Frequently asked questions

Yes - looking at the wider picture is a really important part of my assessments.

There isn't one type of professional who can potentially diagnose everything; each has their own specialism.

However, there are 2 main reasons why I'm often the first professional that clients see:

1. Some clients book Discovery Calls because they greatly benefit from having an initial chat about their own or their child's needs. If I'm not the right type of professional to conduct an assessment such as if literacy difficulties are more likely to be motor related than dyslexia, I'll be very open and I'll signpost to other professionals.

2. Other types of assessments do not always pick up on other needs. For example, ADHD assessments do not routinely explore whether perhaps language needs are mimicking the signs of inattentive ADHD. I work very holistically and clients benefit from my 25 years' experience of assessing to not only rule in/out dyslexia or dyscalculia at a full diagnostic assessment but to identify additional/alternative explanations and write referral letters, such as for ADHD, autism, language difficulties, dyspraxia, auditory processing disorder or visual discomfort.

A screening looks for 'signs' that dyslexia or dyscalculia may be present; it cannot provide a diagnosis. Screenings can sometimes be useful as an initial step but the outcome isn't always clear-cut, they can give false results and they should be considered alongside information about the person and the difficulties they're experiencing.

A full diagnostic assessment goes much further. It explores literacy/maths and underlying processing skills in detail and considers whether the evidence meets recognised definitions. Where a diagnosis is made, this is lifelong.

Whilst schools may very occasionally conduct full diagnostic assessments, there are several reasons why the most a school will offer is a basic screening:

1. Dyslexia (and SpLD maths and dyscalculia) can be diagnosed by only certain professionals who've undergone extensive postgraduate training in assessment, interpretation of results and report writing.

2. A dyslexia assessment is complex; it's not based on 'just' conducting a reading and spelling test or be based on a teacher's observations. Before testing, comprehensive background information needs to be gathered from the family including health. The wide breadth of tests involve take at least 2 hours to conduct. Interpretation of the results calls for differential diagnoses and background information to be considered. The detailed report needs to be carefully written and when assessors hold the gold standard accreditation of holding a current SpLD assessment practising certificate, the report can take several hours to write to meet the SpLD Assessment Standards Committee guidelines.

3. The cost of bringing an assessor into the school to assess students is high as this reflects their training, the costs of the assessment materials and the time taken from enquiry through to completing the report.

4. However, appropriate support should be offered to children based on their needs and not on a diagnosis.

For a full diagnostic assessment, age 8 is usually the minimum age recommended by SASC (the SpLD Assessment Standards Committee) for making a secure, lifelong diagnostic decision.

I will occasionally assess a 7 year old where there are particular circumstances but they must have at least completed year 2 and their school must fully support the assessment taking place. Please get in touch if you'd like to discuss this.

There's no upper age limit. I regularly assess adults in their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond - whether for work, a return to education or simply to answer a question they've had for many years. I've even assessed people in their 80s.

Possibly - it depends on the type of assessment and your experience of using English.

For a full diagnostic assessment, there needs to be evidence of longstanding difficulties that can't simply be explained by learning English as an additional language. If English isn't your first language, you'll usually need to have lived in an English-speaking country for at least 7 years and been fully immersed in English during that time.

I can explore DCD/dyspraxia profiles for those aged 16+ where English isn't your first language although you'll need good conversational English as much of the assessment involves discussion.

Please get in touch if you're unsure and I'll be happy to advise before you book.

No. I'm a specialist teacher assessor.

Appropriately qualified specialist teacher assessors have been able to diagnose specific learning difficulties for more than 25 years. My initial specialist postgraduate training focused on dyslexia, literacy and assessment alongside understanding other needs that may occur alongside or sometimes resemble a specific learning difficulty.

Educational psychologists have broader training across areas such as child development, learning, mental health and psychological approaches. Which professional you need therefore depends on the questions you're hoping an assessment will answer.

Neither educational psychologists nor specialist teacher assessors can solely diagnose ADHD or autism.

The About Sarah page outlines my qualifications, professional memberships and experience.

Please get in touch by phone, email or through my website contact form and give me a little information about what you're looking for. This helps us to make sure that I'm the right professional for you.

Once we've established which service you need, I'll send you a link to my online booking system where you can choose an appointment and pay the deposit. 

My current availability can be found on my home page. If you're overseas and in a very different time zone, I may sometimes be able to offer an earlier appointment.

I'm based in Crawley Down, near East Grinstead in West Sussex and regularly see clients from Sussex, Surrey, Kent and London.

