High Learning Potential Assessment Essentials

boy working on a laptop

Potential Plus UK currently offers two assessments of high learning potential: High Learning Potential Assessment Essentials and High Learning Potential Assessment Plus.

The High Learning Potential Assessment Essentials is an online assessment, undertaken remotely with a qualified assessor. It takes 2 hours to complete and offers information about a child’s current strengths and weaknesses. It provides key information about a child’s IQ, academic skills, verbal processing speed, self-regulation in learning and sensory processing.

The High Learning Potential Assessment Plus is an in-depth, in-person assessment which takes 4 to 5 hours to complete at one of our assessment centres. The Assessment Plus offers a rich level of detail from a wide set of assessment measures, and extensive recommendations.

If you would like to book the High Learning Potential Assessment Essentials, please telephone Potential Plus UK on 01908 646433. If you are interested in our Assessment Plus service instead, please see our High Learning Potential Assessment Plus page for more details.

The High Learning Potential Assessment Essentials

The High Learning Potential Assessment Essentials offers parents key information regarding their child’s abilities (including IQ), potential and current achievement levels. The aim is for parents to better understand their child, thereby helping them to meet his or her educational, social and emotional needs.

This is a remote online assessment with a qualified assessor. The assessment tests take approximately 2 hours and are suitable for children aged 7 years and above who are happy to be in a room on their own, working with the assessor remotely.  Two devices will be needed, one of them with a screen size of at least A4. The norm-referenced tests used have been chosen for their suitability for establishing a child’s high learning potential and identifying their strengths and weaknesses.

The Assessment Covers

  • Cognitive ability using a brief IQ test (Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, Second Edition)
  • Current academic achievement in reading comprehension, maths computation and maths concepts and applications (Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, Third Edition, Brief Form)
  • Verbal processing speed (Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing, First Edition)
  • Work ethics (Questionnaire on Self-Regulated Learning-7)
  • A screener measure of sensory processing (Short Sensory Profile, Second Edition)
  • Background information about the child from their parents and (if appropriate) school.

Following the Assessment

  • Parents receive a report which pinpoints the current strengths and weaknesses of their child. It highlights a handful of key actions per area that could be used to support their child’s unique profile at home, and provides general guidance for use at school.
  • Parents receive a half-hour follow-up telephone consultation with the assessor once the report has been received.

Who Would Benefit from This Assessment?

Whilst our High Learning Potential Assessments are beneficial for all children regardless of their situation or ability, there are certain times in which Potential Plus UK will recommend an assessment. For example, when:

  • there is early, rapid and sustained development of intellectual ability which is not in line with peers; showing need for extra challenge or guided support in areas of weakness
  • there are marked differences between work that is done at school and at home
  • there are significant strengths in some areas, with poorer or possibly below average signs in others
  • there is a deterioration in behaviour showing links to boredom or lack of stimulation
  • there are specific issues such as school phobia, reluctance to write or problems with peer integration

Under these circumstances, an assessment, carried out by a trained and experienced assessor, can provide parents with vital information to enable them to provide their child with the support that they need to reach their high learning potential.

Where children being assessed are not living or educated in the UK, it is advised that English should be their first or bilingual language or that they are in an education setting in which English is the main language used for teaching.

Assessment Costs

  • Family Plus Members: £395 including VAT
  • Family Essential, Associate Family Members or Non-members: £515 including VAT (pro rata upgrades from Family Essential to Family Plus memberships are available. Associate members and non-members are recommended to consider taking out Family Plus Membership)
  • Eligible Family Plus members who would struggle to meet the cost of an assessment can apply to the Scholarship Fund for assistance.

 What Will I Get in My Report?

The report will include an explanation of the tests undertaken on the day of the assessment, plus results for all the tests. It contains relevant points from the background information collected from family, child (and school if applicable), and observations made on the day. Based on interpretations drawn from the test results, background information and observations, a summary of your child’s current learning profile, strengths and weaknesses is provided. Bullet point recommendations for the family are also included, with some general guidelines for schools, highlighting key actions which you could use to support your child.

It is possible to request certain add-on assessments (listed below). However, if you require in-depth school support with a report and a call to the school, and/or a full handwriting assessment (which has to be done in person), these are only available as add-on reports to the in-person High Learning Potential Assessment Plus service.

Add-On Reports

After your child has undergone a High Learning Potential Assessment Plus assessment, your assessor may recommend certain additional reports.

The following Add-On Reports are available to purchase for an additional fee:

  • In-Depth Sensory Profile – for tailored recommendations where a child is struggling with sensory problems in the home and/or school environment.
  • Emotional and Social Profile – investigation of issues that may be impacting on a child’s wellbeing and/or social development. A profile of strengths and weaknesses is created with an action plan to support your child in the areas where they are most needed.

Please visit our webpage Add-On Reports to High Learning Potential Assessments to find out more about them.

Become a Member

Families benefit from access to our advice line, the Members’ Area, our electronic resources, discounted events and our Focus newsletter.

Schools benefit from access to our advice line, online resources, members area, newsletter, workshops, webinars-on-demand, and associate family membership for their parents.