Empowering neurodiversity achievements within schools nationwide
Child Full Dyslexia Diagnostic Assessment (8+)
In order to diagnose dyslexia in a young person from the age of 8, a full diagnostic assessment is required.
The full assessment explores a range of academic skills and cognitive processing abilities. The final report provides information on the nature of identified difficulties and makes a range of well-informed recommendations to support the child. The diagnostic report constitutes the formal evidence and diagnosis of dyslexia.
Following the assessment, a comprehensive report will be provided (usually within 2 weeks / 10 working days) that will give the results of the tests and make recommendations for home and school.
Please note that any recommendations made for Exams Access Arrangements by the assessor are subject to Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) requirements. Please see our Exams Access Arrangements.
Remote Diagnostic Assessments
Remote diagnostic assessments for young people aged 8 and over, these assessments are only for children and teenagers who are used to working online. A parent or carer will need to be on hand in the background if needed whilst the assessment takes place.
Secondary School and Sixth Form
For those at secondary school, sixth form or college, we include specific recommendations for examination adjustments as appropriate for the level of study for the student. For those taking examinations under the Joint Council of Qualifications (JCQ) regulations, for example, GCSE or A levels, we would need to receive information from the secondary school / college in advance of the assessment. Parents should contact the Neurodiversity Achievement office and we will explain the process.
Neurodiversity Awareness Training Workshops
A range of ND training programmes that are designed to provide the knowledge and skills required to build a neuroinclusive school - the inclusion of all types of brains in the classroom.
Approximately 20% of the UK population is considered to be neurodivergent. Dyslexia is the most commonly found neurocognitive diagnosis within the UK population with high rates of cooccurrence with other SpLDs. It is important that teachers and TAs have an awareness of dyslexia / neurodiversity, how it can impact on a pupil’s performance as well as how to work successfully with those with such profiles in order to comply with their legal duties.
Dyslexia can create great challenges for teachers. The challenges experienced by individual pupils with an SpLD are not necessarily obvious, and they manifest in a complex number of ways. It can be difficult to recognise dyslexic characteristics in a pupil, and particularly difficult to know if it is dyslexia that is affecting the performance or there is another cause.
We therefore offer bespoke onsite workshops on neurodiversity which provide essential information for teachers and TAs. This can be a two hour, half day or full day session tailored to your school. We would talk this through in advance.
The training would address the following key areas:
- Neurodiversity and specific learning differences (SpLDs) such as dyslexia
- How these SpLDs can affect pupils and useful strategies
- How to develop a best practice approach to working with pupils with dyslexia or another SpLD.
In more detail, topics covered can include:
- The legal framework, including the Equality Act 2010 and the Data Protection Act
- How changes in the learning environment impact particularly on pupils with neuro-diverse conditions
- How dyslexia can affect pupils and useful strategies
- Identification and pathways to assessment
- Intervention and adjustments at different levels: classroom teaching, learning and assessment
- Whole school approach to inclusion at the different stages of the student journey: enrolment, initial assessment, formative teaching and learning, summative assessments and examinations as well as support to progress into Higher Education
- Assistive technology, IT solutions, support and funding.
How a remote EAA assessment works:
Before contacting us to arrange an assessment for your child, you will need to make an appointment to discuss your child’s support needs with the school SENCo. It is essential that the SENCo’s contact details and a partially completed Form 8 is provided prior to the assessment. To use this assessment to award access arrangements and to process an application using Access Arrangements Online (AAO) a working relationship must be established between the assessor and the school.
Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) regulations state that from 1 September 2017 onward, the SENCo and the assessor must work together to ensure a joined-up and consistent process. Therefore, parents who feel their teenager requires access arrangements in examinations (such as extra time, a reader or scribe) must consult with their teenager’s school before arranging a private assessment with an organisation such as Neurodiversity Achievement.
Further details about the regulations are available on the Joint Council for Qualifications website.
Examination Access Arrangements (EAA) Assessment
An assessment which will provide written evidence and recommendations for exam access arrangements.
EAA assessments for students aged 16 and above who are intending to apply for adjustments during examinations.
We can provide an assessment which investigates whether a learner might be able to request additional access arrangements in exams. The learner (or parent if the learner is under 18) will receive a brief written report which can be forwarded to the school if requested by the SENCo. A signed Part 2 of JCQ Form 8 is also available to the school or sixth form college on their request. This assessment will not provide a diagnosis of dyslexia or any other associated specific learning difficulty.