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Written by Jessica Miller, MyMemoryMentor. Reviewed by Georgie Coonie, Dyslexia specialist, Tutor, Author. Last updated- July 30, 2026.

Your child spends 40 minutes on 10 spelling words. Maths homework ends in tears. At parents' evening you hear "they're a bit behind" and "let's keep an eye on it".

An online learning difficulties test gives you something concrete to take into school. MyMemoryMentor's online screeners check for signs of dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, ADHD and executive function difficulties, then give you a plain-English report to share with your child's class teacher or SENCO.

https://mymemorymentor.com/dyslexia-test-for-children/ 

A screener flags possible concerns. A qualified professional makes any diagnosis.

Learning difficulty or learning disability? 

In the UK, dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia are categorized as specific learning difficulties (SpLDs). They affect particular skills such as reading, writing or maths, and they don't affect general intelligence. "Learning disability" means something different in the UK: a reduced intellectual ability that affects everyday life, as the NHS explains.

MyMemoryMentor screens for specific learning difficulties and related needs such as ADHD. It does not test for learning disability in the UK sense. If you searched for a "learning disability test" because your child struggles with reading, spelling or maths, this is the right page.

In the UK, handwriting difficulties are often assessed alongside dyspraxia, also called developmental coordination disorder (DCD).

What is an online learning difficulties test?

An online learning difficulties test is a short screening tool that checks for signs of specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia, plus related needs such as ADHD. MyMemoryMentor's screeners take a few minutes and produce a report showing whether a full diagnostic assessment may help. A screener does not diagnose.

Dyslexia is diagnosed through a diagnostic assessment by an educational psychologist or a specialist teacher assessor who holds an Assessment Practising Certificate (APC). ADHD is diagnosed by a specialist such as a paediatrician or child psychiatrist, following NICE guideline NG87.

How common are special educational needs in England?

Common, and rising. In January 2026, 20.8% of pupils in England had special educational needs: 14.8% on SEN support and 6.0% with an EHC plan, according to Department for Education statistics.

The number of pupils with an EHC plan rose 11.6% in a year to 538,500, more than double the 2016 figure.

The British Dyslexia Association estimates that 10% of the population is dyslexic, and 4% severely so.

Waits are long. In 2025, only 46.1% of new EHC plans in England were issued within the legal 20-week limit. A structured screener gives the school evidence sooner, while any formal assessment is still pending.

Signs of dyslexia and other learning difficulties in children

Common signs of a specific learning difficulty in children include:

•       Reading slowly, guessing words or avoiding reading aloud
•       Spelling the same word 3 different ways on one page
•       Messy or tiring handwriting that doesn't improve with practice
•       Trouble with times tables, telling the time or handling money
•       Forgetting instructions a minute after hearing them
•       Starting tasks and rarely finishing them
•       Saying things like "I'm stupid" or "I hate school"

One sign on its own rarely means much. A pattern that lasts for months, appears across subjects and doesn't match your child's ability in other areas is worth screening.

In England, the Year 1 phonics screening check is often the first flag. A low score is a reason to ask questions. It isn't a dyslexia diagnosis.

What can MyMemoryMentor screen for?

MyMemoryMentor offers online screeners for issues relating to:

1. Reading, Spelling, Phonological processing, Fluency, Comprehension - risks for dyslexia.
2. Number sense, Number facts and Understanding maths concepts - risks for dyscalculia.
3. Handwriting and getting ideas onto paper - risks for dysgraphia
4. Attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity that may affect learning - risks for ADHD
5. Planning, Organisation, Working memory, Time and Task management, Decision making - risks for Executive functioning challenges.
6. Social behaviour, communication and sensory struggles - risk for autism
7. Working, short-term and long term memory 
8. Worry and related concerns that affect learning and everyday life - risks for anxiety
9. Unusual mood swings, unexplained sadness, lack of interest - risks for depression

Each screener produces a clinician-ready report in minutes. Parents get plain-English results. SENCOs and educational psychologists get the detail they need to plan support. 

