Important to Know: Due to a disruption in our service, we have now closed our screening service until September 2022. Please read our article An update on our Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD’s) Screening Service for further guidance in the first instance.
Dyslexia affects around 10% of the population. Dyslexia affects the way individuals process, store and retrieve information. Students with dyslexia may experience difficulties with memory, organisation, time-management, sequencing, reading, and writing.
Dyslexia is one of a range of specific learning difficulties which also includes Dyspraxia. Dyspraxia is a related specific learning difficulty that can cause similar challenges and also impair motor / coordination skills. ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) can also be identified as a specific learning difficulty but is usually identified via a psychiatry referral via the NHS.
In this article:
Diagnostic assessment for Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs)
I have had an Evaluation of Needs - can I have a full diagnostic assessment?
If you think that you may have a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia or dyspraxia, then Disability Support can offer a diagnostic assessment.
To organise a diagnostic assessment:
1. Request a screening questionnaire by emailing Disability Support
2. Complete the questionnaire and email this back to Disability Support.
3. A Learning Support Coordinator will review your questionnaire responses and contact you to either:
1. Request a screening questionnaire by emailing Disability Support
2. Complete the questionnaire and email this back to Disability Support.
3. A Learning Support Coordinator will review your questionnaire responses and contact you to either:
Offer an appointment to discuss your concerns in more detail, or
Refer you directly for a full diagnostic assessment.
After we have received and reviewed your screening questionnaire, you may be referred to an SpLD assessor for a full diagnostic assessment.
A diagnostic assessment will take 3-4 hours and includes an in-depth background interview and a range of tasks and tests related to reading, writing, memory and information processing.
The aim of the assessment is not just to provide the individual with a formal diagnosis, but also to explore and understand the person’s pattern of strengths and weaknesses so that to identify the best ways to manage any underlying difficulties.
A diagnostic assessment will take 3-4 hours and includes an in-depth background interview and a range of tasks and tests related to reading, writing, memory and information processing.
The aim of the assessment is not just to provide the individual with a formal diagnosis, but also to explore and understand the person’s pattern of strengths and weaknesses so that to identify the best ways to manage any underlying difficulties.
Important to know:
ADHD can only be identified as a specific learning difficulty in these assessments. This is not a medical diagnosis of ADHD.
What happens after the assessment?
At the end of the assessment, you will be given verbal feedback. The assessor will send a written report to you and also to the Disability Support Team at King’s College London within two weeks of your appointment.
- On receipt of your written report, you should contact the Disability Support Team to arrange an appointment with us to discuss the findings of the report and to discuss appropriate support.
These assessments can only be carried out by an Educational Psychologist or a Specialist Teacher Assessor holding a current practicing certificate. King’s has partnership arrangements with a number of independent professionals who are fully qualified to assess higher education students for specific learning difficulties.
Fees and charges
Fees and charges
- An administration fee of £50 will be charged for all students enrolled at King's (from September 2019 onwards).
- All other costs (and the full costs for students who joined King’s in 2018-19 or earlier) will be covered by King’s College London.
- Assessments cost the university approximately £350.00.
Please note that due to the ongoing social distancing requirements, full diagnostic assessments will be carried out remotely through our external partners.
Once we have received confirmation of payment of the £50 fee, where applicable, you will be provided with contact details of the assessors with whom to book your diagnostic assessment.
Once we have received confirmation of payment of the £50 fee, where applicable, you will be provided with contact details of the assessors with whom to book your diagnostic assessment.
We have been planning to resume diagnostic assessments on campus, however, the current “roadmap” concerning relaxation of the Covid-19 restrictions does not enable us to decide exactly when we can do this.
We are constantly reviewing the situation relating to Covid-19 restrictions and our plans for reopening the campus; we will continue to update this article as things change.
You may wish to refer to the guidance from Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) Assessment Standards Committee (SASC) webpage, where you can also keep up to date with the latest updates.
It is not possible for King’s to fund a full diagnostic assessment for students who chose to have an Evaluation of Needs assessment. This is because King’s has already covered the cost for the Evaluation of Needs assessment, and the range of support available to students is the same whether a diagnostic assessment or evaluation of needs assessment took place.
Important to know: King's will not fund the cost of a diagnostic assessment for final year students within the last 5 months of their course.