Dyslexia Assessments
Please find below information about what to expect prior to, during and after the completion of a diagnostic assessment with your child.
Before the assessment
You will be provided with a set of questionnaires to complete for your child. These must be completed and returned to me prior to the assessment.
A questionnaire will also be sent to your child’s school. If the school has not returned their completed questionnaire two weeks prior to the assessment, I will ask you to contact the school to request that the completed questionnaire be sent back to me.
Please note that it is a requirement to have had an eye test within the six months prior to the assessment. Please ensure that an eye test is arranged if this is not already the case, and that any concerns raised by the optician are communicated to me prior to assessment.
On the day of the assessment
A number of assessments will be carried out. Despite these being formal tests, I will endeavour to make your child feel completely at ease, and there will always be an opportunity for breaks whenever needed. The tests cover:
- Underlying ability — including verbal and visual ability, providing information on the ability to learn.
- Cognitive processing — including working memory, phonological processing (the skills that underpin reading ability) and processing speed (the speed at which we take in information, process it and act upon it).
- Attainment — covering reading, writing, spelling and reading comprehension.
Assessments can vary in length depending on the needs of the individual, but you should allow at least 3 hours. The activities are short and varied, and most children find the time passes quickly.
What happens next?
The results of the tests, and any diagnosis if applicable, cannot be provided on the day of the assessment. Time will be spent scoring and analysing the results, and an in-depth report will be written and sent within 3 weeks, subject to full payment being received. The report is written in compliance with the latest SpLD Assessment Standards Committee (SASC) guidelines, and will include a diagnosis of dyslexia where appropriate.
The report is confidential, sent only to parents/carers, and is a password protected PDF file that you can forward on to your child’s school if you wish.
It may not be possible to offer a clear-cut diagnosis of dyslexia. However, the comprehensive report will note areas of strength and challenge, with detailed recommendations to support your child at home, in school and with a specialist teacher. If necessary, details of other professionals will be given for onward referral, such as Occupational Therapy, Optometry or Speech and Language Therapy.
I understand that teachers and other professionals are busy and may not have time to read an entire report, so there is a concise summary of findings, diagnosis and selected recommendations at the beginning of the report, which can be detached. I also understand that you may have questions about the report when you receive it, and I am happy to answer these.
Co-occurring difficulties
Specific learning difficulties is a general term that may include dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, ADHD, and speech and/or language difficulties. I am able to identify, but not diagnose, co-occurring difficulties, and can make suggestions for support and, when appropriate, recommend referral to the relevant specialist.
Access arrangements
Access arrangements are reasonable adjustments used in class and during exams. They aim to place the learner on a level with their peers, giving them fair access to exams and the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and understanding to achieve their full potential. They do not give the learner an unfair advantage or undermine the integrity of the exam paper.
Access arrangements are ultimately the school’s responsibility, as is the decision on what to apply for. Within the diagnostic report, access arrangements will be recommended to the school to consider where appropriate, based on quantitative evidence gained during the assessment session.
Payment
The total cost of the assessment and report is £625.00.
£300.00 is required as a deposit to hold the agreed assessment date. The balance should be paid within 3 working days of the assessment. Please note I am unable to forward the report unless full payment has been received.
Payment can be made via BACS or by cheque.
Re-scheduling or cancelling
If you are unable to make the assessment for any reason, please let me know as soon as possible (please see the Terms and Conditions document).
Further details
I hold a current Assessment Practising Certificate (APC) through the Dyslexia Guild, certifying that assessments are conducted and reports written in accordance with the SpLD Working Group 2005/DfES Guidelines for assessment of SpLDs.
I also hold Associate Membership of the Dyslexia Association (AMBDA), a current Enhanced Disclosure and Barring (DBS) certificate, and both Professional Indemnity Insurance and Public Liability Insurance.
All personal data is stored in accordance with GDPR. I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).