Assessments are carried out during the school working day in my garden office. These can range from 3-3.5 hours depending on the age of the learner and the number of breaks needed. There will always be a break half way through but some learners may need more frequent shorter breaks throughout. 

A vital part of the assessment is you completing the background family questionnaire and giving a questionnaire to the learners educational setting for them to complete. These questionnaires must be returned to me two weeks prior to the assessment so I have time to undertake the analysis of these prior to the assessment. It will be your responsibility to ensure the education setting follows this timescale. 

The learner must have had their eyesight tested within the last two years. As part of my questionnaire, there are questions regarding visual discomfort or disturbances like moving letters, blurry text or itchy and sore eyes. These difficulties are not always picked up in a standard eyetest and in these cases it is recommended that an optometrist is seen to investiagte these visual difficultes. As a specialist assessor, I am not qualified to investigate whether a coloured overlay is benefical as there is limited evidence of the link between these and special learning difficulties.  

Please bring anything that will make you feel at ease whether that is a favourite toy or book to talk to me about, or your phone to go on during the break time. 

Wear something warm as we are in a garden office, although there is heating in the office and blankets that can be used. 

Please bring a drink and a snack for the break time. 

Wear glasses or hearing aids, if you wear these and bring with you a pen or pencil if you use a specific one. If you do not have a preference, I will have these to use. 

Please ensure any regular medication is taken as usual. 

The report will be sent to you via email in PDF format no more than 4 weeks after the assessment. 

The learners test papers will be kept for one year from the date of the report. An electronic copy of the report will be kept until the learner turns 25 years of age.