About Claire Kerr, specialist dyslexia assessor and teacher in Surrey
Why I specialise in dyslexia
I have always believed that every child can learn. What varies is how they learn, and how well the people around them understand that.
I began my career as a primary school teacher. I loved the job, but over time I noticed something that troubled me. There were children in my classroom who were clearly bright, curious and full of ideas, but who were falling behind in reading and writing despite working incredibly hard. Traditional teaching methods were not working for them, and I did not feel equipped to help them in the way they deserved.
That observation changed the direction of my career in conjunction with being a parent to a dylexic son at the time. I trained as a Specialist Teacher at the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre, one of the most respected centres for dyslexia training in the country, and later returned to complete the Level 7 Master's qualification in Specialist Assessment. It was the best professional decision I have ever made, and with my personal experience of having a dyslexic child, I fully understood the challenges and uncertainty faced by parents.
I now spend my working days doing something I find genuinely meaningful: helping children and young adults understand how they learn, and giving their families the clarity and the tools to support them.
Claire Kerr approach to dyslexia
I do not think of a dyslexia assessment as just a test. It is a conversation about a child's whole learning experience. I take time to understand each child I work with and to make the session feel as relaxed and unthreatening as possible. Many of the young people I assess have spent years feeling that they are somehow not as capable as their peers. Part of my job is to help shift that.
My assessments are thorough, my reports are detailed and practical, and I always make myself available for follow-up questions once families have had time to read and digest the findings.
I believe that understanding yourself as a learner is one of the most powerful things a child can gain. It builds self-esteem. It changes how they feel about school. And it gives parents a language for conversations with teachers that they did not have before.
My training and qualifications
Helen Arkell trained to Master's level
I completed both my Specialist Teacher training (Level 5) and my Specialist Assessor qualification (Level 7) at the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre in Farnham, Surrey. Both qualifications were awarded with Distinction. Helen Arkell is widely regarded as one of the leading centres for dyslexia education and training in the UK, and training there gave me an exceptionally strong foundation for the work I do.
My training and qualifications
Professional memberships and accreditation
My full qualifications and professional credentials are listed below.
- Level 7 Diploma in Teaching and Assessing Learners with Dyslexia/SpLD (Distinction) — Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre
- Level 5 Diploma in Teaching Learners with Dyslexia/SpLD (Distinction) — Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre
- SpLD Assessment Practising Certificate (APC) — PATOSS
- Member of PATOSS (Professional Association of Teachers of Students with Specific Learning Difficulties)
- BA (Hons), PGCE, QTS
- Enhanced DBS Certificate
- Professional indemnity insurance
A little about me
I live in Hindhead with my family, which includes three children, two dogs and two cats. Life is rarely quiet.
Outside of work, I volunteer with Pets as Therapy, visiting local schools as part of the Read to Dogs programme. There is something very special about watching a hesitant reader relax in the company of a calm, patient dog. It is a reminder that confidence with reading is not just about phonics and decoding. It is about feeling safe enough to try.
I also visit universities and care homes with Pets as Therapy, supporting wellbeing in a slightly different way. It is work I find enormously rewarding.
I set up my practice because I wanted to offer something personal and thorough. Not a factory-line assessment service, but the kind of careful, unhurried attention that actually makes a difference to a family.
Work with Claire
If you would like to find out more about how Claire can help your child, get in touch. She is always happy to have an informal chat before you commit to anything.
claire@clairekerrdyslexia.co.uk
Hindhead, Surrey
Battersea, London
