Dyslexia Assessments
Assessment
I conduct full diagnostic assessments for dyslexia for individuals from the age of eight years old to adults. There are statutory requirements regarding the set of tests that are used to make a diagnosis of dyslexia. And I may use additional tests at times if this becomes advisable to explore whether an individual may have another specific learning difficulty, such as for example, developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD) which would require further assessment carried out by a physiotherapist, either from a direct referral, or through the individual’s GP. A document giving more details about the assessment process will be sent on request. Please email, info@sarahcowell.co.uk.
In relation to school age students the diagnostic reports are useful in highlighting the stage a child is at in terms of their literacy skills which can then guide specific support at school or outside school. They can support applications for educational health care plans (EHCPs) or support appeals in relation to this. The reports will also highlight the need for the student’s school to conduct an access arrangement assessment for public examinations if, for example, the assessment highlights below average reading and or writing speed or below average working memory skill.
One important factor is that if there is a diagnosis of dyslexia it will support the individual’s application for a Disability Support Allowance often referred to as a ‘DSA’ in higher education. The diagnostic reports that I produce follow the format that a DSA report demands.
Maths
I usually assess Maths using a standardised, timed Maths test (unless specifically asked not to). Working memory difficulties are a recognized signal of dyslexia as is slow retrieval of letter and digit names, which leads to word retrieval difficulties. These issues can
impact on the ease at which the individual can learn the times tables, especially by rote, and also their ability to readily manipulate numbers. If a student has real difficulty perceiving the order of numbers and mathematical concepts, this may indicate that they have a separate learning difficulty, Dyscalculia. This will then require a separate diagnostic assessment from a specialist assessor of Dyscalculia.
Children below the age of 8 years old
I conduct full Dyslexia diagnostic assessments of children from the age of eight. This is to comply with very recent directives which determine that diagnostic assessments of children cannot reach a definitive conclusion prior to this age.
If you are concerned about your child, and they are below the age of 8 years old, because they are struggling to keep up with their peers at school, speaking to the school as soon as possible is key, and asking for extra support is vital. Or the other approach to take, if feasible, is to organise extra support outside school. This would ideally be from a specialist tutor trained in developing literacy skills of children using a scheme that is suited to dyslexic students. As the approach will be to work at the child’s own pace, and to deliver a reading and spelling scheme that uses multi-sensory learning techniques, this is ideal for all children.
I am happy to carry out a short set of tests which would highlight any apparent phonological processing and working memory difficulties, but would not include a diagnosis, prior to the age of 8, if this will relieve anxiety all round and be helpful in terms of directing support. This will be on a case-by-case basis, and the fee will be dependent on the specific requirements.
Fees
8yrs to adult: Full diagnostic Assessment Report: £550
8yrs to adult: Full assessment, which does not indicate dyslexia is present.
The fee will depend on the level and length of the subsequent report needed.
Children below the age of 8yrs: Fee is dependent on individual requirements.
Brief professional biography
After originally intending to go into publishing, I actually spent the first twenty years of my working life being a fashion designer ending up in London. It was very hard work and enormous fun, but I moved to Gloucestershire in the 1990s after constantly sketching dresses and fabric designs triggered constant extreme pain in my left am and shoulder. And after a bit of time out getting better and concentrating on bringing up my daughter I found a new passion, Dyslexia. I initially achieved a Dip SpLD (at post graduate level) from the Hornsby International Dyslexia Centre in London in 2001 and this led to me studying for an SpLD APC, which is an assessment practicing certificate which was awarded to me by patoss in 2006. My interest in Dyslexia was initiated by family members on both sides finding spelling and aspects of reading difficult, in striking contrast to other aspects of their development. And being an inquisitive person and never being happier than when researching subjects, off I went. And here I am today all these years later, still enjoying working with all the interesting and different people that I am lucky enough to meet as a result of my chosen career. (Aspects of the differing work I have done are outlined in the ‘recent work’ section of this site.) And I seem to have found my way back into publishing by writing my books so it all came together in the end…
Affiliations and Qualifications
- SASC – Listed assessor and associate member of SASC since 2006. SASC is the ‘SpLD Assessment Standards Committee’ which was set up by the DfES in 2005 to oversee Standards of Assessments of Specific Learning Disabilities in an educational setting.
- Patoss – Listed assessor at ‘Patoss’ which is the acronym for the ‘professional association of teachers of students with specific learning disabilities.’
- SpLD APC – Holder of an ‘SpLD APC’ award since 2006 which is an ‘Assessment Practising Certificate’ for assessing Specific Learning Difficulties in an educational setting.
- Dip SpLD – Holder of a ‘Dip SpLD’ awarded by The Hornsby International Dyslexia Centre in 2001 which enables me to tutor people of all ages struggling with Dyslexia.
- Associate Member of the APA – Associate member of APA, American Psychological Association.
- Enhanced DBS Certificate – Renewed, 2025
Reviews
DSA assessment, mother’s comments:
“Thank you very much for the report. I really appreciate the thoroughness and the level of detail confirming _____ strengths, but also the challenges she has with literacy activities. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a level of detail provided in a report.”
Diagnostic Assessment, mother’s comments:
“Wow, what a fantastic report!”
Diagnostic Assessment, mother’s comments:
“The paediatrician was very impressed with your report.”
Get in Touch
If you’re looking for dyslexia assessment, I would love to hear from you. Please drop me a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Email: info@sarahcowell.co.uk