Frequently Asked Questions

Read a full definition here.

Following the assessment, if practicable, informal feedback will be provided the same day. The full report and the delivery of a meaningful plan for future intervention will be delivered within 2 weeks. Each report will include: 

• a summary of your child's cognitive profile, their strengths and the impact any cognitive difficulties may have on their learning. It will include a diagnosis of dyslexia if this is supported by the assessment.  Please note that it is not always possible to diagnose dyslexia. 

• a summary of background information provided by home and school, including a history of support.

• detailed interpretation of test results.

• extensive recommendations for support at home and in the classroom.

• further referral to other professionals such as an Occupational Therapist or Speech and Language Therapist, if appropriate.

No.

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A full diagnostic assessment for a specific learning difficulty (which includes dyslexia) undertaken at any age, lasts a lifetime. It is a legal document which can be used to support an application for Access Arrangements during your child's time in school, an application for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) when they transition to university, and reasonable adjustments in the workplace.

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​Dyslexia is recognised under the 2010 Equality Act. This means that schools, colleges, universities and workplaces are legally required to make reasonable adjustments to support an individual. 

Make sure that the young person being assessed has had a sight test within the last year and if necessary, a recent hearing check.

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It is important for young people to know that they are going to see someone who is interested in how people learn. The assessment will help to work out why some learning is difficult.

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Please ensure parent/school questionnaires have been completed and returned, prior to the assessment. You might include examples of school work and reports.

You can typically have a dyslexia assessment from the age of 7, but some recommend waiting until 8 or 9 for a more reliable diagnosis. 

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The reason for this is that the rate at which a child develops varies during the early years of schooling and many external factors may impact the acquisition of reading skills. 

Intervention, and how a young learner has responded to any intervention would form an important element of a diagnosis, evidence for which is more likely to be available for children with more years of schooling. 

Specialist teacher assessors need to hold a current Assessment Practising Certificate (APC) for the diagnostic report to be eligible for evidence for an application to the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) for higher education. A current APC is also evidence that the specialist teacher assessor meets the SpLD Assessment Standards Committee (SASC) criteria for professional practice

An assessment will usually take up to three hours to complete.

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During an assessment the assessor will carry out a series of tests to explore aspects of underlying ability such as:

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• Reading, writing and spelling

• Handwriting 

• Underlying learning skills: phonological awareness, speed of processing and memory, as well as verbal and visual problem-solving skills.

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These tests are varied and fun and unlike other tests conducted at school. Plenty of rests breaks will be provided. ​

There is usually an informal chat before the assessment to set expectations and calm any nerves.

It is really important to involve teachers and SENCos who know your child well, understand their strengths and can outline their learning challenges.

This is both so they can contribute the background information for the child and help create as full a picture of their educational experience as possible, but also so that they are involved in implementing any recommendations that emerge from the final report.

Please book a 25-minute consultation from the home page.

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Alternatively, you can email me at:

sadiemcclelland@thedyslexiaclub.co.uk