Educational Assessment
CAL provides assessments of academic ability, using tests such as the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test – Third UK Edition (WIAT-III UK). These assessments help us create a detailed profile of academic skills, such as reading, language, and mathematics, which helps identify areas of strength and need. The results guide educators, parents, and clinicians in providing tailored support for children, as well as helping adults structure tasks in the workplace.
Step 1
Intake Process: Online Developmental Screen
The first stage of assessment begins with parents completing a comprehensive online developmental screen, on behalf of their child. Self-referring adults will be provided with an online personal history form to complete.
Developmental screen fee: £250
Once the completed form has been submitted, CAL will offer you a brief consultation to review the provided information, and discuss potential next steps of assessment.
At this point, it may be necessary to gather further information in order to create a bespoke Assessment Plan. This ensures that the final Assessment Plan is based on a thorough understanding of the specific needs, thereby ensuring a streamlined and cost-effective plan.
Step 2
Tailoring the Assessment Plan
To gather the information, one or more of the following options may be required. A clear explanation will be provided for each included item.
- School Discussion with teachers/SENCO
- School Observation in classroom and playground settings
- Combined School Discussion & Observation
- Child/Meeting to understand their perspective
- Parent Consultation up to 30 minutes
- Review of up to three previous assessment/ intervention reports *
- Consultation of up to 30 minutes with other professionals (e.g., medical professionals involved with the client; Speech & Language, Occupational, Psychotherapists etc.)
* If more than three reports need to be reviewed, CAL reserves the right to charge additional fees for complex assessments that require extra time. An estimate will be provided before commencing Step 2
Because CAL provides a blended clinical and educational model, there are occasions when involving the team’s consultant Educational Psychologist at this stage is necessary as part of the planning process.
Step 3
Delivering Your Assessment
Step 1: The Administration of the Assessments
The assessments can be completed at your home or in a clinic. Some assessments are completed face to face, and others remotely. If the assessments are conducted remotely, a technician will be present throughout, to ensure that the process runs smoothly, and to take observational notes.
Step 2: Multi-disciplinary team review meeting
Once all information from the different stages of your assessment has been gathered, the assessment team will review the findings. An Educational Psychologist may be involved in this process if appropriate. They will evaluate the findings of the assessment within the broader context of the information provided in the psychological screen and from the reports from other professionals.
Step 4
Personalised Intervention Plan
Schools will not be sent any reports that contain personal information about the child or their family members, unless this is explicitly agreed in writing by their parents.
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A member of the team will be in contact with you to discuss the outcomes of the assessment. This meeting is usually conducted virtually.
You’ll then be sent a copy of the assessment report, which contains a summary of all the information gathered and the outcome.
Once you have read the report, a longer feedback meeting will be arranged with a member of the team. This ensures that the conclusions align with your real-world experience of your child, and that the recommendations are both practical and relevant.
The appointment can take place either face to face or virtually. It is often helpful for older children to be present.
Because the assessment relates to your child’s academic learning skills and attainment, it will usually be appropriate to offer a feedback meeting to your child’s school or college. Any information that is shared with outside agencies will be with your prior consent.
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The WIAT-III UK doesn’t give just one overall score—instead, it provides a set of scores across different academic areas like reading, writing, and maths. These scores help us understand your child’s unique learning profile.
High scores indicate strengths in specific academic skills like reading comprehension or numerical reasoning, while lower scores may suggest areas that would benefit from extra support, such as spelling, or maths fluency. The results help build a detailed picture of your child’s educational profile, guiding support in school or at home.
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Understanding a child’s achievement profile from the WIAT-III UK helps guide decisions on how to best support their academic growth. Here’s how the results can be used:
- Educational Support: Teachers can adapt methods based on strengths and weaknesses, like focusing on reading comprehension or offering extra math practice.
- Therapeutic Interventions: Specific challenges can be addressed through targeted support, such as speech therapy or tutoring.
- Learning Plans: Developing individualised support strategies at school to help students feel confident and make progress.
Important Considerations:
Academic assessments focus on skills like reading, writing, and maths, but they don’t measure creativity, emotional intelligence, or practical abilities. Test results are just one piece of the puzzle—factors such as personality, learning environment, and emotional well-being also play a vital role in a person’s overall success.
