Leanne Rafferty
Specialist Dyslexia AssessorBA (Hons), MA (Ed), PGCE, PGC
Leanne is a highly experienced specialist assessor of students with literacy difficulties. She began her career in teaching over twenty years ago after achieving a BA (Hons) degree in English and then completing a PGCE in Secondary English. After qualifying, Leanne became a successful English teacher in the North-East of England. In this role, she developed a love of teaching students with additional needs and further studied for a Masters in SEN Education at Durham University. She developed and launched several learning support initiatives including mentoring, play therapy and head of primary-model nurture groups in Years 7-9.
Leanne went on to achieve a PGCE in Teaching and Assessing Students with Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia). She was employed as a specialist teacher and assessor for a Learning Language Team in a Local Authority in the North-East and for almost 15 years she has been assessing and supporting students with literacy difficulties. She is qualified to administer a wide range of assessment tests and tools to diagnose dyslexia, identify gaps and support parents and schools to better support the learner. She has worked with success in both primary and secondary mainstream settings, including delivering effective training to teaching professionals and leading and delivering new literacy initiatives.
In 2014, Leanne joined a large, highly inclusive secondary school in North London, initially as an SEN teacher and assessor and then as Deputy SENDCo of a large SEN department. In this role she was responsible for managing and monitoring high quality learning support interventions to ensure students’ additional needs were met. Leanne has an extensive knowledge of literacy interventions and multi-sensory teaching techniques. She is a highly experienced assessor of students who may require examination access arrangements such as extra time, readers and scribes.
Above all else, Leanne’s practice is underpinned by her belief that all children, particularly those identified with literacy challenges, should have access to an inclusive education using teaching techniques that inspire and encourage learners to reach their full potential. She is keen to spread the message that dyslexia is a learning difference; not a difficulty.
Leanne is a member of Professional Association of Teachers with Specific Learning Difficulties (PATOSS) and holds a Level 7 in Specialist Dyslexia Teaching and Assessment.
Leanne offers specialist dyslexia assessments and Exam Access Arrangements (EAA) support to schools.