Rachel Turner – About me

I obtained a Bachelor of Education (BEd Hons) from Didsbury School of Education and have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).  After several years of teaching I completed a Masters in Education at Kingston University, specialising in Special Educational Needs.

I have worked as a Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator (SENDCo) and Head of Learning Support in both the maintained and private sector in Surrey, Islington and Richmond upon Thames. I worked as a volunteer children’s counsellor in schools for a national charity. I also worked for twelve years as an advisor and manager within an early years and childcare department for a local authority.

Over the years, I have worked with many children who experienced difficulty developing their language and literacy skills.  I became interested in learning more about this area and took a Postgraduate Certificate in Language, Literacies and Dyslexia with the University of Birmingham in 2017.  I am qualified to provide full diagnostic assessments for specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, for children and young people aged from 7 to 18. In addition to this, I offer an assessment and report service to schools and local authorities. I continue to plan and deliver individual teaching programmes for children and young people in a specialist school three days a week.

Relevant qualifications:

• • BEd – Bachelor of Education (Hons)
  • QTS – Qualified Teacher Status
  • MA in Education
  • Level 3 in Children’s Counselling – Place2Be
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Language, Literacies and Dyslexia (2017)
  • APC – SpLD Assessment Practising Certificate SASC (2022)

Professional membership:

• Full member of Patoss, the professional association of teachers of students with specific learning difficulties (2024)
• Professional member of the British Dyslexia Association BDA (2024)

Other relevant information:

• Up to date Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (March 2024 – valid 3 years)
• Current Professional Indemnity Insurance.

Services

I offer home and school visits for initial screening, assessment and additional support in Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire and surrounding areas.

Screening

Initial screening can help to ascertain whether it would be beneficial for your child to go on to have a full diagnostic assessment. This is particularly suitable for younger children (7 – 9 years). It can also help to identify strategies to support learning. The screening takes approximately an hour and a summary sheet is sent to you within 48 hours. The cost of the initial screening is taken off the cost of a full diagnostic assessment when this is carried out within 3 months of the initial screening.

Diagnostic assessments

Full diagnostic assessments with a written report, for specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, suitable for children and young people aged from 7 onwards. These take approximately 3 hours to conduct. Younger children may be seen over two sessions if appropriate. The report will be sent to you within 14 working days. Assessments are carried out in the young person’s home or school. Being in a familiar environment helps reduce the stress or anxiety sometimes associated with tests. Prior to and during the assessment visit, information will be gathered from parents and from the school. Useful information is also gathered from talking to and working with the young person during the assessment. I draw this information together and, combined with the results of the tests, produce a highly personalised and comprehensive report. Detailed recommendations are provided for the young person and their family, specialist teachers and the school or college that they attend.

Targeted Teaching Programmes

Recommendations are always included within a full diagnostic report. Some parents and schools also request a more detailed teaching programme for specialist teachers or support staff to use afterwards. I am happy to discuss this further with parents and schools.

Local Authorities and Schools

Assessment, advice and support services for local authorities and  schools. Please contact me to discuss your specific requirements.

Types of Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD)

The term Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) describes a range of difficulties; individuals may have one specific learning difficulty, or several.

Please click on the following links for further information about specific difficulties:

Dyslexia

Dyscalculia

Dyspraxia

ADD & ADHD

Other associated difficulties that may present include Visual Stress (Irlen’s Syndrome) and Speech and Language Difficulties.

Visual Stress

Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)