council for the registration of schools teaching dyslexic pupils
London
In October 2013 the CReSTeD Council revised their criteria for inclusion of
schools and teaching centres within the Register. In many respects the changes
may seem cosmetic, a case of re-organisation to place similar criteria together.
However, on closer inspection you will find a major difference. In the past we
have referred to dyslexia as the focus of our assessment within schools, we
updated this a few years ago to read ‘dyslexia(SpLD)’. Our criteria now reads
simply ‘SpLD’, the support for children with dyslexia works within a wider
frameset that should include all learning difficulties. We have not forgotten
our roots, we are still a dyslexia charity, we are simply taking into account
the wider picture. Accrediting Schools and Teaching Centres for their Learning
Support Provision. We maintain a register of schools and teaching centres which
meet our criteria for the teaching of pupils with Specific Learning
Difficulties. All schools and centres included in the Register are visited
regularly to ensure they continue to meet the criteria set by CReSTeD. We act as
a source of names for educational establishments which parents can use as their
first step towards making a placement decision which will be critical to their
child’s educational future. The majority of schools on the register are
mainstream schools that are also able to give excellent help to pupils with
SpLD: dyslexia and also – when combined with dyslexia – dyscalculia, dyspraxia,
ADD, and pragmatic and semantic language difficulties. In addition we include
teaching centres where children can find additional support outside of and /or
in addition to their day to day schooling. The register provides guidance for
parents who are looking for a school or teaching centre for their child with
SpLD and has become established as a first source of such guidance. For example:
Parents who contact the British Dyslexia Association, Dyslexia Action or the
Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity to enquire about schools will be referred to
CReSTeD. Many local authorities rely on the CReSTeD register – which is
published annually – to inform their financial decisions about funding a
placement for dyslexia. Educational professionals look to the CReSTeD Register
to inform their decisions and the advice they provide to parents
