Assessment Matters

In 1997, Kerry obtained her Masters degree in Social Science (Psychology), graduating with Cum Laude from the University of Natal, South Africa.  She then completed a year internship at The Browns’ School, a school for children with long-term learning disorders, Cerebral Palsy and Autism. In July 1998, Kerry registered as an Educational Psychologist in South Africa and opened her own psychology practice. She also worked as a school psychologist in a private primary school and lectured at a private teachers’ training college, lecturing students in Child Development and Barriers To Learning.

 

Kerry and her young family emigrated to the Gold Coast in 2008 and in 2009 she registered with the Psychology Board of Australia as a General Psychologist.  She is a Member of the Australian Psychological Society.

 

On her arrival in Australia, Kerry worked in a private psychology practice, conducting assessments and providing therapeutic intervention for children, adolescents and young adults.  For the last ten years, Kerry has worked as a school psychologist in a private school on the Gold Coast, providing counselling support, conducting psycho-educational and psychological assessments for students, working collaboratively with teachers and key school staff to provide the best possible outcomes for students, and providing parental advice for parents regarding school-related concerns, from issues such as friendship struggles to the management of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

 

In 2021 Kerry decided to start her own practice again, on Australian soil, and so Assessment Matters was born.  Kerry is passionate about ensuring children with school-related difficulties undergo assessment so that they can receive the most appropriate adjustments, support and intervention.  Through assessment, children who are intellectually ‘gifted’ are also recognised and relevant adjustments are implemented so that they can achieve their intellectual potential.

 

Furthermore, Kerry has a keen interest in ensuring children are holistically school-ready before they start Preparatory.  The short and long-term effects of sending children to formal schooling before they are ready can be detrimental to a young person’s development and mental health.  

 

Kerry looks forward to helping you gain insight into your child’s learning profile. She hopes that following assessment, you and your child’s teachers will have a deeper understanding of your child’s ability, an awareness of the underlying reasons for any academic-related challenges, and a recognition of a needs-specific support plan which will provide the best possible outcomes for your child’s educational journey.

 

Assessment matters.