The Assessment Process

ASSESSMENTS FOR STUDENTS OF SEVEN YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER

Michael's assessment of your child will explore the following: 
•    Verbal, non-verbal and spatial skills
•    Working memory and processing speed
•    Phonological processing
•    Reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic

When interpreting the results, and the evidence from yourself and the school, Michael can tell whether the following are present: (a) a specific learning difficulty or (b) a learning disability, as defined by The Equality Act, 2010.  

The assessment involves an engaging 1¾ hour one-to-one meeting between Michael and your child followed by a 20 minute feedback session to you all.  You will receive a one-page hand-written report on the day of the assessment and a very extensive signposting e-report that is emailed two weeks afterwards.  This will carefully detail their strengths, barriers to learning and will have a wealth of ideas to support your child's progress.  Appointments are always undertaken at these offices and are held within the working day.  The professional fee for the assessment described is £800 and is paid by bank transfer at the time of booking to confirm your appointment.  

If your child in approaching GCSEs and you are trying to establish whether they require special examination arrangements, Michael will need the SENCo to agree to the assessment beforehand.  The SENCo must then complete our School Questionnaire, which provides Michael with important background information; please also ask the SENCo for 'Part 1 of Form 8' which Michael will need to receive before the assessment can proceed.   If this is not done, Michael's report cannot be used to process an application for examination arrangements.

It is also important to emphasise, so as to avoid disappointment, that this assessment is not intended for students where the primary problems are personal, social, emotional and behavioural or where there are pervasive and complex developmental issues.  Moreover, Michael no longer undertakes EHCP, adversarial, appeals-based, litigious or medico-­legal assignments.  

Please contact Andrea Charlesworth to explore the feasibility of making an appointment. 

Now listen to Gavin Newsom, Lieutenant Governor of California, and let your child be inspired by his story about dyslexia: