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Dyslexia FAQs: Your Questions Answered
Dyslexia Assessments
An assessment helps you understand how a person learns.
It can explain why certain things feel difficult, and highlight strengths that may have been overlooked.
A diagnosis can also open the door to the right support, including:
help in school, college or university
exam access arrangements
funding such as Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
reasonable adjustments at work
For many people, it also brings reassurance and clarity — helping things finally make sense.
Anyone can have a dyslexia assessment — children, young people, and adults.
For a full diagnostic assessment, it is usually recommended from around 8 years old.
This is because children need to have developed enough skills for the assessment to be accurate.
For younger children, a screener or literacy assessment can be carried out.
This can help identify early signs and guide the right support.
If you’re unsure what is most suitable, I’m happy to advise.
Yes.
Dyslexia does not affect intelligence.
It affects how a person processes certain types of information, especially reading and writing.
Due to this, some children learn to mask their difficulties, which can make things harder to spot. I have worked with many pupils where this is the case.
An assessment can help to identify both strengths and areas of difficulty, so the right support can be put in place.
A diagnostic assessment can support an application for exam access arrangements.
I am trained to analyse the assessment results and provide clear advice about what arrangements may be appropriate.
This might include support such as:
extra time
a reader or scribe
use of a computer
It’s important to know that access arrangements are not automatically granted.
Schools and colleges make the final decision, based on the assessment and the student’s normal way of working.
Access arrangements may still be appropriate even if a diagnosis of dyslexia is not given.
If you’re unsure how this works, I’m happy to guide you through the process.
After the assessment, you will receive a detailed report with clear, practical recommendations.
These are tailored to the individual and can be used to support:
learning at home
support in school or college
exam access arrangements (where appropriate)
applications for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
reasonable adjustments in the workplace
Support might include:
targeted teaching strategies
assistive technology
extra time or other exam arrangements
A 30-minute follow-up Zoom call is also included in the fee. This gives you the opportunity to talk through the report, ask questions, and discuss next steps.
A diagnostic dyslexia assessment is designed to feel calm, supportive, and not like a test your child is being judged on.
The assessment usually lasts around 2.5–3 hours.
This includes time to settle in, complete activities, and take regular breaks.
It includes:
a detailed discussion about background and learning history
a range of activities exploring learning and processing skills
The assessment takes place in a quiet, comfortable setting, free from distractions.
I ask that one parent or carer stays nearby during the session.
This helps your child feel at ease and allows time to talk through any important background information.
The aim is for your child to feel relaxed and supported throughout, so we can gain a clear and accurate understanding of how they learn.
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