Peterborough & Cambridgeshire
Dyslexia Assessments in Peterborough
Peterborough has grown quickly, and its SEND community has grown with it. Whether you are a parent trying to make sense of the local school system, an adult who has wondered for years whether dyslexia explains your experiences, or a student at Anglia Ruskin's Peterborough campus preparing a DSA application, a full diagnostic assessment gives you something clear to work with.
Peterborough is Defining Dyslexia's second base, and the area Mark covers most often after Sheffield, the city itself, out to Whittlesey, Yaxley and Wisbech, and across into the surrounding Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire villages.
- 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
- Peterborough city
- Whittlesey
- Yaxley
- Hampton
- Werrington
- Eye
- Thorney
- Wisbech
- Market Deeping
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 Peterborough, 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 Peterborough 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
How assessment actually works in Peterborough
Peterborough City Council publishes a SEND Local Offer listing support across the city and surrounding areas, and it is a sensible first stop. There is an important gap to understand, though.
The council employs educational psychologists, but that service does not routinely carry out dyslexia assessments for individual families. Schools can put support in place and can apply for exam access arrangements, but a school cannot give a formal dyslexia diagnosis. There is no routine NHS route either. For most Peterborough families, a private specialist assessment is the realistic path to a formal answer.
That is not said to alarm anyone. It simply explains why so many local parents arrive at the same point, needing to look beyond the school and the council. There is a full local guide in the Knowledge Centre that walks through this in detail.
Where the assessment takes place
Face-to-face assessments in and around Peterborough take place at home, at your child's school where the school agrees, or at a suitable local venue arranged for the session.
Defining Dyslexia does not run a clinic or assessment centre in Peterborough. Where a room has to be hired, a small additional venue fee may apply, and it is always discussed and agreed with you before anything is confirmed.
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
Local SEND information
The Local Offer for Peterborough
Peterborough City Council
Peterborough Local Offer (Family Information Service)
The city's Family Information Service holds the Local Offer directory of SEND services, groups and advice.
Open the Peterborough Local OfferFor free, impartial advice about school support, EHC needs assessments or disagreements, contact Peterborough SENDIASS.
How this fits with an assessment
Every local authority in England must publish a Local Offer setting out the SEND provision available in its area. Defining Dyslexia is an independent specialist assessment service and is not part of, commissioned by or endorsed by any local authority. These links are provided because they are genuinely useful sources of wider information.
A diagnostic assessment is one form of evidence. The Local Offer is where you find what your council already provides, and what to ask for locally.
See every area we coverUseful local information
Dyslexia and SEND support in Peterborough
These are independent organisations, not part of Defining Dyslexia. They are free to contact and worth using alongside (or before) a private assessment.
Peterborough SENDIASS
Free, impartial SEND information, advice and support.
Sand Martin House, Bittern Way, Peterborough, PE2 8TY · 0300 365 1020 · sendiass@peterborough.gov.uk
Family Voice Peterborough
The local parent carer forum for families of children with SEND.
Eco Innovation Centre, Peterscourt, City Road, Peterborough, PE1 1SA · 01733 685510
Visit websiteKnowledge Centre
Guidance for families in Peterborough
Dyslexia Assessments in Peterborough: A Local Guide for Parents and Adults
How assessment actually works locally, including what the council and schools can and cannot do.
ReadMy child's school says they can't diagnose dyslexia: what now?
What schools can and cannot do, and where a formal assessment fits in.
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
Peterborough: frequently asked questions
01Can Peterborough City Council assess my child for dyslexia?
Not routinely. The council employs educational psychologists, but the service does not generally carry out dyslexia assessments for individual families, and there is no standard NHS route. Schools can put support in place and apply for access arrangements, but cannot diagnose. For most families a private specialist assessment is the practical route to a formal answer.
02Do you work with Anglia Ruskin students in Peterborough?
Yes. A SASC-compliant diagnostic report is the evidence normally required for a DSA application and for support in higher education. The funding decision itself is made by the DSA needs assessor and Student Finance England, not by the assessor who writes the diagnostic report.
03Can the assessment take place at my home in Peterborough?
Yes. Home is the most common choice, and assessments can also be held at your child's school where the school agrees, or at a suitable local venue. Any venue arrangement and any small associated fee are agreed with you in advance.
04Can I use the report for an EHCP application in Peterborough?
A specialist diagnostic report provides useful evidence of need and recommended provision, which local authorities take into account. The decision on whether to carry out an EHC needs assessment, and whether to issue a plan, rests with Peterborough City Council under the statutory process.
05How long does an assessment take, and how soon can I book?
Most assessments take around two to three hours, with split sessions available where that would help. Waiting times are kept under two months and are often shorter, with remote appointments usually available sooner.
06Do you cover the villages around Peterborough?
Yes. Whittlesey, Yaxley, Eye, Thorney, Market Deeping and the surrounding villages are all within the regular face-to-face area, and remote assessment is available throughout.
About your assessor
You are booking with Mark
Every assessment in Peterborough 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.
More about MarkTaking the next step in Peterborough
Tell us a little about the situation and we will reply within one working day. If you would rather talk it through first, a free 15-minute telephone call is often the easiest place to start.
Not sure yet? Try a free dyslexia indicator check.