Sarah McCahon Dyslexia & Learning Services

𝗔 𝗱𝘆𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀.

A full diagnostic assessment looks beyond a label. It can help identify strengths, areas of difficulty and the types of support that may make learning or work more manageable.

Clear recommendations can then be shared with schools, universities or employers, helping the right strategies to be put in place.

SM Dyslexia provides supportive, professional assessments for children, young people and adults.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.

www.smdyslexia.co.uk

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝘆𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗮 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴?

A full diagnostic literacy assessment can help establish whether dyslexia is present and provide a clearer understanding of your child’s learning profile, along with practical recommendations that can be shared with their school.

Sarah McCahon is a qualified assessor with around 25 years’ experience, offering a warm, friendly and professional approach throughout the assessment process.

Based in Crawley Down, near East Grinstead, Sarah is well placed for families travelling from across Sussex, Surrey and Kent, including Horsham, Haywards Heath, Reigate and Tunbridge Wells.

Full diagnostic dyslexia assessments are available from age 8. Online assessments are also available for students in Year 7 and above and adults across the UK.

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽.

www.smdyslexia.co.uk

𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀.

Exam results may be part of the picture, but they do not show how well a school communicates with families, shares support strategies or responds when concerns arise.

𝗔𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘀, 𝗮𝘀𝗸:

• Who should parents contact about learning support?
• How are strategies shared with subject teachers?
• How is progress reviewed?
• How quickly does the school respond to concerns?
• How does the school recognise strengths beyond academic results?

Clear communication and consistent support can make a real difference to your child’s confidence and experience at school.

A diagnostic assessment can help you understand your child’s learning profile and provide practical recommendations to share with their school.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗵 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗠 𝗗𝘆𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗮 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽.

𝘄𝘄𝘄.𝘀𝗺𝗱𝘆𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗮.𝗰𝗼.𝘂𝗸

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁.

Sarah McCahon Dyslexia & Learning Services does not provide Disabled Students’ Allowance or carry out the separate DSA study needs assessment. Sarah provides full diagnostic assessments, with reports that may be used as supporting evidence when applying for DSA.

Sarah normally sends completed reports within 14 days of the assessment, helping students move on to the next stage as quickly as possible.

It can then take up to 14 weeks for DSA support to be put in place, depending on the application and the support required. Arranging a diagnostic assessment early may help reduce the risk of starting university without support in place.

Timings and eligibility can vary, so students should always check the latest official DSA guidance.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗦𝗠 𝗗𝘆𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗮 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.

𝘄𝘄𝘄.𝘀𝗺𝗱𝘆𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗮.𝗰𝗼.𝘂𝗸

🖊️ SUMMER SPECIAL 🖊️

The new school year’s just around the corner so it’s a perfect time to gain an understanding if your child/young person shows signs of dyslexia….or perhaps if you do.

🌼 No pre-assessment questionnaires needed

🌼 Standardised tests used which are available to only certain professionals like myself

🌼 Screening and brief verbal feedback in one hour

🌼 Letter with standardised scores and descriptors

🌼 Availability within days Tuesday to Saturday

🌼 £120 payable no later than the screening date

Just like all basic screenings, it’s important to bear in mind that:

🚩 it won’t formally conclude whether you/your child has dyslexia

🚩 it won’t take into account other factors, such as impact of disruption education, health factors and other neurodiversity that might impact/explain the scores

….. but it can highlight if perhaps a full diagnostic assessment would be advisable

For more information, please reach me on 01342 714065 or through my website https://www.smdyslexia.co.uk/

Starting university is a major change, and arranging the right support can take longer than many students expect.

Students applying for Disabled Students’ Allowance may need a full diagnostic assessment as evidence. This is followed by a separate DSA needs assessment, which considers the practical support, software or equipment that may help.

As the process can take up to 14 weeks, applying early may help reduce the risk of beginning university without support in place.

Timings and eligibility can vary, so students should check the latest official DSA guidance.

SM Dyslexia provides full diagnostic assessments, with completed reports normally sent within 14 days of the assessment.

Contact SM Dyslexia to discuss assessment availability and the next steps.

Are you a parent looking for some free advice about strategies?

Patoss (which is one of the UK’s main organisations around specific learning difficulties) offers some free online on-demand workshops. For example, the one about maths looks at anxiety and really practical ways to consolidate the basics of maths skills

For more information, do check out

www.patoss-dyslexia.org

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗵 𝗠𝗰𝗖𝗮𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝘆𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗮 & 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀.

Sarah provides professional dyslexia assessments and learning support for children, young people and adults.

Her approach is warm, supportive and focused on helping each person understand their strengths, needs and the support that may help them move forward with confidence.

Learn more at www.smdyslexia.co.uk

Do you have a story to tell about being formally diagnosed with dyslexia….whether you were assessed or you have a child who was assessed?

I’ve almost finished writing my book The Power of a Dyslexia Diagnosis which will be a collection of inspiring stories alongside incredibly practical advice for all ages and I’m looking for just a few more stories:

🖊️ primary age: at least 5 more stories
🖊️ secondary age: at least 8 more stories
🖊️ college age: at least 7 more stories
🖊️ university students: at least 9 more stories

Whilst I have lots of stories from older adults who’ve been assessed, you’re still welcome to contribute if you fall into this category!

Check out https://www.smdyslexia.co.uk/book-project-2026 for more information

Please get in touch at [email protected] as I can send you a short form to complete or we can even chat over Zoom if it’s easier to talk through your experience

🌼 thank you 🌼

What is dyslexia?!

Contrary to common belief, it’s not about letters moving on the page, poor handwriting or poor memory. It’s all about literacy skills at the word level in terms of how accurate and fluent word reading is and/or about someone’s spelling… but even if someone has challenges in these areas, there needs to be impact from phonological processing (I.e. how we process sound).

Basic screenings can be a good place to start and quite a few schools offer these but two important notes! ‼️

First, unlike a full diagnostic assessment, they don’t provide a diagnosis. They merely highlight that there may be signs of dyslexia that would be worth investigating further.

Second, screenings aren’t necessarily reliable because they can give a false results and some are based on outdated models such as the discrepancy model looking at the difference between somebody’s underlying ability and their attainment in literacy. Class teachers’ observations can be more reliable.

At the end of the day, there are various reasons why word reading and spelling can be tricky and dyslexia is only ONE of these. This image is what I use to explain how I come to a diagnostic decision as I always provide immediate verbal feedback so families and adult clients leave the assessment hearing the outcome and, importantly, having a chance to talk through any questions or feelings.