Thank you for helping us understand our daughter’s challenges. We feel so much clearer about how we can support her as she continues through school. (Parent, August 2026)
Does that mean I’m not stupid then? (Lottie, age 15)
Do you want to gain a better understanding of how your child learns? Do you want support in identifying their strengths and challenges? Do you have a sense that there is more going on in your child’s learning than has been currently identified? Are you looking for strategies for how to support them in their learning?
Flourish Tutoring offers literacy-based diagnostic assessments to those aged 8 – 17 years. The assessments are designed to evaluate your child’s learning profile, identifying areas of both strength and weakness. They can provide an answer to the question ‘does my child have dyslexia?’
Dyslexia is a set of processing difficulties that affect the acquisition of reading and spelling (The Delphi Definition of Dyslexia, Carroll et al, 2025). It affects approximately 10% of the population. It can present in different ways in different individuals. It may include difficulties in identifying and/or manipulating sounds within words, issues with short-term and working memory, processing speed, and orthographic skills. These have an impact on different aspects of literacy including reading, writing and spelling. They can sometimes also have an impact on numeracy.
Dyslexia can often bring many strengths as well as challenges. For example, those with dyslexia often have gifts for creativity, big-picture thinking and problem-solving.
How can an assessment help?
Many individuals with specific learning difficulties (SpLDs), such as dyslexia, experience frustration and loss of confidence as they attempt to navigate their learning in an education system which often focusses on their areas of challenge rather than their areas of strength.
By undertaking a diagnostic assessment, individuals and their parents or carers can gain insights into how they learn best, and how their learning can be supported.
Regardless of whether dyslexia is identified, the diagnostic report will provide an assessment of learning along with recommendations for supporting learning which can be shared with school as appropriate.
For many, it can provide an explanation for their learning experiences which can lead to reassurance and a renewal in their self-confidence.
What will happen?
Prior to booking a date for an assessment, the completion of a Visual Difficulties Questionnaire is required. This should confirm there has been an eye-test within the last two years. If any visual difficulties are reported, these will need to be investigated, and hopefully resolved, prior to an assessment.
Collection of background information – parents/carers are provided with a questionnaire to complete prior to the assessment appointment. It can also be helpful to see school reports.
The child/young person will complete a questionnaire with the assessor at the start of the assessment, or during a pre-arranged visit or Zoom call.
Assessments are undertaken at the Flourish Tutoring office in Leith. Assessment activities can take 3-4 hours. For some children/young people, these can be done in a single session. However, two assessment sessions may be booked so that, if necessary, the assessments can be completed on a second day.
The Diagnostic Report is drafted by the assessor within fourteen working days of the assessment. The report includes the diagnostic conclusion as well as a series of recommendations for ongoing support.
The draft report is sent to the parent/carer for review, with an opportunity to comment on accuracy of background information etc. There is no opportunity to alter the diagnostic conclusion.
The final report is sent to the parent/carer. It is recommended that the report be shared with the child/young person’s school.
For further information, or to request a ‘no-obligation’ 15 minute discovery call, please get in touch.
