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What strong dyslexia support actually looks like

A school that does dyslexia well will give you the same answers whether you ask the head, the SEN coordinator or a class teacher. They will reference a structured literacy programme by name, ideally one with a published evidence base such as Orton Gillingham, Wilson, Sound Sense or Read Write Inc. for younger children. They will know what intervention dose looks like, typically three to five short sessions per week for a defined period rather than a vague "as needed" model. They will track progress against standardised measures, not impressions.

Equally important is what they do not say. A school that talks about dyslexia only in terms of "celebrating different minds" without producing data, targets and a programme name is unlikely to be running serious intervention. Awareness is the floor, not the ceiling. Our broader piece on SEN support at international schools sets out the wider provision pattern. This article is the dyslexia-specific lens.

The single best indicator of a serious dyslexia programme is the presence of a literacy specialist with clinical credentials, not simply a teaching assistant with an interest. Look for titles such as Certified Academic Language Therapist, Orton Gillingham Fellow, or a qualified specialist teacher with the UK SpLD diploma or its US equivalent. These credentials carry meaning. A teaching assistant supporting under direction is not the same thing, and the difference shows up in outcomes.

Second, ask about the cohort. A school with three dyslexic children across the secondary school will not have the depth a school with thirty does. Volume drives capability. Specialist staff need a critical mass of work to stay sharp, and a school that genuinely supports dyslexia at scale will say so without prompting.

The three tiers of provision you will encounter

Provision across the international school market falls into three rough tiers, and the difference matters more than the brand on the gate.

Tier 1: dedicated literacy specialists. The school employs trained literacy interventionists, runs a defined programme, has a structured triage process from screen to assessment to support, and tracks outcomes. Most of the established British and IB schools in Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong and the major European cities sit here. Some American curriculum flagships do too.

Some of these schools also operate a dedicated learning support centre with its own director. Brighton College Dubai's Bridge programme, Tanglin Trust's Bridge in Singapore and several of the long established American schools in continental Europe are examples. Where these centres exist, they are usually the safest bet for moderate to severe dyslexia.

Tier 2: in-class accommodations plus light withdrawal. The school provides classroom accommodations such as preferential seating, text to speech tools, modified spelling expectations and extra time on internal assessments. Pull-out support exists but is shared across the SEN team rather than delivered by a literacy specialist. Adequate for mild dyslexia, often not enough for moderate.

Tier 3: awareness only. The school will note the diagnosis on the child's record and ask class teachers to be aware. There is no programmed intervention. Common at newer or lower fee tier schools. Sometimes acceptable for a confident reader with mild profile, but rarely a fit for a child who needs to be taught to decode.

Need a shortlist of dyslexia-strong schools?

Our school finder tool lets you filter international schools by named literacy programmes and SEN tier. You can also compare up to three schools side by side on intervention model and access arrangements track record.

Access arrangements for IGCSE, IB and A-Level

Both the IB and Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level boards offer formal access arrangements for dyslexic candidates. Common arrangements include extra time, typically 25 percent, use of a word processor, a reader, a scribe in limited cases, and a separate room. The IB also offers access to the dyslexia friendly font on screen examinations and the option to type all responses.

The route to these arrangements is the school, not the parent. The school applies on the candidate's behalf and must hold the supporting assessment, usually no older than three years, in the child's file. Where families relocate frequently, ask early whether the school will accept an existing assessment or require a top up. A late discovery that the existing report is too old can derail exam planning by months. The structurally similar best international schools for dyslexia piece names some of the schools with the strongest exam track record.

Fourteen questions to ask on the school tour

The tour script is designed to reassure. The following questions are designed to reveal.

  1. Which structured literacy programme do you use, and how is it staffed?
  2. How many of your teachers are trained in that programme?
  3. What is your screening pathway from teacher concern to formal assessment?
  4. Do you have an in-house educational psychologist, or do you refer out?
  5. How many children are currently receiving literacy intervention, and across how many year groups?
  6. What does an intervention block look like in dose and duration?
  7. How do you measure progress, and what standardised tests do you use?
  8. How are dyslexia-friendly classroom adjustments communicated to subject teachers?
  9. What is your access arrangements track record for IGCSE, IB or A-Level?
  10. Can our child bring assistive technology such as a laptop or text to speech into class and exams?
  11. How are SEN reviews conducted and how often, and how are parents involved?
  12. How are literacy support fees charged, and is there a family cap?
  13. If our child needs more support than you can offer, how do you tell us, and how soon?
  14. What happens to continuity if the lead literacy specialist leaves?

What it costs, and what is bundled into fees

Classroom accommodations are normally included in tuition. Intervention is almost always charged extra. Per-session pricing ranges from 60 USD in lower cost markets to 150 USD in Geneva, Zurich, Singapore and central London. Termly bundles typically run 1,500 to 4,000 USD per term for structured intervention three to five times per week.

Educational psychologist assessments run from 600 USD to 2,000 USD depending on the city and the depth of the report. Updated reports for exam access arrangements are usually a third of that. Ask whether the school's panel rate is lower than the public price for the same clinician, which is sometimes the case. For the wider picture on what really sits on top of headline tuition, read our breakdown of hidden fees at international schools.

Cities with deeper provision

Some markets simply have more specialist capacity. Dubai and Abu Dhabi, partly because KHDA inspections reward visible SEN provision. Singapore and Hong Kong, where most flagship schools have a learning support centre with structured programmes. London, Geneva, Zurich, Munich and Amsterdam, with strong specialist pools and access to bilingual clinicians. The wider European picture is set out in our SEN at international schools across Europe read.

Markets with thinner provision include parts of Southeast Asia outside Singapore, much of Eastern Europe and several emerging Gulf cities. None of this means a good school cannot be found, but the search list is shorter and the bring your own model is more common.

For families with severe dyslexia profiles, a third consideration is whether the city has a parent community of similar families. Peer connection matters for the child and the parents, and a critical mass of families navigating the same issues at the same school can lift the quality of provision over time as the school responds to consistent demand.

FAQ

Will international schools accept a UK or US dyslexia diagnosis? Generally yes. Most reputable international schools will accept a recent educational psychologist report from your home country. Some will ask for a top-up assessment after enrolment so the in-house team can set their own targets.

Is dyslexia support included in the tuition fees? Light touch classroom accommodations are usually included. Specialist one to one or small group intervention is almost always charged extra. Expect 60 to 150 USD per session depending on the city, or a termly bundle.

Can a child with dyslexia sit the IB or A-Level? Yes. Both boards offer access arrangements such as extra time, a reader, a scribe and word processor use, provided the school applies through the correct channel with the supporting assessment.