I'm around 15 minutes from London Gatwick Airport and easily reached from Three Bridges and East Grinstead railway stations via bus or taxi. Clients sometimes travel considerably further - or even fly in - for an assessment.

Dyslexia assessments for adults and young people in year 7+ can be conducted over Zoom. I offer incredibly flexible hours so that I see people from all over the world during their daytime.

My contact hours for phone calls and email enquiries are Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm.

I offer assessment appointments on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Online assessments can also be arranged at unusual hours where needed, which can be particularly helpful for shift workers and international clients in different time zones.

The speed at which I can see clients depends on the service requested. Full diagnostic assessments require pre-assessment checks to be conducted and background information to be collated from the family/adult along with from others such as the school or college (home page shows availbility). The quickest way for me to assess for exam access arrangements is by doing it online.

For families and adult clients, the online booking system will take a £75 deposit with the balance due no later than the assessment date. The balance can be paid instalments with the amount and frequency chosen by the client, as long as the full amount is paid by the assessment date. I accept payment via cash, bank transfer, cheque and debit/credit card.

Receipts for payments can be provided, such as for health insurance company claims.

Your right to cancel within 14 days

If you book as a consumer by telephone or online, you normally have a legal right to cancel within 14 days of making the booking. If you cancel during this period, the £75 deposit will be refunded unless you have expressly asked me to begin providing the service during the cancellation period. In that situation, I may deduct a reasonable amount for work already completed.

More than 48 hours before the assessment

After the 14-day cancellation period, you may postpone the assessment without an additional charge if you give me at least 48 hours’ notice. Your deposit will be transferred to the rearranged appointment.

If you cancel rather than postpone, I may retain some or all of the £75 deposit to cover preparatory work already undertaken and losses that I cannot reasonably avoid. Any amount retained will be proportionate to the work completed and the loss incurred.

Please give me as much notice as possible so that I have an opportunity to offer the appointment to someone else.

Within 48 hours

If the assessment is cancelled within 48 hours of the appointment, or cannot be completed on the day for reasons relating to the person being assessed, a charge of up to 50% of the outstanding balance may be payable. This will reflect the preparatory work undertaken and losses that I cannot reasonably avoid.

If you rearrange the assessment, the remaining balance will be payable for the new appointment, subject to any fee increase in the meantime.

Yes, wherever possible, I strongly encourage involving your child's school.

Information from teachers and SENCos can provide valuable evidence about how your child learns and the difficulties they experience in the classroom so please let the school know that you're considering an assessment.

Occasionally, there may be a particular reason why a family doesn't want the school to be involved or a school may be unwilling to complete questionnaires. In these circumstances, I'll ask to see your child's latest school report and explain in the report that information was available from the family only.

I ask parents not to stay in the room during the assessment.

Even very shy or anxious children usually settle surprisingly quickly and I work hard to keep assessments relaxed and friendly.

There are also important assessment reasons for this. Children can understandably look towards a parent for reassurance about whether an answer is 'right' or feel less able to share something if their view differs from their parent's. And occasionally, parents find the assessment so interesting that they accidentally start joining in! All of these can affect the reliability of the results.

You won't be excluded from the process. Parents are included in the immediate verbal feedback afterwards and I'm happy to offer a brief Zoom hello beforehand if meeting me first would help your child feel more comfortable.

If you're bringing your child to my home, you're welcome to leave and return afterwards or wait nearby, including in my heated garden cabin.

A longer assessment isn't necessarily a better assessment.

My dyslexia/literacy assessments usually take around 2 hours whilst maths assessments generally take around 2 1/4 hours. I've carefully developed my pre-assessment questionnaire over many years so that I already have a great deal of relevant information before we begin.

During the assessment, I work efficiently while keeping the atmosphere relaxed and friendly. My aim is to gather everything needed for a thorough assessment without making someone continue for longer than necessary as fatigue can affect both the experience and reliability of the results.

If it would help to break the ice beforehand, I'm happy to arrange a brief Zoom hello before the assessment.

It is the responsibility of the parent arranging the assessment to establish whether consent from the other parent is required.

Whether a diagnostic assessment constitutes an 'important decision' about a child's life is a legal question. If agreement between those with parental responsibility may be an issue, please seek appropriate legal advice before arranging the assessment.

For individual clients, the £75 deposit is paid by card when booking the assessment. However, the balance payable no later than the assessment date can be paid by cash, cheque, bank transfer or debit/credit card. Organisations paying for assessments will be invoiced after the assessment has taken place and settlement of the invoice is requested within 30 days.

