Once you have contacted me to arrange the assessment, we will book a provisional date together.
Background information about the child or young person is essential and an integral part of the assessment and decision making. You will need to complete two questionnaires, a family one and another about any possible visual difficulties. There will also be a school questionnaire to be completed by the school. These questionnaires must be received by us at least 7 days before the assessment, as these will inform the planning for the day. Failure to deliver these in time will result in the assessment date being postponed.
A deposit will need to be taken, on booking, to secure an agreed date for assessment.
The balance payment must be paid 4 days in advance. Failure to do so may result in the postponement or cancellation of the assessment as work to prepare the session and the report will have already begun.
It is possible to rearrange the date up to 4 days before the original date, however if the cancellation is after this time, it will result in the forfeit of the deposit. Less than 24 hours notice will result in the full fees being forfeited. In certain circumstances, the rearranging of the assessment may be possible.
We will email you the day before to check that the child or young person is healthy and fit to be assessed; it is important that they are feeling well on the day. If they are not well enough the assessment will be postponed at no extra cost for the first time.
The date and booking will be confirmed by email and the questionnaires will be attached.
It is your responsibility to forward the school questionnaire to the appropriate person for completion.
The assessment cannot go ahead unless your child has had an eye test within two years; if you have any concern over their hearing then this must also be tested before the assessment. If necessary, the assessment can be delayed in order for these to occur.
If your child wears glasses for working or uses coloured overlays, it is essential that they bring these to the assessment. Without them the assessment will not be able to go ahead as it must reflect their normal way of working.
The assessment takes place in my home where I have a dedicated office. I will always ensure that the child or young person feels relaxed and comfortable and able to perform their best. It is important that they feel this way in order for me to fully understand their needs and for them to feel relaxed enough to trust me with their thoughts and feelings about their learning experiences.
The assessment will take between 3-4 hours, depending on how many breaks your child benefits from and their pace of thinking.
The activities will be planned so that you child does not tire too much; there will also be fun, relaxed moments and plenty of time to chat. Their views on their own learning are important and help to inform the recommendations. It is also crucial to discuss each activity and how they approached it.
At the end of the assessment, whilst I am very happy to discuss how your child coped and handled the session, please understand that it is not possible to provide feedback on scores or diagnosis.
Your child is likely to be tired after the assessment as they will have had to engage in many different activities on a one to one basis.
You will receive my report , written within SASC (SpLD Assessment Standards Committee) guidelines, within 21 days of the assessment date. This will include recommendations for access arrangements (where appropriate,) home, school and specialist teaching.
The report will be emailed to you using a password protected file. It will summarise the background information (you may ask for something to be excluded should you wish,) and include a summary of scores based on tests of underlying ability, processing speed, phonological awareness and working memory and how these influence your child’s learning. It will also include a description of current attainment in reading, writing, spelling and Maths fluency, a diagnostic decision and further onward referrals to other specialists if necessary.
Alongside the report will be simpler document intended for your child. This will explain to them, in appropriate language, what they find easy or challenging, and why, and possible methods they could employ to help themselves in the classroom.
You are welcome – invited - to make an appointment to discuss the report, its findings and recommendations, with me up to three weeks after receiving the report. This will take place on Zoom at a time convenient to you.
You are strongly encouraged to share the report with your child’s school so that it can put into practice the recommendations. The report should also help them to understand any barriers to learning your child may have and this will inform their planning and teaching.