How does an online dyslexia screening test work?

1. Pick a screener: choose the one that matches your concern, for example dyslexia or ADHD.
2. Complete it online: answer the questions or complete the tasks. Can be parent-reported, teacher-reported, child self-reported. Typical time to complete this is <10 minutes.
3. Read the report: see possible areas of concern in plain English.
4. Share it: send the report to your child's class teacher or SENCO.

What to do after a screening test in the UK

If the report flags a concern, share it with your child's class teacher and the school's SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). The school should respond using the graduated approach in the SEND Code of Practice: assess, plan, do, review. That can lead to SEN support in school.

Asking for an EHC needs assessment

If SEN support isn't enough, you or the school can ask your local authority for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment. The local authority has 6 weeks to decide whether to assess, and the whole process to a final EHC plan should take no more than 20 weeks.

School requests are more likely to go ahead. In 2025, 75.8% of requests from schools were approved for assessment, compared with 44.0% of requests from parents. Bring the SENCO in early, with evidence. IPSEA gives free legal advice if you run into problems.

These steps apply in England. Scotland uses additional support for learning, Wales uses additional learning needs (ALN), and Northern Ireland has its own SEN framework.

What the 2026 schools white paper means for families

The government's schools white paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, was published on 23 February 2026. It proposes SEND reforms, including a £200 million SEND training programme for school staff and a requirement for schools to publish an inclusion strategy. Current SEND law stays in force until new legislation passes, so today's rights to SEN support and EHC needs assessments still apply.

Screening results are a starting point

Treat a screening result as a reason to ask questions. If a screener doesn't flag anything and your child keeps struggling, trust what you're seeing and keep talking to the school.

For SENCOs, inclusion leads and educational psychologists

MyMemoryMentor helps SENCOs build evidence for SEN support and EHC needs assessment requests. Teachers run screeners across a class. The SENCO reviews flagged pupils and decides who needs targeted intervention, a specialist assessment or a referral.

Each screener produces a clinician-ready report in minutes, so SENCOs and EPs spend their hours with pupils. 

Frequently asked questions

Can you test for dyslexia online in the UK?

You can screen for it online. An online screener such as MyMemoryMentor checks for signs of dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties and shows whether a full diagnostic assessment may help. A diagnosis needs an educational psychologist or an APC-holding specialist assessor.

How do I get my child assessed for dyslexia in the UK?

Start with your child's class teacher and the SENCO. Many schools screen in-house and can arrange a specialist assessment. You can also book a private diagnostic assessment with an educational psychologist or specialist assessor. The British Dyslexia Association can help you find one.

Is there a dyslexia screening test parents can use at home?

Yes. MyMemoryMentor's online dyslexia screener can be completed at home, and the report can be shared with your child's teacher or SENCO.

What age can a child be screened for dyslexia?

Signs can appear at 4 or 5, in Reception, when children start learning letter sounds. Screening is often used from Year 1, around the phonics screening check. 

What is the difference between SEN support and an EHC plan?

SEN support is extra help the school arranges from its own resources. An EHC plan is a legal document from the local authority for children whose needs can't be met through SEN support alone.

Does a dyslexia diagnosis mean my child gets an EHCP?

No. Most dyslexic pupils are supported through SEN support. An EHC plan depends on the level of need and the support required, whatever the diagnosis.

Can schools use MyMemoryMentor?

Yes. SENCOs, inclusion leads, teachers and educational psychologists use MyMemoryMentor to screen individual pupils or whole classes.

Start with understanding

If your child has struggled for a term or more, you don't need to wait for the next parents' evening.                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Take a MyMemoryMentor learning difficulties test. Bring the report to the SENCO. Ask what happens next.

Start there.

Sources: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England 2025/26; Department for Education, Education, health and care plans 2026; SEND Code of Practice; NHS, Learning disabilities; NICE guideline NG87; British Dyslexia Association; House of Commons Library, Schools White Paper 2026; IPSEA.