Assessment Practising Certificate – APC

An APC is effectively a licence to practise. It confirms that you have the appropriate qualifications to undertake full diagnostic assessments and that your professional practice is up-to-date and has been externally verified as continuing to meet defined competence standards. 

The APC Certificate is issued for three years and confirms that you have the knowledge, skills and competences to assess the detailed requirements of individuals with dyslexia/SpLD. 

• The Department for Education (DfE) requires that specialist teachers or support tutors who undertake specialist assessments are competent and qualified to do so.
• Only APC holders can undertake diagnostic assessment reports for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) applications
• The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) also recognises that for the purposes of Examination Access Arrangements a specialist assessor is “… a specialist teacher with a current SpLD Assessment Practising Certificate”

An Assessment Practising Certificate is a quality assurance standard ensuring that qualified assessors work within the rigorous regulations, are up to date with changes and best practice within each facet of psychological assessment and report writing.  It is a standard that is highly respected by clients, employers, organisations and other professionals.

Full application and eligibility requirements can be found in the brochure above. To obtain an APC:

• must have current Dyslexia Guild membership at MDG grade

• you must be a qualified specialist literacy teacher assessor in dyslexia/SpLD
  Please click here for the SASC list of approved courses
  Please click here for the training routes we offer
  or
• have at least seven years experience in providing full diagnostic assessments

Please note: it is not possible to use the Level 7 (Postgraduate) Certificate: Teaching for Maths-Related Difficulties in the pathway to gaining an APC (please see the SASC website for further details relating to maths qualifications).

PLUS

• all applicants must meet the SASC requirements relating to Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

The above requirements are essential and must be met PRIOR to making an application, please read the brochure to ensure you are prepared before making an application.

Other useful documents:

• Flowchart of routes to obtain an APC
• CPD Log (you will need to be logged in as a Guild Member to access this document)
• View general SASC guidance and information downloads

If you have any further queries after reading the detailed brochure above please email the APC Administrator at apc@dyslexiaaction.org.uk

You can now apply or renew your Assessment Practising Certificate (APC) online, see routes below:

Ensure your Guild membership is current.

• Route 1, 2,  renewal – Submit your application here
  
• Contact the APC team at apc@dyslexiaaction.org.uk regarding re-submission costs.

Please note:

1.Your application process will not start until all fees are paid in full (if your organisation are paying for your application you must ensure that they pay the fee in a timely manner, your application process will not begin until payment has been received) 

2.Dyslexia Action fees are the same as all three APC issuing bodies which are set by the SpLD Assessment Standards Committee (SASC) and are detailed below (fees apply from 2018 and may be subject to change after this time).

3.All fees include a charge for registration on the SASC website for the life of the APC certificate (3 years)

Thank you for sending through detailed feedback on my submission.  May I take this opportunity to thank Dyslexia Action for providing thorough feedback on my two APC submissions.
G.M.