At a glance
Type of setting
Primary
Phase
Primary
Setting
Community primary school in Sevenoaks, Kent
Led by
Rebecca Bye, SENCo
Assessment used
Dyslexia screener (now Cognitive & Dyslexia)
Main use case
Universal screening
Themes
Universal screening
Targeted screening
Transition
Teacher confidence
Parent engagement
EHCP
Ordinarily available provision
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The school’s previous screening wasn’t giving staff the level of insight they needed. They wanted a more proactive approach: a baseline for every Year 3 pupil, so that no learner was overlooked.
They also needed a tool that was easy to administer and would help them tell apart pupils who need universal classroom strategies from those who need more specific, targeted input.
Took advice from other schools. After speaking with other schools, including Moon Hall School, and with the Talamo team, the school chose Talamo for its responsive, forward-thinking approach.
Built a Year 3 baseline. Every Year 3 pupil is screened, so no learner is overlooked.
Screened individual pupils when teachers asked. Teachers request screening for specific pupils when they want to check their professional judgement or test a hypothesis of need.
Brought families in. Staff use the visual reports in conversations with parents, and ran a parent workshop on dyslexia and the hidden challenges that can lead to a child’s frustration.
Made it part of everyday provision. Talamo is now part of the school’s ordinarily available provision, used confidently by all staff to understand and respond to pupils’ needs.
Teacher confidence. Teachers feel more confident in their professional judgement. As Rebecca puts it, the data helps teachers “really know where those markers are for their class”.
Better conversations with families. The visual reports link assessment data to a child’s day-to-day frustrations, such as working memory difficulties, so conversations with parents are more open and empathetic.
Stronger evidence for EHC applications. Talamo reports are regularly used as evidence in EHC needs assessment applications, and educational psychologists have responded well to them.
Smoother transition. Reports go up to secondary school with each pupil. The school’s wider community of ten schools now uses Talamo too, so secondary colleagues receive more consistent information.
Rebecca expects to use Talamo’s Maths & Dyscalculia assessment in response to teacher concern, rather than with whole year groups.
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