What is involved in an assessment for possible learning difficulties?

An assessment is a comprehensive specialist assessment that can identify Specific Learning Difficulties including dyslexia. The assessment looks at ability, attainment and reasons for rate of progress or areas of difficulty Due to this level of detail an assessment can take up to three hours.  

The report provides specific and useful details bespoke to your individual child which can be used to understand how and why they learn the way they do and ensure this is used to maximise progress. Weaknesses will be uncovered through this style of assessment and whether there are external factors which are impacting on performance looking beyond the test data and holistically at the child using observation and discussion with school and parents.
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Conclusions and recommendations gained from these reports can be used to support a request for an EHCP if necessary, but importantly the recommendations will be reflective of your individual child’s needs taking their whole learning profile into account. It could be described as a roadmap that explains exactly how your child needs to negotiate their way
through education to ensure they can make the most progress possible and ensure they fulfil potential.

A Full Diagnostic Assessment can include recommendations for Exam Access Arrangements such as extra time.

A Full Diagnostic Assessment can make clinical judgements about an individual’s learning ability and style and can provide a diagnosis should a specific learning difficulty be present.