Cognition & learning
Cognitive and Learning Assessment in Warrington
A cognitive and learning assessment looks at how a young person thinks and learns, not just what they have learned so far.
Some children work extremely hard and still find learning slower going than their peers. A cognitive and learning assessment explores reasoning, memory, processing and attainment to explain why — and, just as importantly, what changes when the right support is offered.
- Focus
- Reasoning, working memory, processing speed, attainment
- Ages
- Children and young people aged 4–25
- Approach
- Standardised assessment where appropriate, plus dynamic assessment
- You receive
- A learning profile and recommendations schools can act on
What a cognitive and learning assessment is
It combines standardised assessment — verbal and non-verbal reasoning, working memory, processing speed and curriculum attainment — with dynamic assessment, which looks at how a young person learns when support is carefully offered. The second half matters as much as the first: it shows what is possible, not only what is currently in place.
Who it may be appropriate for
- Children making slower progress than expected across several subjects
- Young people who understand ideas well but struggle to get work down on paper
- Pupils who lose track of multi-step instructions or forget what they have just read
- Families who want to understand a child's learning profile before decisions are made
- Schools wanting psychological advice about how to teach a pupil more effectively
What the process involves
- Free 30-minute conversation to understand your concerns and identify our best route forward
- Parent questionnaire and information gathered from school with consent
- A session of direct assessment, paced around your child
- Dynamic assessment to test which strategies unlock progress
- Report writing, interpretation, and a feedback conversation
What it can and cannot establish
The assessment describes a learning profile and explains what helps. Cognitive scores are useful information, not a verdict on a child's potential, and they are always interpreted alongside history, classroom evidence and the young person's own experience. This is not a neurodevelopmental diagnostic assessment for conditions such as ADHD or autism, which are diagnosed by a multidisciplinary health team.
What you receive
- A written report setting out the learning profile in accessible language
- Specific teaching strategies matched to that profile
- Advice on adjustments for memory, processing and workload
- A feedback conversation so nothing in the report is a surprise
Talk it through first
A free 30-minute conversation is the best place to start. Describe what you are seeing, ask questions, and get an honest view on whether an assessment in Warrington is the right next step for your child.