Frequently asked questions

No. I assess in person, because so much of what I need to see happens in the room: how a young person reacts when a task gets hard, their body language, whether they are anxious, tired, or simply finding the reading difficult. A camera flattens all of that. I know that means waiting longer, and I am sorry for it, but I would rather give you something where I see the whole individual. Tutoring and family support sessions can be online, but a diagnostic assessment is always face to face with me.

Because an assessment should take as long as it needs, and that is impossible if someone else is booked in behind. Seeing one family a day means we can take proper breaks, follow something up when it turns out to matter, and never rush a tired child.

I am usually booked around two to three months ahead. That is the honest cost of only assessing one young person a day and never rushing. Book a free call and I will tell you where things stand and what I would suggest in the meantime.

It is a day spent working out how your child learns, rather than a test they can pass or fail. I set aside four to five hours and see only one young person, and three or four hours of that is contact time. We look at problem-solving, reading speed and comprehension, writing speed, sometimes maths calculation, and whatever else that particular young person needs me to look at. Around all of it there is talking, and breaks, and time to get to know each other, because a tired or anxious child will not show me what they can actually do. You receive a full written report afterwards, written so that you and their teachers can both act on it. Full assessments are £450, including VAT.

You can book a private assessment directly. You do not need a referral from school or from your GP. Some schools use a screening test, which can show that something is worth looking into, but a screener cannot give a diagnosis. A dyslexia diagnosis comes from a full diagnostic assessment, carried out by a specialist assessor with an Assessment Practising Certificate or by an educational psychologist. If you are not sure your child needs one yet, a free 20-minute call is a good place to start.

For dyslexia and dyscalculia, a specialist assessor is enough. A specialist assessor with a current Assessment Practising Certificate and an educational psychologist can both diagnose dyslexia, and reports from either are accepted by schools, for exam access arrangements and for Disabled Students' Allowance. An educational psychologist can also look more widely, for example at emotional wellbeing or a broader learning difficulty. If anything in the assessment suggests your child needs that wider look, I will tell you plainly. I will also look for signs of ADHD, autism and motor difficulties and suggest appropriate referral pathways where appropriate.

All prices include VAT. A full diagnostic assessment is £450 for children and young people, and £450 for adults. That covers dyslexia and, where needed, dyscalculia in the same assessment, so you only pay once. It also includes your full written report within two weeks and a conversation afterwards about what it all means. £150 secures the booking, and I can send you a sample report first if you would like to see what you will get. Exam access arrangements are from £180. Other assessments are priced on consultation. Family support and advice is £50 per hour, and maths or literacy tutoring for KS2 to KS4 is £45 per hour. A free 20-minute initial consultation is available to help you decide what is right for you.

Yes. I assess children, teenagers and adults, including students who need a diagnostic report for Disabled Students' Allowance, whether they are in sixth form, at college or already at university. If you are an adult who has never been formally assessed, I can help. An assessment for adults is £450. Tutoring is currently offered for KS2, KS3 and KS4 learners.

An exam access arrangement assessment determines whether a student qualifies for accommodations in formal exams, such as extra time, a reader, a scribe, or use of a laptop. Schools need a qualified assessor to carry this out. I hold the Assessment Practising Certificate (23/APC05078) required for this work. These assessments are from £180, including VAT.

A full diagnostic assessment gives a comprehensive picture of a learner's cognitive profile, identifies specific learning difficulties, and produces a detailed report. It suits diagnosis, EHCP applications, university applications and employer disclosure. An exam access arrangement assessment focuses specifically on whether a student meets the criteria for exam accommodations. It is narrower in scope and is used by schools for GCSE and A Level purposes. I offer both.

Yes. My full diagnostic assessment reports are comprehensive professional documents suitable for EHCP applications, university Disabled Students' Allowance applications, and employer reasonable adjustment requests. I can also support families through the EHCP process itself.

I set aside four to five hours and only ever see one young person a day, so we are never rushing. Contact time itself can be up to three or four hours or so, depending on whether we look at numeracy as well as literacy. Students invariably need breaks, because it is an intense process. You will then have your report, and for me that is two weeks maximum after the assessment.

