In short
Dyslexia exam coaching from Performance Learning helps children and teenagers with dyslexia learn and revise in ways that rely less on rereading text: structuring information visually, active recall, breaking down exam questions, managing time and rebuilding confidence. It is not a diagnosis or a specialist reading programme. It starts with the £50 Foresight assessment, then SOAR, a Virtual Classroom or one-to-one coaching with Dr Tej Samani.
Why can exams feel so hard for dyslexic learners?
Dyslexia mainly affects reading, writing and spelling, and it can also affect working memory and how quickly information is processed. It says nothing about intelligence. Yet most revision and most exams lean heavily on exactly those skills: reading long notes, reading questions under time pressure and writing answers quickly.
So a capable child can know the material and still lose marks. Many dyslexic learners also start to believe they are “not clever”, avoid written work or dread reading aloud. If your child has started saying “I’m just stupid”, please hear this: your child is not the problem. Often, the approach to learning is.
What is dyslexia exam coaching?
Dyslexia exam coaching teaches your child how to learn and revise in ways that suit them, so that what they know shows up in the exam. Performance Learning does not re-teach subjects. It builds the skills underneath:
- Structuring information visually: turning pages of notes into maps, chunks and sequences that are easier to take in and remember.
- Active memory and recall: explaining aloud, drawing and self-testing instead of rereading.
- Reading exam questions strategically: breaking a question down to find what the examiner is actually asking.
- Planning answers: simple frameworks for organising thoughts before writing.
- Time management: planning revision and pacing a paper.
- Confidence: helping your child see what they can do when they learn in a way that works for them.
These skills follow Performance Learning’s Seven Steps to Learning Success, from organising and structuring information to retaining, recalling, understanding, analysing and applying it. Coaching meets your child where they are and moves at a pace that builds confidence alongside skills.
Performance Learning does not diagnose dyslexia, and coaching is not a specialist literacy programme. It works alongside the support your child gets from school.
Why does structure matter so much?
When reading takes more effort, every unnecessary word costs energy. Coaching builds on what your child already does well, and for many dyslexic learners, visual and spoken ways of learning take far less effort than more reading.
A topic broken into a clear visual map is easier to understand, easier to remember and easier to retrieve under pressure than ten pages of notes. The same principle applies in the exam: a simple routine for reading the question, underlining what it asks and planning before writing reduces the load on working memory. Our guide to improving working memory in children explains why this matters.
How does dyslexia exam coaching work?
- Book a call. Talk to the Performance Learning team about your child, what learning feels like for them and the support they already have. There’s no obligation.
- Take the Foresight assessment (£50). The Foresight assessment takes about 25 minutes online and profiles your child’s strengths as well as the barriers holding them back. You receive one-page action plans for your child and for you, plus a 35-page report you can share with school or support teams. An optional 30-minute review call costs £45.
- Choose a coaching route.
- SOAR Online Learning, £10 a month: Foresight plus unlimited access to an adaptive platform with personalised pathways, on-demand coaching and monthly progress monitoring.
- Virtual Classroom with PL, £295: two live, interactive 2-hour masterclasses in a small group, with a Foresight assessment included.
- Academic Transformation with Dr Tej, application only: year-round one-to-one coaching and mentoring with Dr Tej Samani, with SOAR between sessions.
What can parents expect?
You can expect a clearer picture of how your child learns, including what they do well, not just where they struggle. Coaching then focuses on the few skills that will make the biggest difference, at a pace that suits your child.
You also get your own action plan, so you know how to support revision at home. For more ideas on building self-belief before exams, read how to feel confident about exams.
We don’t promise particular grades, because every child is different. We do promise an honest conversation about whether coaching is the right support.
What is the evidence behind Performance Learning?
Students using Performance Learning improved by an average of 2.4 grades against their predicted grades (Thomas et al., 2024, an analysis of 940 students led by Birkbeck’s Centre for Educational Neuroscience). This is an average across Performance Learning students, not a figure specific to dyslexia or a promise for any individual child. The approach was developed by Dr Tej Samani from his research into how pupils learn, which you can read on our research page.
Your child’s dyslexia doesn’t define their future. Turning “can’t do” into “watch me” starts with learning in a way that works.
Frequently asked questions
Does Performance Learning diagnose dyslexia?
No. Performance Learning does not diagnose dyslexia, and the Foresight assessment is not a dyslexia test. Foresight looks at learning behaviours, wellbeing and attainment factors such as recall, time management, sleep and stress, to show how your child learns and what is holding them back. If you think your child may be dyslexic, speak to the school's SENCo, who can advise on next steps, including specialist assessment.
Is dyslexia exam coaching a reading or spelling programme?
No. Performance Learning's coaching is not a specialist literacy or spelling intervention, and it does not replace support from a specialist teacher. It focuses on how your child learns and performs: organising and structuring information, remembering and recalling it, reading exam questions strategically, planning answers and managing time and nerves. It works alongside any reading or literacy support your child already receives at school.
Can my child get extra time in exams because of dyslexia?
Possibly, but Performance Learning does not decide this. Access arrangements such as extra time, a reader or computer reader, or a word processor are agreed through your child's school or college, usually by the SENCo and exams officer. For GCSEs and A levels they follow exam-board rules published by the Joint Council for Qualifications, based on your child's assessed needs and normal way of working. Talk to the school early.
What ages does Performance Learning's dyslexia coaching support?
Performance Learning supports children with dyslexia from primary school through to A level. Younger children often need help building confidence and simple ways to organise and remember what they learn, while GCSE and A level students also need strategies for heavy-text subjects, timed papers and extended answers. On a call, the team can advise which coaching route suits your child's age and stage.
How much does dyslexia exam coaching cost?
Every route starts with the Foresight assessment, which costs £50, with an optional £45 live review call. After that, SOAR online learning costs £10 a month including Foresight, the Virtual Classroom with PL costs £295 for two live 2-hour group sessions plus an assessment, and Academic Transformation with Dr Tej Samani is by application only. Full details are on the Performance Learning pricing page.
How can I help my dyslexic child revise at home?
Keep revision active and visual rather than text-heavy. Encourage your child to turn notes into diagrams, maps or short chunked lists, to explain topics aloud, and to test themselves from memory instead of rereading. Short, focused sessions with one clear goal work better than long ones. Above all, praise effort and progress, because confidence has a big effect on how well any child learns.