FAQ
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that primarily affects reading, writing, and spelling skills. It is a neurological condition that affects how the brain processes written and spoken language, making it challenging for individuals to decode words, spell correctly, and sometimes understand written text.
How should we prepare for an assessment?
It's essential your child has had an eye test in the last 6 months, just to rule out any vision issues that could be affecting their learning. This is more common than you think!
Your input, as well as your child's, is really important in this process. Before the assessment, we'll have a detailed conversation, and I’ll ask you to complete a couple of questionnaires—one for parents and one focused on any visual difficulties. I’ll email these to you so you can fill them in beforehand.
It’s also worth having a quick chat with your child’s teacher or the school’s SENCo (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) to see if your child is already receiving any extra support or interventions.
When you explain the assessment to your child, you can tell them they’ll be meeting with someone who’s really interested in how people learn. The goal is to figure out why some things might be tricky for them and find ways to make learning easier.
What the role of my child’s school?
I suggest having a chat with your child’s teacher or the SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) before deciding on a formal assessment. They might already be providing some extra support for your child. While extra help at school doesn’t require a formal diagnosis, only a Diagnostic Assessment can officially identify dyslexia.
If you’re considering an assessment to apply for Exam Access Arrangements, like for GCSEs or A-levels, it’s important to talk to the school’s SENCo first. I’ll then coordinate with the school or college to support your application, as this is required by the JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications).
Keep in mind, a full diagnostic assessment isn’t always necessary for Exam Access Arrangements, and your SENCo can guide you on this.
Will I need to share any other information?
The more information you can provide regarding your child’s education the better. A copy of your child’s last school report or any previous specialist assessments will be requested.
Will you need to speak to my child’s school?
Yes. Your child’s teacher(s) or SENCo will be asked to complete a School Questionnaire which will be emailed to them. If more information is needed I will follow up with a phone conversation.
What happens after the assessment?
You’ll receive a detailed diagnostic report by email within two weeks of the assessment. For confidentiality, the report will be password-protected, and I’ll send you the password separately.
If the assessment confirms dyslexia, this report will serve as formal evidence of the diagnosis. It will also guide you to other resources or further assessments if needed.
The report will include practical recommendations on how to support your child both at school and at home with their study skills. It's an official document that can be used to apply for Access Arrangements.
What will the diagnostic report include?
A summary of the key findings from the assessment, along with background information from home, school, and any other relevant agencies.
A detailed breakdown of the test results, covering:
General Underlying Ability: Verbal and non-verbal skills.
Academic Achievement: Reading, spelling, writing, and handwriting.
Cognitive Processing: Memory, phonological skills, and processing speed.
A conclusion that provides a holistic view of the assessment findings.
A table showing all the test scores.
Key recommendations on how to support the learner in various areas, including:
At home.
In the classroom.
Access arrangements for exams, if needed.
Disabled Students Allowance (DSA), if applicable.
Will the assessment diagnose other learning difficulties?
Our assessments are primarily focused on identifying dyslexia, but they may also reveal other specific learning difficulties, such as dysgraphia or dyscalculia. If we suspect other conditions, we will recommend further evaluation or appropriate referrals.
Does my child really need a diagnostic assessment?
A full diagnostic assessment can be incredibly helpful in understanding how your child learns best. Dyslexia is a spectrum, and every child experiences it differently, with their own unique mix of strengths and challenges. The assessment looks at a wide range of skills—like cognitive abilities, visuospatial awareness, memory, processing speed etc… —to create a personalised learning profile. The goal is to help your child understand why certain things might be difficult for them and, with the right support, to find strategies that work specifically for them. This can boost their confidence and help them move forward in a way that makes learning easier and more effective.
If your child is struggling significantly with their studies, whether at school or at home, a diagnostic assessment can clarify what’s going on and provide valuable insights for you and their teachers. It helps your child understand why they might be finding things tough and can give them a more positive view of their abilities. Plus, it's the only way to get a formal diagnosis of dyslexia, which can be crucial for accessing reasonable adjustments in exams at school or university.
Does my child need to be assessed again when they are older?
A full diagnostic assessment for a specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, is valid for a lifetime. It's a legal document that can be used throughout your child's educational journey—whether it's applying for Access Arrangements during school, Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) when they move on to university, or even for requesting reasonable adjustments in the workplace.
How can an assessment help my child?
An assessment can help your child discover how they learn best. It’s not an exam, so there’s no “pass” or “fail”—the focus is on understanding their unique learning style and figuring out what works for them.
It can also help your child understand why they might be facing challenges and give them a more positive perspective on their abilities.
The assessment might reveal other factors that could be affecting their learning, and if needed, we can guide you toward the right professionals for further support.
It will also highlight any Reasonable Adjustments that might be necessary to help your child fully access the curriculum and perform their best in exams.
You’ll get specific recommendations on how to support their learning both in the classroom and at home.
What happens during the assessment?
We’ll start with a relaxed chat to get to know your child and gather some background information. The full diagnostic assessment usually takes around 3 hours, but we'll take short breaks whenever needed to keep your child comfortable and focused.
On the day of the assessment, your child should bring a pen, their glasses if they need them, and any colored overlay they usually use.
During the dyslexia assessment, I'll guide your child through a series of standardised tests to explore different areas, such as:
Reading, writing, and spelling
Handwriting and fine motor skills
Cognitive skills like phonological awareness, processing speed, and memory
General underlying ability, including verbal and visual skills
What happens after receiving the report?
Upon release of the report, I will offer a follow up 30-minute phone call or zoom meeting to ensure that you can ask any questions or clarify information.
I will give an overview of some of the key aspects of the report, explain the findings and next steps and provide advice on how the school might help your child in their learning as well as recommend methods and strategies to help them learn more effectively at home.
Strategies may include teaching approaches, study skills and advice about resources/programs for additional support.
At what age should a child have a full diagnostic assessment?
A full diagnostic assessment is appropriate from age 8 through to adulthood. Where there are concerns about younger children and especially if there is a history of dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties in the family, an early dyslexia screening is recommended. This can give an indication of possible dyslexic-type difficulties and suggest what support needs to be put in place in school and at home for the child to catch up. If you would like more information on our dyslexia screeners, please get in touch through e-mail – hello@bournedyslexia.co.uk.
Please note a dyslexia screening is designed to give an indication of possible dyslexic-type difficulties. It is not a diagnosis.
Where an early screening test indicates a moderate or high probability of dyslexic-type difficulties, it is recommended to follow up with a full diagnostic assessment at the age of 8. It is important to identify dyslexia early to allow the child more time to develop compensatory strategies to meet individual challenges.
Is the assessment confidential?
Absolutely. We take your privacy seriously. All assessments and reports are confidential and will only be shared with your permission. However, we do recommend that the report is shared with your child’s SENCo and teachers so they can make your child’s learning environment as inclusive as possible.