Marissa Noble
Kent and Sussex Dyslexia Support
Enabling Children to Thrive
Comprehensive diagnostic dyslexia assessments
1:1 specialist tutoring
In school exam access arrangements
Tel: 07772 329226
Email: mnoble.sendteacher@yahoo.com
Based in Crowborough (on the border of Kent and East Sussex)
ABOUT ME
Marissa Noble, BA (hons), PGCE, NASENCO, PGCert Spld, ATS, AMBDA
Welcome to 'Kent and Sussex Dyslexia Support'. My name is Marissa Noble and I am a qualified Dyslexia Assessor and private tutor. I am an associated member of the British Dyslexia Association and hold a current Assessment Practicing Certificate (APC) enabling me to carry out full diagnostic assessments for dyslexia for children aged 7 up to aged 18. (Reports written by holders of APC's are the only way to formally diagnose dyslexia and can be used as evidence if you wish to apply for exam access arrangements, work support or Disability Living Allowance either now or in the future.)
I am passionate about supporting children with dyslexia so that they can have the same opportunities as their peers to reach their full potential. One of my sons is dyslexic which is what led me to working in the field of special needs, as I wanted to find ways to effectively support him as he progressed through school, both academically and emotionally. I was a primary school teacher for 18 years, teaching children from aged 4 to aged 11. I qualified as a SENCO 10 years ago and have worked as a SENCO since then in a large primary school setting. This means that I have an understanding about the everyday challenges that children with dyslexia face in the classroom and how this can negatively impact them if the appropriate support is not put into place. It also means that when I carry out a dyslexic assessment, my recommendations are always realistic and possible to implement in a school environment.
As an associated member of the British Dyslexia Association, this also means that I am approved by the JCQ to formally assess and make recommendations for exam access arrangements in school.
I carry out private specialist dyslexia tutoring, as well as
general tutoring in other areas. Lessons are multi-sensory
and bespoke to each child's needs. I also trained as a
mindfulness teacher in 2021, and prior to this completed a
-year counselling course. I feel that this has helped me to
empathise with any child who may be struggling with mental
health and well-being and suggest ways to improve their
self-esteem, confidence and resilience. I also work as a specialist teacher, observing children in schools and suggesting strategies to support them.
THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS
INITIAL ENQUIRIES
If you wish to enquire about an assessment, I am more than
happy to talk to you about this, so that you can decide if it is
the right course of action for you and your child. If you decide
that you do not want to proceed with an assessment, we can
discuss other ways to support your child both in and out of
school. It is worth noting that screeners or checklists that are
often carried out in school do not officially diagnose dyslexia
and can sometimes be misleading.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
If you do decide to proceed with an assessment, I will arrange a time to speak to you in more depth so that I can find out more about your child, including their struggles and their strengths. I will provide you with a form to complete about background information (or we can do this together over the phone) and a form to give to your child's class teacher as well. I will give you a form to complete with your child, to obtain their views, or I can fill this in with them during the day of the assessment if you would prefer. This all helps me to gain a true picture of your child's needs and is crucial to enable me to write a full report using a holistic approach, with an accurate diagnostic decision and relevant, bespoke recommendations, to support your child now and in the future.
DAY OF THE ASSESSMENT
Assessments usually take place in my home, but it may be
possible to carry out an assessment in school or at your
home if you would prefer, so we can discuss this. I use a
variety of assessments approved by SASC (Specific Learning
Difficulties Assessment Standards Committee) to explore the
following: general ability, phonological awareness, spelling,
reading, comprehension, writing, working memory and
processing speed. The entire assessment takes approximately 3 and a half hours. (This can be split over two days if you would prefer at no extra cost.) It is of utmost importance that your child feels happy and comfortable, so I always try to create a relaxed environment and emphasise to the child that we will be carrying out a variety of activities and that there is no pressure, they just need to try their best, so that we can find out the best way to help them learn. I can give you photos of the room where the assessment takes place and a visual timetable to show them prior to the assessment if this helps your child to feel at ease. Of course, breaks and snacks will be provided as needed. (This could involve going into the garden, doing some colouring, playing on a tablet or something else of your child's choice.) You do not need to stay as I hold a current DBS certificate, but if your child wants you there, you are welcome to.
