Grantham & South Lincolnshire
Dyslexia Assessments in Grantham
Grantham sits at the northern end of the route Defining Dyslexia already travels: Peterborough, the Deepings, Stamford, Bourne and then Grantham, with the villages either side of the A1 in between. That corridor is a single working area rather than a set of separate trips, which is why appointments here are practical to arrange rather than an exception.
Assessments are for children from age 8, for young people at secondary school and college, for university students needing diagnostic evidence for study support, and for adults who have wondered for years. Each one is a full diagnostic assessment resulting in a detailed written report.
- Children from age 8, adults and students
- Face-to-face locally, or remote UK-wide
- Mark, PATOSS-registered assessor
- £495 including the full written report
Transparent pricing
£495
A full diagnostic dyslexia assessment, including the comprehensive written report and practical recommendations. Where a venue has to be hired, or where an adult assessment includes screening for co-occurring difficulties, any additional fee is discussed and agreed with you before anything is confirmed.
See full pricingAreas covered
- Grantham
- Barrowby
- Great Gonerby
- Colsterworth
- Corby Glen
- Bottesford
- Ancaster
Remote assessments are available anywhere in the UK.
Face-to-face that comes to you
Assessment shouldn't add another journey to the week. Across Grantham, Mark travels to you, and remote assessment is available where that suits better.
- At home
- At school
- An agreed setting
- Remotely
Availability depends on location and on the room being quiet and suitable, so it is worth asking early. There is no assessment centre to visit.
Who assessments are for
Assessments in Grantham for children, adults and students
Children from age 8
For parents who have raised concerns at school and want a clear answer rather than another wait.
Read moreAdults
For people who have managed for years and want to understand why certain things take more effort.
Read moreUniversity & college students
For students needing SASC-standard diagnostic evidence for DSA and study support.
Read moreLocal picture
An academic area, and the profiles that get missed in one
Grantham is one of the Lincolnshire towns where selective and highly academic schooling remains part of the local picture, alongside strong comprehensive and academy provision. In that environment, a child who is capable and articulate can hold their position for a long time while working considerably harder than anyone realises.
That is the profile most often missed. Being academically able does not rule dyslexia out. Strong verbal reasoning, a good vocabulary and a quick mind can compensate for slow or effortful reading, unreliable spelling or difficulty getting ideas onto the page, sometimes until the volume of written work in later primary or secondary school finally outstrips the strategies. Parents often notice tiredness, avoidance and disproportionate effort well before attainment looks like a problem.
Lincolnshire County Council publishes a SEND Local Offer, and Liaise Lincolnshire provides free impartial advice. Neither carries out private diagnostic assessments, and schools, although they can identify concerns and lead access arrangement applications, cannot diagnose dyslexia. An assessment is about understanding an individual learner's profile, with recommendations that follow from what is actually found, rather than about obtaining a label.
Where the assessment takes place
Face-to-face assessments in and around Grantham take place at home, at your child's school where the school agrees to provide a quiet room, or at a suitable local venue. Grantham is reached up the A1 from the Peterborough and Stamford side, so it is covered on the same runs as Bourne and the Deepings.
There is no Defining Dyslexia office or assessment centre in Grantham, and none is claimed. Remote assessment is available throughout the area and is a common choice for families in the outlying villages, where a round trip to a city assessor can otherwise take most of a day. Where a venue has to be hired for a face-to-face session, a small additional fee may apply and is agreed with you beforehand.
Dyslexia, the 11+ and selective schools: what an assessment can and cannot do
Grantham families frequently ask whether an assessment will help with the 11+. It is a fair question and it deserves a straight answer.
A diagnostic assessment sets out how your child reads, spells, writes and processes information, and where the effort is going. That can be genuinely useful when a bright child is struggling with timed work in a way that does not match their ability elsewhere.
What it does not do is create an entitlement. A diagnosis of dyslexia does not automatically mean extra time, a reader, or any other arrangement for the 11+, and it has no bearing on admission to a grammar school. Each admission authority, school or testing consortium sets its own criteria and runs its own application process, and the decision rests with them. Contact them early and ask what evidence they require and by when.
If the 11+ or secondary transfer is part of your thinking, arrange the assessment well ahead of the registration and access arrangement deadlines. That leaves time to understand the findings and talk them through with school before anything has to be submitted.
The assessment itself
What a full diagnostic assessment involves
An assessment usually takes around two to three hours, with breaks, and can be split across two shorter sessions where that would suit better. It begins with a conversation about background, education and what has prompted the enquiry, followed by a series of standardised tasks.
