Frequently Asked Questions

I think my child may be dyslexic, what steps to i do?

Ask the school secretary for a copy of the school’s Educational Needs Policy, then make an appointment to talk to the class teacher. Complete a screening online and contact an assessor for further information. A family history would be a strong indicator, other indicators are listed on: Indications of Dyslexia and Getting Help for Your Child pages from the BDA.

My school tells me that they have done a test in school

Tests conducted in school might only be screening tests. These can indicate dyslexic tendencies but may not be totally reliable.  We suggest you seek a registered professional to conduct a diagnostic report to clarify their findings. Contact us for more information.

How do people ‘get’ dyslexia?

The causes for dyslexia are neurobiological and genetic. Individuals inherit the genetic links for dyslexia. Chances are that one of the child’s parents, grandparents, aunts, or uncles has dyslexia.  Dyslexia is not a disease. With proper diagnosis, appropriate instruction, hard work, and support from family, teachers, friends, and others, individuals who have dyslexia can succeed in school and later as working adults.

My school say my child is too young to be assessed.

A diagnosis can be made as early as 7 years old. If your child is younger than 7, we suggest you seek guidance from school. As soon as difficulties become apparent support should be put in place by the school. You do not need a diagnostic assessment in order to receive support from the school.

What help can a dyslexic pupil be offered for tests and exams?

This will depend on the difficulties the pupil experiences. Every dyslexic person will have different requirements. These arrangements can include(but are not exhaustive to): extra time, scribe, word processor, reader, supervised rest breaks and speech to text software.

See JCQ Access Arrangements for clarification

My child is very clever, can they be dyslexic?

In short, yes. Dyslexia is not related to intelligence and occurs across the IQ spectrum. There are numerous famous intellects who have claimed to be dyslexic, having a label dyslexia does not mean he/she is ‘dumb’.