It’s no secret that I didn’t do very well at school. I found reading and writing difficult (I was 38 when I finally read my first novel). I felt misunderstood and, quite frankly, dumb. While making my documentary on dyslexia, I had to face those corrosive feelings and return to the classroom – that’s where change urgently needs to happen. I talked to pupils, parents and teachers and was blown away by how many reached out to share their experiences. Never before in my 25 years in the public eye have I received such emotional and overwhelming responses.
That’s because dyslexia is a big deal and it cuts deep, with at least ten million dyslexic people in the UK right now. What came through in nearly all the stories shared is that our school days are foundational in how we feel about ourselves, our place in the world and our future opportunities.
It wasn’t my teachers that were the problem, but our education system. It’s simply not built to support dyslexia or neurodiversity, which together represent a whopping 25% of every classroom. That’s why this issue is so important to me. It’s this 25% of kids that slip through the cracks.
In my day (the 1980s), I was removed from class to go to “special needs”, which is now referred to as Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). I’m not a fan of this title, either, particularly when it comes to building young people’s self-esteem. There’s certainly nothing special about excluding a quarter of kids in every classroom.
We need change. We need to recognise that dyslexic brains just think and express their learning in a different way. Embracing that will be a game-changer for our kids with dyslexia, but studies show the whole class thrives in an inclusive classroom. It’s better for everyone.
Our education system needs to be fundamentally reimagined. If it only works for some kids, it’s broken. I’ve called on Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to introduce two key actions that would kickstart quick change, both of which are possible.
Teachers are already under so much pressure, yet every single teacher I’ve spoken to wants to support all kids. Let’s equip them with the skills and knowledge they’re passionately asking for. They need mandatory up-to-date, dyslexia- and neurodiversity-friendly teacher training, at the outset of their career, but also later, with ongoing development. These are practical, useful changes that would make such a big difference to the way our kids learn at school, to the way they feel about themselves, and to their future prospects.
Tell Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson why she has to act now — tweet @bphillipsonMP using #ComeOnBridget with your story. Jamie’s Dyslexia Revolution is on Monday at 9pm C4
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