I’m worried about my child’s maths. How can I find out what’s wrong?
People who have difficulty in remembering numbers or with adding up, multiplying, fractions, etc, have a significant disadvantage in life.
Such people not only have problems in passing maths exams at school, but they also often have difficulty with handling money, telling the time, using a calculator, and checking their online banking.
These people may have dyscalculia - a genetic disorder. It cannot be cured but once diagnosed it is possible to help children with dyscalculia by teaching them maths in a different way.
There are two types of tests for dyscalculia: screening tests and a diagnostic tests.
Screening tests can tell you that it is possible that your child has dyscalculia but they don’t tell you where the problem is, so they don’t help in finding a solution.
Diagnostic tests include the “screening” but go much further - they tell you if it is very likely that your child is dyscalculic, and where the exact problem lies. A good diagnostic test will also tell you if there are any associated issues or problems, and how you can help your child.
On this page what we talk about is a diagnostic test. After a child has taken it, we review the results, and consider not only dyscalculia but also whether there are any related problems, and then we provide the materials to help your child overcome the problem.
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Do I need my child to see an educational psychologist?
The only way to be absolutely certain about whether a person has dyscalculia or not, is to have a one-to-one session with a psychologist who specialises in dyscalculia. The cost is normally around £450 - seven times as much as the cost of our on-line test.
If you need an educational psychologist who specialises in dyscalculia you will be able to find your nearest one via Google. However please do note that educational psychologists do not normally provide teaching materials to help your child overcome his/her dyscalculia. Their job is to give a detailed professional opinion of why the individual is failing to learn maths as might be expected.
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Should I have my child undertake the test and then give the results to the school?
We would always suggest that if your thinking is that the school is not doing enough for your child, you should talk with the school first, and see what they think. While many schools have welcomed seeing our report on a child at the school, a small number have rejected the report, perhaps feeling that it undermines their own assessment of the situation. And that of course is understandable. No one likes to be told they are wrong!
It is also important to note that an online test cannot be as definitive as a psychologist's test, and nor can it contain all the data and information that can be gained by a person doing a one-to-one test. What we are giving is an opinion without seeing the individual, and if we believe dyscalculia is the cause of the individual's problems, we provide some teaching materials that can help.
So if your intention is to present the results of our test to the school, in order to tell the school that they have got to take action, that may not get the result you hope for. It can be better to talk to the special needs teacher first, and if the school is responsive and you then feel it could be helpful, offer to have the test undertaken at your expense.
Who the test is for
The test is designed for children aged eight upwards.
Below there are details of what to do when you are ready to take the test. Please note you will need a debit or credit card to pay for the test before your son or daughter starts. You should also have a pen or pencil and paper ready for your child in case he/she wants to work things out as we go along.
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When you are ready for your child to take the test…
We suggest that you stay with your child while the test is being taken. If your child has reading difficulties there is no harm at all in you reading the questions to your child - but please don’t provide any mathematical help.
You can also pause the test at any time to give your child a break, and then come back to it later. And do tell your child that there is nothing to worry about if some of the questions can’t be answered. The test is here to find out how we can help your child - not to pass judgement.
If your child becomes distressed or loses a willingness to continue with the test, pause the test. You can return at any time. If your child does not wish to continue, even after a pause, send the test to us as far as it has been completed.
Calculators and other devices that can work out mathematical answers are not permitted at all in the test. Your child can, however, work out answers on paper or using fingers, but must not look answers up or get help.
The test costs £59.99 when undertaken by a parent and this price includes the delivery to you of the resources that we feel will help your child overcome his/her dyscalculia, and of course includes VAT.
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Starting the diagnostic test
To proceed with the test please either:
1. forward a cheque made payable to Mandy Tobin Homes Ltd for £59.99 to 9 Home farm Close, Great Oakley, Northants, NN18 8HQ. Please enclose your email address and we will email you back with instructions for the test, and this will then allow you to move onto the test itself.
2. go to our on-line shop where you can pay via PayPal or credit card.
If you would like to know more about dyscalculia before having your child take the diagnostic test, please click here for further information about dyscalculia.
If you have any questions before starting the test you can email
We do however recommend that you email as we do not always have people available who can help with specific issues on the phone.
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A recent unsolicited testimonial
Here is one of the testimonials that we receive from time to time.
"I would like to say I am really impressed with the report and activities and think the procedure is very good value. Thank you so much, I am so pleased we did the test with you and have something to discuss at school where for two years they have been shouting at him for not being able to do 'simple sums' or making him feel frustrated for having to keep 'going back to basics'. We are both very grateful."