Children & Teens
Underperformance
Children’s lives can be significantly impacted by their ability to perform and even compete academically in various testing situations, often starting from an early age. Parents are naturally concerned about this, but attention is often particularly focussed when a child appears to be underachieving, either generally or specifically in certain test situations.
These might sound like common challenges, but we have found that in most cases these are actually symptoms of problems with sensory integration. Children who appear to be ‘inattentive’, ‘poorly motivated’ or ‘naughty’ are very often the ones whose integration is most compromised.
Our academic assessments and programmes are designed to identify and remedy the underlying sources of each child’s processing difficulties. From this repaired foundation, children are then able to naturally and fully develop their skills.
Common Causes for Concern
- Slow reading speed
- Reading for extended periods
- Drawing inferences from reading
- Reading comprehension (sometimes despite strong reading ability)
- Inaccurate spelling
- Completing written assignments on time
- Maths or certain aspects of maths
- Poor memory
- Inability to stay focussed
- Poor listening skills
- Fidgeting or yawning when engaged in challenging activities
- Difficulty following instructions
- Poor time awareness
- Difficulty with organisational skills
- Procrastination
- Emotional & behavioural issues
11-plus & School entry exams
11-plus and selective school entry exams are typically designed to measure verbal and non-verbal reasoning and other processing skills which demonstrate academic potential rather than a student’s knowledge of facts. Children with processing difficulties therefore underperform in these tests and, if they are able to enter selective schools, can struggle to perform and keep up.
As our programmes work to improve and optimise these processing skills, this consistently results in increased verbal and non-verbal IQ test scores. They also enable children to thrive in competitive academic environments.
Assessment and Support
We offer comprehensive and non-invasive assessments which begin by identifying each child’s specific academic weaknesses. We then determine the visual, auditory and motor processing deficits which are the root causes of these weaknesses. Our academic support programmes are specifically designed to target and remediate those deficits.
Throughout our programmes we regularly monitor progress and advise on optimal approaches as children develop and improve. The programmes can be used alone, but can also support work being done in extra lessons or with tutors.
Our Programmes
All our programmes use innovative techniques which allow us to support people comprehensively but with minimal disturbance to their lives. Our personal programmes use wearable technology through child-friendly ‘Gorilla Tags’ which can be sewn into clothing and washed if necessary.
We have programmes to support musical and sporting achievement as well as academic success. Please contact us for a free questionnaire and detailed report to find out how our programmes might help your child.