AFTER THE ASSESSMENT
Following the assessment, I will use all the evidence that I have gathered, not only from results of the assessments, but also the background information, and learning behaviours on the day, to enable
me to make an accurate diagnostic decision as to whether your child has dyslexia. I will write a comprehensive report, detailing your child's strengths and challenges and the potential impact (both negative and positive) that this may have for them. The report will include a list of recommendations to support your child both in and out of school and will also include ways to discuss with your child the challenges they
may face as well as the strengths they may have. The whole process takes approximately 5 days, and I will let you know as soon as the report is complete. I will also offer a telephone consultation with you to discuss things further, as I understand that a diagnosis can cause a range of emotions, and I hope to alleviate any concerns you may have.
SERVICES AND COSTS
Dyslexia assessments:
£550. This includes a full assessment, an in depth diagnostic written report (approximately 8000 words) and telephone consultations both prior to and after the assessment.
Private 1:1 tutoring (Up to year 6):
£45 or reduced rate if 2 children together
Specialist multi sensory dyslexia 1:1 teaching:
£50 per child or reduced rate if 2 children together
Exam Access Arrangements up to aged 18:
£80 per student (carried out in school) or reduced whole day rate to be negotiated
SUGGESTED STRATEGIES
There are various ways to practise spelling and reading, and bespoke recommendations will be given in each report, dependant on how your child learns and what their specific difficulty is. There are several ways to help 'exercise' our brains and strengthen our ability to process information at speed and to develop our working memory.
The following activities can be fun and are often easier to carry out at home because they don't seem like work. (I am speaking from experience with my own child and how challenging it could be to get him to do any type of homework, especially after a day putting in a lot of effort at school.)
Here are some suggestions:
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Listen to the radio, TV or a song and repeat word for word what they are saying.
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Quickly solve scrambled words or sentences.
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"Spot the difference' pictures.
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Sort playing cards in different ways (colour, suit, number). Time yourself.
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Solve mazes (including word mazes) and time yourself.
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With a friend try to repeat a made-up series of numbers or letters as fast as you can.
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Try tongue twisters.
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Quickly say the days of the week in order, starting from different points.
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Quickly name the months of the year/days of the week backwards.
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Pick a letter in the alphabet and quickly tell which letter comes before and after it.
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Solve puzzles and word searches. Time yourself.
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Time yourself doing any activity (getting dressed etc). Try to improve your speed each time.
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Play games of strategy such as chess and drafts.
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Play 'I went to the shop and I bought…’ game (see 'Teaching ideas.co.uk’)
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Snap
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Jigsaw puzzles
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Eye spy
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Going through the alphabet on car journeys spotting signs starting with each letter
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Memory game with playing cards finding the matching pair
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‘Go Fish’ card game
DYSLEXIA DEFINED
The latest definition of dyslexia has been developed through an international study involving several experts. It's aim is to achieve agreement on the key aspects of dyslexia, to help people have a greater understanding about what it involves.
It is as follows:
•Dyslexia is a set of processing difficulties that affect the acquisition of reading and spelling.
•In dyslexia, some or all aspects of literacy attainment are weak in relation to age, standard teaching and instruction, and level of other attainments.
•Across languages and age groups, difficulties in reading fluency and spelling are a key marker of dyslexia.
•Dyslexic difficulties exist on a continuum and can be experienced to various degrees of severity.
•The nature and developmental trajectory of dyslexia depends on multiple genetic and environmental influences.
•Dyslexia can affect the acquisition of other skills, such as mathematics, reading comprehension or learning another language.
•The most commonly observed cognitive impairment in dyslexia is a difficulty in phonological processing (i.e. in phonological awareness, phonological processing speed or phonological memory). However, phonological difficulties do not fully explain the variability that is observed.
•Working memory, processing speed and orthographic skills can contribute to the impact of dyslexia.
•Dyslexia frequently co-occurs with one or more other developmental difficulties, including developmental language disorder, dyscalculia, ADHD, and developmental coordination disorder.
PATOSS, 2025