The earlier a reading difficulty is noticed, the more options a school has. Support can start while a child is still learning to read, before a gap has had time to widen and before they have decided that reading “isn’t for them”.

This guide is for primary schools. It looks at why timing matters, what screening actually does, and the practical steps that make it work.

Why timing matters

Reading builds on itself. Each year, pupils are expected to read more independently, and more of their learning across the curriculum depends on it. A pupil who is still working hard to decode words in Year 4 or Year 5 has less attention left for meaning, and less time for the reading that builds vocabulary and knowledge.

Researchers have argued for early identification for a long time. In a 2013 review, Professor Maggie Snowling concluded that “early identification of children at risk of dyslexia followed by the implementation of intervention is a realistic aim for practitioners and policy-makers.”

There’s an emotional side too. Children who struggle without an explanation often decide that they are the problem. Finding out early that a skill takes them more effort, and that there are ways to help, can protect a child’s confidence as well as their progress.

Timing is a fairness issue too: whether a child’s dyslexia is recognised can depend on their family’s resources. We look at the evidence in Why early screening matters: what the evidence says in 2026.

What screening does in primary school

A dyslexia screener checks the skills most closely linked to reading difficulty, such as phonological awareness, working memory and processing speed, alongside reading and spelling. It shows how a pupil’s results compare with others of the same age, and which pupils may need a closer look.

Screening is a first filter, not a diagnosis. It flags risk so that support can start and specialist time can go where it’s needed most. A specialist assessment is what can confirm dyslexia.

Making screening work in your school

• Decide when, and for whom. Some schools screen a whole year group at a key point, such as Year 3. Others screen individual pupils when a teacher or parent raises a concern. Talamo’s Cognitive & Dyslexia assessment can be used from age 7, which is Year 2.

• Prepare the room. Each pupil needs a school device with a keyboard and mouse or trackpad (iPads need an attached keyboard), a pair of headphones and their own Login ID. A teacher or teaching assistant supervises, and no specialist qualification is needed.

• Keep the session calm. The assessment takes about 35 to 45 minutes and can be split across sittings. Spoken instructions and practice items mean pupils don’t have to read the instructions themselves. Smaller groups or extra support help younger pupils, EAL learners and pupils with high needs.

• Start with the classroom. Each report suggests classroom strategies, such as previewing tricky words, visible steps and extra thinking time. They don’t need to wait for a formal diagnosis.

• Talk to families. Share results in plain language, with the “At home” suggestions from the report, so home and school can support reading in the same way.

• Plan the next step. Use the risk level and Level of Need to decide who would benefit most from a specialist assessment. A “Possible” result can be re-screened in a year or two, and an “Inconclusive” result needs a retest: it never means low risk.

Common worries about screening young children

“Will it label my child?” A good screener reports a level of risk, not a yes or no, and describes results as consistent with dyslexia rather than as a diagnosis. Its purpose is to decide what help to offer.

“Won’t it add to teachers’ workload?” Digital screening can be done with a whole class at once, supervised by a teacher or teaching assistant, and the reports do the scoring. The time goes into acting on the results.

“What if it misses someone?” No screening tool is perfect. Some pupils with dyslexia will be missed and some without it will be flagged, so teachers’ observations still matter, whatever a screening result says.

Where Talamo fits

Talamo’s Cognitive & Dyslexia assessment is designed for pupils aged 7 to 16. Each pupil gets a report with their profile, a dyslexia risk level, a Level of Need and practical support suggestions, and every report is checked by a person before the school sees it.

See a sample primary report →