear, precise and correct
5.         Work on B/B or OHS correct, clear, precise and well laid out
                   Notes provided for dyslexics
6.         New concept introduced
                   Interactive discussion
                   Example worked on board with whole class
                   Immediate revision of forgotten/misunderstood topics
7.         Individual work (exercises/activities)
                   Teacher continually taking note of what everyone is doing
                   Class kept together, support for dyslexics
                   Mistakes immediately pointed out sympathetically and tactfully
                   Pupils involved in discussions
8.         Whole class on task throughout lesson
9.         Whole class progression
10.       Humour
11.       Enthusiasm
12.       Good pace
13.       Differentiation for dyslexic pupils
14.       Homework clearly set (written on B/B or OHS) 
                   Handout for dyslexic pupils
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