Recently I presented to my local PATOSS group about the recent past, present and future of dyslexia. I told the story using a suitcase full of objects. Each object represented a moment in the story of dyslexia and what I think the future holds. Together, they told a story of progress, setbacks, uncertainty and precarious hope.
A vlog-blog post…
The 2026 SEND reforms set out an ambitious vision for a more equitable system. There is much to welcome, particularly the focus on early identification, needs-led support, and greater consistency across schools. But as I have read, listened and reflected, one question keeps coming back to me: where are dyslexia and Maths SpLD in all of this?
This is not a question about labels or definitions. It is about whether the underlying developmental needs associated with dyslexia and dyscalculia are clearly recognised within the proposed framework. Because if they are not, there is a real risk that these learners, already too often overlooked, will continue to be so.
This piece sets out why I believe there is a gap, and why it matters.
If spelling feels confusing, you are not alone. It can feel frustrating when words seem to “change their spelling” when you add endings (suffixes), and rules can seem arbitrary and difficult to learn. But here’s the good news: there just three main rules when it comes to adding suffixes, and they all exist for one simple reason, which is to protect how the word sounds.
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Talking Dyslexia Episode 6: Talking Dyslexia is a podcast from Talamo and the British Dyslexia Association. Hosted by Ellen Broome and Jamie Wace, each episode explores what dyslexia really means at school, at work, and in everyday life.
Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is one of the most common yet least known neurodevelopmental conditions, affecting around two children in every classroom. Like dyslexia, it runs in families, has a genetic basis, and persists into adulthood, but unlike dyslexia, awareness of DLD remains strikingly low. Many children and young people with DLD are still unidentified, often misunderstood as having general learning or behavioural difficulties. Yet DLD is not a passing phase; it is a lifelong condition that affects how words and sentences are understood and used.
Literacy underpins every aspect of our education system—but for dyslexic learners, this can feel like a relentless and discouraging truth. Imagine if students could demonstrate their strengths across the curriculum without being limited by pencil and paper. With the rise of technology and AI, I’m hopeful that the metacognitive (thinking) process behind writing will be given its rightful place—and dyslexic learners better supported to flourish. But hope alone isn’t enough. We must get the teaching right. That’s why I welcome the new Writing Framework: too many dyslexic students reach secondary school without secure foundations, and the opportunity to close the gap has already been lost.
This is not good enough. Most children don’t learn to write through creativity alone—and many are left feeling broken by the well-meaning but misguided message that they must read and write for pleasure. What they really need is to read and write for purpose.
Last week I was pleased to join The Send Network Podcast to discuss why an estimated 1 million school children in the UK affected by dyslexia are being overlooked.
We’re all familiar with that moment of panic when you realise you have 10 minutes to prepare for a staff INSET and you have nothing. There’s no time to scan the internet and digest the research – you need something now! In this article I’m offering you 5 zero prep ideas for staff CPD. The focus is on dyslexia, but bear in mind that the most impactful CPD focuses on strategies for high quality teaching, which, of course, are helpful for all learners, not just those with dyslexia.
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