Those tasks look at underlying cognitive processing, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, phonological processing, working memory and processing speed, alongside attainment in reading, spelling and writing. It is the relationship between those areas, not any single score, that determines whether the profile meets the criteria for dyslexia.
Every assessment is carried out to the standards set by SASC, and the written report follows within an agreed timescale. It sets out the findings in plain English, explains what they mean day to day, and makes practical recommendations for school, college, university, work or home.
What you receive
- A full diagnostic report written to SASC standards
- A clear explanation of strengths as well as difficulties
- A formal diagnostic outcome where the criteria are met
- Practical recommendations for education, work or study
- A follow-up conversation to talk the findings through
Useful local information
Dyslexia and SEND support in Grantham
These are independent organisations, not part of Defining Dyslexia. They are free to contact and worth using alongside (or before) a private assessment.
Liaise Lincolnshire
Free, impartial SEND information, advice and support for Lincolnshire families.
County Offices, Newland, Lincoln, LN1 1YQ · 0800 195 1635 · liaise@lincolnshire.gov.uk
Visit websiteKnowledge Centre
Guidance for families in Grantham
They're meeting expectations, so why does everything feel so hard?
When a capable child is coping on the surface but working far harder than their peers.
ReadHow to choose a dyslexia assessor: 8 things to check
The questions worth asking any assessor, wherever they are based.
ReadWhat is DSA and how does it help students with dyslexia?
The evidence a university student needs for a Disabled Students' Allowance application.
ReadQuestions we are asked locally
Grantham: frequently asked questions
01Do you travel to Grantham for face-to-face assessments?
Yes. Grantham is covered from the Peterborough and Stamford side, along with Barrowby, Great Gonerby, Colsterworth, Corby Glen and the surrounding villages. Assessments take place at home, at school where the school agrees, or at a suitable local venue. Remote assessment is available throughout if that suits better.
02My child is doing well at school in Grantham. Could they still be dyslexic?
Yes. Academic ability and dyslexia are not mutually exclusive. Strong verbal and reasoning skills can compensate for literacy difficulties for years, particularly in a supportive school. What parents usually notice first is the effort involved: reading that takes far longer than expected, spelling that stays inconsistent, or written work that costs the child much more than it costs their classmates.
03Will a dyslexia diagnosis get my child extra time in the 11+ or a grammar school place?
No. A diagnosis does not automatically bring extra time or any other arrangement, and it has no bearing on admission. The admission authority, school or testing consortium sets its own criteria and decides any arrangements under its own process. What a diagnostic report provides is detailed evidence of your child's profile for them to consider. Ask them directly what they require and by when.
04Can adults and university students in the Grantham area be assessed?
Yes. Adults get in touch to understand longstanding difficulties or to support a conversation about reasonable adjustments at work, and students need diagnostic evidence for study support and Disabled Students' Allowance applications. The funding decision itself sits with the DSA needs assessor and Student Finance England, not with the assessor who writes the report.
05Do I need a referral from the school or a GP?
No. You can arrange a private diagnostic assessment directly. Dyslexia is not a medical condition and is not diagnosed through the NHS, so a GP cannot refer for one. Background information from school is helpful where you are happy for it to be requested, but the school's permission is not required.
06How long does the assessment take, and how soon can it be booked?
Most assessments take around two to three hours, with split sessions available where that would help a younger child. Waiting times are kept under two months and are often shorter, with remote appointments generally available sooner.
About your assessor
You are booking with Mark
Every assessment in Grantham is carried out by Mark personally. He is a PATOSS-registered specialist assessor with fifteen years of experience working with children, young people and adults, and holds a current Assessment Practising Certificate (APC), working to the standards set by SASC.
He is a qualified teacher and former SENCo, which shapes how the reports are written, for the people who have to use them. You will not be allocated to an unknown assessor by a national company: you speak to Mark at enquiry, he carries out the assessment, and he writes the report.
Nearby
Other areas covered close to here
Peterborough
The main eastern hub, further down the A1.
ViewStamford
Twenty minutes down the A1, with the Stamford schools.
ViewRutland
South-west to Oakham, Uppingham and Rutland Water.
ViewSouth Lincolnshire
South down the A15 to Bourne, the Deepings and Spalding.
ViewArranging an assessment in Grantham
Grantham sits on the same route as Stamford, Bourne and the Deepings, so face-to-face dates here are straightforward, and remote assessment is available throughout. If the 11+ or secondary transfer is part of your thinking, mention it when you write and we will be honest about what an assessment can and cannot do.
Not sure yet? Try a free dyslexia indicator check.