The goal of a comprehensive diagnostic assessment is to assist your child in recognizing their optimal learning style. Dyslexia exists on a spectrum, with each dyslexic child positioned differently based on their unique skills, strengths, and challenges. A dyslexia assessment evaluates various skills, including cognitive, visuospatial, verbal, non-verbal, motor, memory, and processing speed, to create a tailored learning profile. The objective is to help your child comprehend the reasons behind their difficulties, enabling them, with the right support, to discover effective learning strategies that boost their confidence and facilitate progress.

An eye test must have been carried out within 2 years of the assessment.

The school SENCo and parents must complete the questionnaires emailed before the assessment

It is important that you provide as much background information as you can in the questionnaire, as this will support the diagnostic decision.

Your child should bring a water bottle and snack to have during the break. In addition, glasses or coloured overlays if these are used in class.

● A summary of key findings from the assessment and background information from home, school and/or other agencies

● Detailed interpretation of test results, including:

● General Underlying Ability: verbal and non verbal ability

● Acadmic achievement: reading, spelling, writing, and handwriting

● Cognitive processing: memory, phonological skills, and processing speed

● Conclusion - assessment findings

● Table of test scores

● Key recommendations for supporting the learner in the following areas:

● Home environment

● Classroom environment

● Access arrangements in exams (if appropriate)

● Disabled Students Allowance (DSA), if appropriate.

A comprehensive diagnostic assessment for a specific learning difficulty, including dyslexia, is valid for a lifetime, regardless of the age at which it is conducted. It serves as a legal document that can aid in securing Access Arrangements while your child is in school, facilitate an application for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) when they move on to university, and support reasonable accommodations in the workplace.

Parents must consult with their child’s SENCo about their concerns before seeking a formal assessment.

If you need the assessment to apply for Exam Access Arrangements at school (usually GCSEs or A’ levels) you will need to contact the school SENCo prior to the assessment. Then I will work with the school or college to support your application. This is a JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications) requirement.

Please note it is not necessary to have a full diagnostic assessment for Exam Access Arrangements and your SENCo will advise you. I can provide a shorter report which can be specifically used for Exam Access Arrangements

The full report, including a diagnosis when appropriate, will be emailed within 3 weeks. There may be times when it is not possible to make a diagnosis of dyslexia. However, my reports will consider your child’s strengths and weaknesses and will provide in depth individualised recommendations for support at school and home as well as exam access arrangements and referrals to other relevant professionals, such as behavioural optometrists, occupational therapists, or speech and language therapists where relevant.

After you have had time to digest the report, I suggest having a phone call or google meet to answer any further questions you may have.

I assess children from 9 to 18 years of age.

The full diagnostic assessment takes about 3 hours and this includes one short break half way through the assessment. I have found that most children see it as a fun exercise and do not find it too long.

My assessments take place at my home in Chiswick. For younger children, parents are welcome to wait in a nearby room to allow their children to settle or return at an agreed time. I am accustomed to working with children of all ages and find that they are so engrossed in the activities that they take to it very quickly. Please note that I have a current DBS certificate.