Here are some of our most asked questions.
If you have a question that isn’t answered here email us at office@a1student.com or schedule a call and ask us on our call.
The Arrowsmith Program was created in 1978 by Barbara Arrowsmith-Young to address her own learning challenges.
What makes this program unique is that it does not rely on compensatory strategies. Instead, it targets the root cause of learning difficulties by strengthening the underlying cognitive functions.
Each student receives a personalized program tailored to their specific needs, with progress monitored in real time to ensure they are working on the areas that matter most.
Students advance at their own pace through a series of 19 cognitive exercises, each designed to develop different brain functions.
Today, Arrowsmith is helping students worldwide overcome a wide range of learning difficulties and supporting learners in mainstream environments to build a strong foundation for academic success.
Click here to learn more
To find out how our approach to learning is entirely different and focused on helping our students succeed, click here.
Students enrolled in our full-time and part-time programs typically have average to above-average intelligence but struggle to learn academic and social skills efficiently and independently.
The Arrowsmith Program addresses a broad range of specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, auditory and visual processing disorders, attention challenges, and non-verbal learning difficulties.
It is also designed for individuals who may not have a diagnosed learning disability but experience difficulties with organization, processing, problem-solving, communication, memory, or independence.
To explore whether the Arrowsmith Program is right for you or your child, please book an initial call with Pip Block, Principal, here.
If we believe the program could be beneficial, we’ll recommend a 45-minute consultation where we can meet so you or your child can try some of the exercises.
While this does not guarantee enrollment at A1 Student, it will help determine whether the learning challenges you or your child experience can be addressed through the Arrowsmith Program.
If you or your child fall within the average range of intellectual functioning and experience the types of challenges outlined in our checklist, you are likely a strong candidate for the program.
To learn more about the Arrowsmith Assessment or enrollment, parents or individuals may also wish to complete the free online Arrowsmith Cognitive Questionnaire.
The students at A1 Student typically range in age from seven years old to adults.
Parents of children less than seven years of age are encouraged to contact us and reserve a place for their child once they are old enough to be considered ready for participation. Exceptions will be made for the MSS program.
Yes, we offer a range of programs in school, after school, online and a hybrid model to improve your comprehension, logical reasoning, mathematical skills and memory.
Imagine how much better your child’s life could be if you helped them achieve higher grades? Click to find out more.
Our adult programs are designed to help:
Our online programs can be accessed anytime, anywhere, fitting seamlessly into your busy schedule.
The Arrowsmith Program is designed for individuals experiencing specific learning difficulties (SLD).
By definition, SLD refers to individuals with an average or above-average full-scale intelligence score who struggle with particular areas of learning or academic skill development and the program is best suited for those within the average to above-average range of intellectual functioning.
Conditions such as developmental or intellectual delays typically involve broader impairments in general intellect and functioning, requiring support beyond what the Arrowsmith Program can provide.
In some cases, individuals with learning difficulties who also have high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Asperger’s have benefited from the program.
While Arrowsmith can address cognitive learning challenges, it does not target features specific to ASD and we carefully assess suitability during the admissions process at A1 Student to ensure the program is appropriate for each individual.
To explore whether the Arrowsmith Program is right for you or your child, please book an initial call with Pip Block, Principal, here.
A1 Student has a strong track record of helping individuals overcome attentional difficulties.
Many people with specific learning challenges also experience attention-related issues, which can stem from various underlying causes.
In many cases, these difficulties arise from a combination of learning challenges that make it hard to sustain focus in certain academic situations. Others are linked to challenges in regulating attention itself.
These types of attentional difficulties have shown significant improvement as students engage in targeted cognitive exercises within the Arrowsmith Program.
We offer year-round rolling enrollment and a variety of program delivery options tailored to your needs.
Learn more about our admissions process here.
For inquiries, contact Principal Pip Block at office@a1student.com or schedule a 15-minute call
All students enrolling in the full-time day school and after-school part-time programs at A1 Student are required to complete an Arrowsmith Assessment so that we can design a unique program for each student.
The Accelerator™* Cognitive Learning Program [MSS] and Springboard to NCEA™* After-School Cognitive Learning Programs do not require an initial assessment.
Please contact Principal Pip Block at office@a1student.com for further information.
Yes. We enrol students throughout the year, subject to availability. Click here to find out more about our enrolment process
The assessment identifies each individual’s learning profile and provides the basis for designing an individual program to address a range of specific learning difficulties. Click here to find out more.
Please note the assessment is not used as the basis for determining suitability for the Arrowsmith Program; suitability is determined through the initial consultation.
Yes. An educational psychology (Ed Psych) assessment evaluates a student’s cognitive, academic, and socio-emotional functioning through standardized tests, observations, and interviews to help diagnose conditions such as ADHD or learning difficulties.
The Arrowsmith Assessment is used to measure cognitive performance enabling us to design a personalized program tailored to each student’s needs so they can make the fastest possible gains.
Click here to learn more.
Please note the assessment is not used as the basis for determining suitability for the Arrowsmith Program; suitability is determined through an initial consultation at A1 Student School.
The assessment of students enrolling is conducted by one of our trained Arrowsmith teachers at A1 Student.
The tests are scored and analysed by Arrowsmith School in Canada.
Individuals will spend a day at A1 Student or online (if necessary) completing an assessment which will identify their unique learning profile.
The assessment is made up of tests designed by Barbara Arrowsmith Young as well as standardised cognitive and achievement tests.
The outcome of the assessment will provide recommendations for enrolment and programming options.
This depends entirely on the student however students usually enrol for a minimun of a year of full-time attendance before returning to a full academic program in a public or private school or other educational organization at his or her appropriate grade level.
However, some of our students have returned to the mainstream in under a year.
The Arrowsmith Program Research Team is led by Barbara Arrowsmith-Young, Director of the Arrowsmith Program.
Click here to read more about the evidence based research studies.
Learning difficulties affect an estimated 10–20% of the population. Traditional approaches often improve academic skills in targeted areas, but they rarely address the root cause.
Independent studies over the past two decades consistently show that the Arrowsmith Program works—helping children and young people make meaningful progress.
In addition, you may also care to read/watch some of the testimonials from past students.
Students tracked by Arrowsmith for over thirty years after completing the program have continued to sustain their improvements.
Once these gains are established, individuals preserve them by actively engaging their strengthened cognitive areas in daily life.
Yes.
For decades, people believed that being born with a learning difficulty meant living with it for life, with the only option being to compensate and work around the challenge.
Today, we know that by harnessing neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to create new neural pathways—learning difficulties can be effectively addressed.
This groundbreaking approach was pioneered by Barbara Arrowsmith-Young, who developed one of the first programs applying neuroplasticity principles to learning challenges.
Barbara began using these principles in 1978 to overcome her own learning difficulties. Today, the Arrowsmith Program operates globally, backed by more than 40 years of experience transforming lives and helping individuals overcome a wide range of learning challenges.
At first, it may seem counterintuitive to remove a child from a mainstream classroom that teaches core subjects. However, our experience shows that students in the full-time program typically overcome their learning difficulties more quickly and effectively. This allows them to return to mainstream classes with greater confidence and start achieving stronger academic results sooner.
Watch Principal Pip Block explain why this approach works.
Why keep a child in an environment where they are struggling to learn—often leading to anxiety and unhappiness—when there is a proven alternative?
Before intervention where students are falling behind by at least half a year, each year after completing the program they learn faster than their peers.
Watch Principal Pip Block explain our students’ before and after results of Arrowsmith.
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