I usually assess at my house in Trowbridge, in a garden office, and people travel to it from all over: from the Midlands, London, the Home Counties and the South East, and from abroad. I also assess at Moon Hall Assessment Centre in Reigate, Surrey, which can be easier from the South East. For families nearby I can also come to a child's school or home, where that is what is best for them. If your child would find one setting much easier than another, do say so when we are arranging the date.

No. I do not split dyscalculia and dyslexia assessments, because the two often co-occur. Looking at literacy and numeracy together gives a truer picture of how a person actually learns. It does mean the assessment takes longer when we cover both.

Under the current regulations the report is valid for life, because I hold an Assessment Practising Certificate. That means it can be used later as part of the evidence base for Disabled Students' Allowance at university, Access to Work, or support in college, and should not need redoing. One caveat: some universities and professional bodies are starting to challenge that, and it varies by institution.

A full assessment is £450, and I ask for £150 to secure the booking. I can send you a sample report beforehand so you can see the kind of document the process produces before committing to anything. I completely understand that families want to have a think before confirming.

The best first step is to book a free 20-minute consultation. That gives you the chance to explain your situation, ask questions, and work out whether I am the right fit for you. I reply within 48 hours.

Not necessarily. Some schools and local authorities do offer assessments, though waiting times and availability vary a great deal. A private assessment typically means a shorter wait, a more comprehensive written report, and direct access to ongoing support and advice, including help navigating the EHCP system if you need it. If the school route is right for you, I will say so.

Yes. All tuition and support happens in a safe, respectful and inclusive space. All workers at Helen's Place have undergone Enhanced DBS checks and safeguarding and child protection training before working with young people, and I work within Wiltshire safeguarding procedures. You can read the full safeguarding policy on this site.

Lessons and assessments are paid for in advance or at the time of the session, and I can accept cash, cards or BACS. Invoices for other work are payable within 14 days. All prices include VAT. Full details are in the terms and conditions, and I will confirm the arrangements with you when you book.

I offer maths and literacy tutoring for learners in KS2 (ages 7 to 11), KS3 (ages 11 to 14) and KS4 (ages 14 to 16). Tutoring is currently delivered online. Availability is limited, so do get in touch to check current spaces.

Specialist dyslexia tutoring uses structured, multi-sensory approaches designed for learners with dyslexia and specific learning difficulties. I draw on my professional qualifications and more than ten years as a Maths and French teacher to build confidence alongside subject knowledge, helping young people understand how they learn, not just what they learn.

Diagnostic assessments are always in person, usually at my garden office in Trowbridge, or for families nearby sometimes at a child's school or home. Tutoring is currently delivered online. Family support and advice sessions are available either in person or online. So the assessment itself is face to face, and the ongoing support around it can be online if that is easier for you.

Family support sessions give parents and carers space to talk through their child's difficulties, understand the assessment process, navigate the school system and plan next steps. I can also help families understand EHCP processes, communicate effectively with schools, and find the right support. Sessions are £50 per hour, online or in person in Trowbridge.

Yes. In family support sessions I help you understand how the EHCP process works and how to communicate effectively with your child's school, and we plan the next steps together. My full diagnostic reports are written to be suitable as evidence for an EHCP application. I also write expert witness reports in EHCP and tribunal cases, so I know how the process looks from the inside. Sessions are £50 per hour, online or in person in Trowbridge, and a free 20-minute call is a good place to start.

I offer specialist half-day INSET sessions on dyslexia, dyscalculia, and supporting learners with ADD and ADHD in mainstream classrooms. I can also develop bespoke packages including SEND consultancy, tailored training and specific guidance for your setting. Half-day INSET is from £200, and I reply within 48 hours.

Yes. I am a qualified assessor holding the Assessment Practising Certificate (26/APC05086), and I carry out exam access arrangement assessments for schools. I work with both mainstream and independent schools. Get in touch to discuss your needs and my current availability.

