Charlotte, St Johns Wood
“Julianne supported and guided me through the minefield of SEN. I knew what to expect from G, what I could ask the school, what I needed to get elsewhere and who the best people were to see. She coordinated absolutely everything.
I first realised that my daughter might be dyslexic, when at age four they introduced reading at school.
Over the next couple of years as G and I laboured over Biff and Chip and weekly spellings to no avail, the school assured me that G was fine and all children develop these skills at different rates. As bright, engaging and delightful as she may be, I knew that all was not right with my daughter. It was not until Grace changed school at age 7 and on day 3 of her new term I was called in to speak to the teacher, I felt a flood of relief as she confirmed that she too shared my suspicion that G may be dyslexic. An appointment with an Educational Psychologist was arranged and in due course G was diagnosed with dyslexia. This was the beginning of the journey into an unknown realm: The world of Special Educational Needs. I knew so little. Suddenly, I was confronted by an almost foreign language and I had to circumnavigate it alone. What did TOWRE-2 Phonological Decoding, CTOPP-2: Nonword Repetition, Phonemic Decoding actually mean? I ploughed through pages and pages of test results and did not feel enlightened at the end. School staff took G out of class for ‘help’, but I couldn’t see any improvement.
Deep down I felt that I was failing my intelligent daughter. As she was getting older she was becoming aware that she was different and had to work twice as hard to gain the same results as the other children.
In Year 4, we were introduced to Julianne Miller. Julianne changed our life in several ways. Firstly, she guided me towards a programme perfectly suited to G’s profile and for the first time she made improvements. Secondly, she was warm and available to me, greatly reducing my anxiety. My daughter, who was dead tired of ‘help’ took to her immediately. Thirdly, and most crucially, Julianne supported and guided me through the minefield of SEN. I knew what to expect from G, what I could ask the school, what I needed to get elsewhere and who the best people were to see. She coordinated absolutely everything.
Dyslexia does not go away, it is with you for life. It has to be managed. The educational system has to be managed. My daughter is now sitting GCSE’s. Over the years Julianne has guided us through all the different stages of education and their differing challenges. She has introduced us to excellent Educational Psychologists, recommended centres of excellence with pioneering teaching methods. She continues to put in place fantastic systems that help support G at every step. She enlightens us on what government support is in place for dyslexic children sitting public exams and how to get it. She offers constant sensible and clear advice. My daughter who couldn’t read in Year 5 is on track for 9 As.
Thank you Julianne!
Mike & Siobhan, Bath
“Julianne immediately turned the situation around.”
We were experiencing difficulties at school with our daughter being taught English. Her confidence in the subject had rapidly deteriorated in the run up to the 11+ exams and she had been assessed as dyslexic. This was a label that confused her and she didn’t want anyone to know. Julianne immediately turned the situation around. She helped her to understand that she wasn’t different but just learnt in a more creative way. She really looked at our daughter and found a way to teach her English which restored her love of reading and writing. She gave her confidence to believe in herself and she no longer worries about anyone knowing that she is dyslexic. She received several offers from schools and Julianne’s influence has stayed with her. She continues to thrive at secondary school and reading is now a source of pleasure for her, not a punishment. I wish every teacher has what she had.
Emma, Hampstead
“The best thing about working with Julianne is she tells me how to present our findings to the school to get them on board.”
Our school is notoriously laid back when it comes to concerns about spelling. As a teacher, I knew something was amiss but no one seemed to share my concern. Julianne not only offered an accurate assessment of the problem, she knew how best to structure support for his individual profile. Within weeks we were covering a years worth of ground. The best thing about working with Julianne is she tells me how to present our findings to the school to get them on board. Now I know how to explain my concerns in a way that makes sense to his teachers, and this makes me far less stressed. I have taken advantage of her individual workshop and can now support my child at home in a way I never imagined possible. We feel so lucky to have found Julianne.
Kate, Queens Park
“Our fears that she had an insurmountable difficulty were unfounded; she just needed to be taught a little differently for a period of her primary learning.”
We reached out to Julianne when our daughter, in year 2, was struggling at her state primary school. Despite great effort, she was falling behind her peers and that was severely impacting her confidence and overall happiness. We felt she would benefit from instruction pitched accurately to her individual needs. Julianne's assessment of her learning was spot on and she went from strength to strength. M had clear daily tasks which were varied, fun and where my daughter could see genuine progress. Aside from new learning strategies, Julianne has an amazing aptitude for emotional support and building confidence in children. Our daughter was transformed by her intervention - both academically and psychologically. Our fears that she had an insurmountable difficulty were unfounded; she just needed to be taught a little differently for a period of her primary learning.
Marcelle, Highgate
“I felt that finally I was being listened to and acknowledged. ”
I think of Julianne as my own personal life jacket. After one observational session she was able to identify the educational needs of our son, needs that had been denied by his school for years. She liaises with school, helps me understand reports, guides me to good professionals and makes me feel like this is all possible for my son. I felt that finally I was being listened to and acknowledged. I value Julianne’s honesty and support as much as the depth of her professional knowledge and experience. The fact that our son adores her too is the icing on the cake!