You'll receive a detailed report rather than a certificate.

The report clearly explains the assessment findings and includes practical recommendations and strategies. It is sent to the person named on the report or, for someone under 18, usually to those with parental responsibility.

Where an assessment highlights possible additional needs - such as ADHD, language difficulties or dyspraxia in children - I can often provide referral letters at no additional charge.

Your report can be shared with relevant schools, universities, workplaces or other professionals.

Yes. My diagnostic reports are accepted by schools, colleges and universities as well as Student Finance England for applications for Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) and by various organisations.

I hold a current assessment practising certificate (APC) which confirms that I meet the highest professional standards regarding diagnostic assessment. My APC is renewed every 3 years and can be verified through SASC.

In almost all cases, the report is sent to the person named on it, regardless of who paid for the assessment. For someone under 18, it'll usually be sent to those with parental responsibility.

If a young person under 18 has arranged the assessment themselves and managed administration, the report can be sent directly to them.

Occasionally, a third party such as a private medical insurer may require a copy of the report or referral letter. If this applies, it will be made clear before the assessment and the third party is responsible for obtaining the necessary permission.

Reports for adults aged 18 and over are securely retained for 6 years following the assessment date. Reports for children and young people assessed before their 18th birthday are retained until their 24th birthday. Assessment test papers are securely destroyed once the final report has been issued. Clients are therefore strongly advised to keep their own copy of the report securely as another copy may not be available in the future.

No. Visual discomfort or disturbances aren't symptoms of dyslexia and should be investigated separately. Read about visual disturbances.

If text appears blurry, moves or causes significant eye strain, it's important to see an optometrist or optician with appropriate specialist training. A standard eyesight test can be normal even when other visual difficulties are present.

Coloured overlays may sometimes seem to help but they shouldn't replace a proper investigation as they could mask an underlying difficulty.

There is no diagnosis of 'visual dyslexia' and dyslexia can't be diagnosed by an optometrist or optician.

For those aged 16 and over: Yes, in some circumstances, I can explore whether someone has a profile of DCD/dyspraxia.

There must be a longstanding history of motor difficulties dating back to childhood. DCD/dyspraxia can affect areas such as coordination and motor skills as well as organisation and planning. Reports can be used when applying for support such as the Disabled Students' Allowance or workplace adjustments.

For children aged under 16: Concerns about motor skills need to be explored medically. The first step is usually the GP who may refer to a paediatrician or occupational therapist working within an appropriate multidisciplinary team.

At any age, new or worsening physical difficulties should be medically investigated rather than assumed to be developmental. 

Neither educational psychologists not specialist teacher assessors can singly diagnose ADHD but I regularly identify signs that suggest it may be worth exploring further and write referral letters.

For children and young people, information from both the home and school is particularly important because ADHD symptoms need to cause significant difficulties in more than one setting. Where appropriate, I can write a referral letter bringing together information from the family and school, my assessment observations and the child's own perspective.

ADHD doesn't always involve obvious hyperactivity. Inattentive symptoms - such as zoning out, distractibility and procrastination - can be much less noticeable.

It's also important not to assume that every difficulty with attention is ADHD. For example, language difficulties can sometimes make someone appear distracted or daydreamy because they haven't fully understood what has been said.

Please get in touch if you'd like information about professionals or centres offering medical ADHD assessments for children or adults.

The first step is to speak to your child’s SENCo.

A diagnosis of dyslexia or dyscalculia doesn’t automatically mean that a student qualifies for exam access arrangements. Any arrangements must reflect their needs and normal way of working, so the school or college plays an essential role.

If the school or college cannot carry out the necessary assessment themselves, ask whether they’re willing to work with an external assessor. I’m happy to carry out these assessments and complete the relevant sections of JCQ Form 8, but I’ll need the school or college to provide the necessary information before the assessment takes place.

My reports can be submitted as evidence of a diagnosis but I don't offer expert witness services or attend tribunals in that capacity.

Expert witness work requires specific expertise and experience, and I believe that families are best served by someone who specialises in this area.

If you're considering a tribunal, I'm happy to signpost you to an appropriate professional. It can be helpful to do this before commissioning an assessment as there may be particular requirements for the report or evidence needed.

I'm often asked whether I tutor but I no longer offer this as I now focus primarily on diagnostic assessments. However, details about how to find specialist tutors are found in my reports and can be shared on request.

I can also provide details of professionals offering specialist SEND advice including EHCPs.