Bell House Advice Surgeries - Dyslexia and Literacy Difficulties

Do you have concerns about your child’s literacy? Have you or your child’s school noticed that they are having difficulties with reading or spelling? Perhaps you are looking for ways to help them with homework and revision, or are considering a dyslexia screening or assessment.

Sometimes it is really hard to know where to start…

Come and have a chat with an experienced dyslexia specialist at Bell House! We offer free, 1:1 appointments and can offer advice such as how to help your child at home, suggestions to make reading and spelling less of a chore, conversations you could have with school, access arrangements and dyslexia screening and assessments.

Even if you’re not sure what you want to know, come and tell us what you’re noticing and we can take it from there.

Upcoming dates: 4th October, 11th October, 18th October, 15th November, 22nd November, 29th November and 6th December.

Available slots can be found above, with each session being 25 minutes.

Our Specialists volunteer their time to offer these sessions where the demand is very high. We kindly ask that in the event you are unable to attend, to please cancel your ticket via Eventbrite to allow other families to book.

We encourage you to join the waiting list should a date be fully booked. Please send an email to dyslexia@bellhouse.co.uk with your name, phone number and preferred date & time, and we'll notify you should a slot become available.

Please note:

• You will need to complete a short form at checkout. We will use this to determine which specialist is most suitable for you.
• Our specialists are experienced in teaching children and young people, and are unable to offer advice to adults with dyslexia.
• These sessions are held in person and are not available online.
• Parents/Guardians are welcome to attend on their own or with their children. However, we are unable to accommodate unsupervised children.

About the Specialists:

Angela Gurling

Angela is a Specialist Dyslexia Teacher, working in schools to provide targeted Literacy support for children, as well as offering 1:1 tuition from her home. Angela draws on 20 years experience as a Class Teacher in state-sector Primary Schools. She is keen to share her experiences of working with children from the Early Years upwards, and provide support for parents and children.

Blanka Tighremt

Blanka is a Specialist Teacher and Assessor holding a Level 7 qualification in Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia) with current AMBDA, PPM and an APC. She has worked in a local, state primary school for 10 years as a Higher Level Teaching Assistant and dyslexia specialist. She currently works for an independent school, along with assessing privately. She is passionate about providing support for children and their families because she knows how hard it can be to get information and find support.

Karen Murcott

Karen is a Specialist Teacher and Assessor holding a Level 7 qualification in Specific Learning Difficulties with current AMBDA and an APC. Since 2019, she has led the Dyslexia Screening and Assessment Service at Bell House, helping families to understand their child's profile and how it affects educational attainment. Karen has over 20 years teaching experience and is passionate about helping those who learn differently.

Lydia Baldwin

Lydia is a specialist dyslexia teacher and assessor, currently pursuing a Masters in Dyslexia at UCL (finishing in September 2025). A graduate in English Literature with a first career at IBM, Lydia moved into education as a Higher Level Teaching Assistant at a local primary school in 2014 with the aim of helping children tackle their difficulties with reading. After eight years supporting children with literacy difficulties and SEND, Lydia undertook an MA in dyslexia in order to qualify as a specialist. She left her HLTA role in May 2023 to focus on dyslexia teaching and assessing.

Madeleine Hay

Madeleine is a Level 5 dyslexia teacher, providing specialist support in schools as well as dyslexia tutoring in her home classroom. She is passionate about helping dyslexic students succeed at school and explore ways in which they can increase their understanding of how they learn.

Ruth Pierce

Ruth is a qualified specialist dyslexia teacher and assessor. She has over 25 years of SEN teaching experience in a variety of education settings including both primary and secondary schools; as a local authority consultant; teaching in a local authority dyslexia resource base and in a special school for students with Social, Emotional and Behavioural difficulties. Ruth is passionate about inclusive education and is keen to ensure that all families can access free advice and support around their child’s learning needs.

Find us:

Bell House is located in Dulwich Village near Dulwich Park, Dulwich Picture Gallery and Christ's Chapel. It has easy access from central London with three nearby stations - West Dulwich, North Dulwich and Herne Hill. It is served by the P4 bus and is close to the South Circular.