Yes. My experience spans early years through to KS4. I have volunteered at a local primary school providing oversight of special needs provision in the early years environment, and I adapt CPD sessions to the age range and context of your school.

Half-day INSET sessions are from £200. Bespoke packages, including combinations of training, SEND consultancy and ongoing support, are priced individually. I will provide a detailed quotation for your specific needs and come back to you within 48 hours.

I design and carry out research on dyslexia, SEND and inclusive education, and help organisations make sense of the evidence. That includes independent evaluation of EdTech and assistive technology, qualitative research design and analysis, methodology consultation, evidence reviews, and product and market insight, presented in a way non-specialists can act on. Past clients and projects include the British Dyslexia Association, the Council for Science and Technology, a local authority SEND division and OrCam Technologies.

Charities, technology companies, local authorities, policymakers and research teams, in the UK and internationally. My Churchill Fellowship research took me to Australia and the USA, and I have written guidance on how academics should work with digital companies with colleagues from several countries.

Yes. My evaluation of OrCam Learn, a reading device, was published in the peer-reviewed journal Support for Learning in 2024. Before we start, we agree in writing whether the work is product development or an independent evaluation, who owns the data, and what happens to the findings, including results that are negative or inconclusive. That protects you as much as it protects the research.

It can be, with the right safeguards: funding disclosed openly, clear rules about publishing negative results, and honesty about whether a study is independent. When a manufacturer funded my OrCam study, the paper said so plainly. I have written about this in more depth in my article on evaluating EdTech honestly.

Yes. I wrote a rapid evidence review on specific learning difficulties for the Council for Science and Technology, contributed to the All-Party Parliamentary Group report on the human cost of dyslexia presented at the House of Commons, and gave written evidence to the Education Select Committee. My Churchill Fellowship report makes 30 recommendations for policymakers, institutions and practitioners.

Research projects are from £450 per day, and I consider reduced rates for organisations with limited budgets. Every project is quoted in writing before it starts, and the quote says whether it is a fixed price or a daily rate. Tell me what you are trying to find out and I will tell you honestly whether I am the right person for it. I reply within 48 hours.

I provide expert witness reports and opinion in SEND and dyslexia matters, including EHCP and tribunal cases. I write for instructing solicitors, local authorities and families, and I understand that my duty is to the court or tribunal, not to whoever instructs me.

Get in touch with the details of the case and the timescale, and I will tell you whether it is within my expertise and whether I have the availability. Fees depend on the work involved and are agreed in writing, along with the terms of the instruction, before I begin.

I hold AMBDA, Associate Member of the British Dyslexia Association, which is the specialist assessment qualification recognised across the UK. I also hold AMBDA Dyscalculia (23/AMD05008) and an Assessment Practising Certificate (26/APC05086), which is required for exam access arrangement assessments. My broader qualifications include a PhD from the University of Bath, an MRes in Social Policy, an MA in Education, and a PgCert in Dyslexia and SpLD with AMBDA from Bath Spa University.

Yes. I am dyslexic myself, so I bring genuine personal experience to the work alongside the academic and professional expertise. I know how much the right support and the right relationships matter to a young dyslexic person, because I have lived it.

I am based in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, within about half an hour of Bath, Bradford on Avon, Frome, Westbury, Warminster, Melksham, Devizes, Corsham and Chippenham, but you do not need to live nearby. People travel to me from the Midlands, London, the Home Counties, the South East and abroad, and I also assess at Moon Hall Assessment Centre in Reigate, Surrey. Assessments take place in person. For families nearby I can sometimes come to a child's school or home where that is needed. I also work online with families across the UK for tutoring and family support. For school CPD visits I work across the UK, most recently in Birmingham and the Lake District. Do get in touch to discuss.

I combine lived experience of dyslexia with a PhD, AMBDA qualifications, more than ten years of teaching, and experience advising the UK Government through the Council for Science and Technology. My reports are comprehensive but written so families can actually use them. I offer a free initial consultation and reply within 48 hours.