Are Educational MOTs only for children who are struggling with learning?
No, an Educational MOT is suitable for a wide range of abilities, including more able learners, however, it may not be suitable for children with severe and complex needs (please contact us to discuss your specific needs or see our ‘links’ page for organisations that may be able to offer more specialised support).
Can I stay and watch while my child is having an Educational MOT?
Yes absolutely, there is space for you to sit and observe the MOT. In fact, I encourage parents to stay and watch the process as it can provide a valuable insight into how your child learns.
My son has asked me why he’s having an Educational MOT, what should I say?
I often explain to children that I’m like a ‘learning detective’, I carry out a few different checks to find out how children learn best then use the things they’re good at to help with the things they find tricky. Every child has strengths.
How can you get accurate results in only an hour and ten minutes?
All of the tests used are nationally recognised, tried and trusted assessments. As a principal teacher of additional support needs, in mainstream education, I spent many years working with a variety of assessment and intervention materials, alongside educational psychologists and other professionals; from this experience I have been able to devise a concise child-friendly package which provides reliable feedback in a relatively short amount of time.
Do the MOTs involve a lot of writing?
No, each MOT is made up of around 5 different tests – only a couple of them require the child to do any written work, the others involve answering questions, reading, or multiple choice; therefore, not too intensive for the child and as each part of the MOT is so varied, interest level (and pace) is kept high.
Why do young children need to be assessed?
As a parent myself, I fully understand any reservations about assessing young children, however having worked in the education sector for over 25 years I now appreciate the importance and advantages of assessment, if carried out in the correct way, for the right reasons. Assessment is vital for tracking progress, planning next steps, identifying needs/strengths and for involving children (and parents) in their learning.
Why would a 5 year old need an Educational MOT?
Educational research has proven that the earlier a child’s academic needs (at whatever level) are identified and addressed, the more likely it is for them to have a successful educational life; early intervention is key. Effective early intervention works to prevent difficulties occurring or to tackle them head-on when they do, before they get worse. It also helps foster a whole set of personal strengths and skills that prepare a child for later life. An Educational MOT will identify which development areas your child should focus on, with clear guidance on how to boost learning. It also provides a good general overview into your child’s learning, and allows you to track progress.
Can’t I find out what level my child is working at from their teacher?
Your child’s teacher will be able to tell you about your child’s learning in general terms eg. within Curriculum for Excellence broad levels, however it is unlikely that the teacher will be able to tell you ‘exactly’ how your child is performing in the different areas of literacy and numeracy ie. with age equivalences – which shows whether your child is working at, above, or below, the level expected at their age.
Why is there such a difference in price between the 3 reports?
The difference in price is due to the level of detail within each type of report. Every report is unique, the feedback (inc next steps) is tailored specifically to your child. The Detailed report is 8-10 pages long, and takes a minimum of 8 hours to write. The Standard report is 4-6 pages long, and takes around 5 hours to write. The Concise report is 2 pages long and usually takes a couple of hours to complete. For more information on the content of each of the reports please have a look at the ‘MOT packages’ page.
Reports are emailed to parents within a week of the assessment.
If you are unsure of which report to choose please book in for a free 15-min consultation.
Educational MOT 