The Assessment Process

If your child are being assessed for dyslexia, it’s natural to have questions about what happens. The process is designed to be thorough, supportive, and individual-centred. Below you’ll find an outline of what happens before, during, and after an assessment.

I recommend an initial phone consultation to decide whether a dyslexia assessment is appropriate. This is often useful to collect some initial  information and discuss any questions or concerns. 

A deposit of £100 is required to secure a booking date.  You’ll receive confirmation via email about the time, place, and duration of the session and I will also email you my terms and conditions and policies. 

Background information is then collected.  This provides me with important details about your child’s development, medical/visual history, learning experiences, and any concerns. I ask that these are completed in as much detail as possible. You will be requested to return these at least five days before the assessment. If you would prefer to complete questionnaires verbally, this can be arranged. A school questionnaire is also required and you will be asked to forward this to an appropriate member of staff at your child’s school e.g. teacher or SENCO to complete.

If you are preparing a child for an assessment, is often helpful to best to explain it as a way to understand ‘how they learn best’. Often children enjoy the activities they are asked to do as part of the assessment process. 

On the day of the assessment, parents are encouraged to ensure their child is rested and has any glasses or hearing aids they normally use. Please also bring along examples of you or your child’s work (from home and/or school) to the assessment session, and any other supporting evidence e.g. school or medical reports.

A full diagnostic assessment usually takes around 3–4 hours including breaks, so that the pace is manageable. Especially when a child is younger, or if there are co-occurring needs, it is better to do the assessment over two shorter sessions rather than one long session.

I will begin with a short discussion with you or your child about experiences with learning, strengths, and challenges. The assessment  includes a range of standardised activities, such as:

• Reading and spelling tasks
• Phonological awareness (how sounds in words are recognised/processed)
• Working memory and processing speed
• Writing tasks
• Verbal and non-verbal reasoning and ability

Assessments are conducted in a supportive and encouraging way: it’s not like a classroom test, but more a series of puzzles, games, and activities designed to highlight learning strengths and areas of difficulty.

 Rest breaks are provided when needed to keep the session comfortable.

I review all test results alongside background information from home and school. This ensures a complete picture rather than focusing only on scores. A written report is produced, which includes whether your child meets the criteria for dyslexia (according to current professional guidelines), a profile of strengths and areas of difficulty and tailored recommendations for support strategies at home and school, including suggested exam access arrangements if appropriate.

The report is a working document and can be used to guide teachers, SEN staff, and parents in supporting your child’s learning. Referrals to other professionals (such as optometrists or speech & language therapists) may be suggested if needed. It also includes my APC registration number which means that it can be used as evidence for DSA support if you or your child is going to university. 

The report is sent to you within three weeks after the assessment date. Once you have read the report, there will be an opportunity to discuss the findings (within 30 days of receiving the report) so that results can be discussed and any questions answered.