Support for dyslexic pupils at school

Nerys Roberts

Support for dyslexic pupils in school

Background

According to NHS England, it is estimated that up to 1 in every 10 people in the UK has dyslexia.

The Children and Families Act 2014 provides the statutory basis for the system for identifying children and young people (age 0-25) in England with special educational needs (SEN), assessing their needs and making provision for them. The statutory Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND): Code of practice, first published in 2014, sets out detailed information on the support available for children and young people aged 0 to 25 under the 2014 Act.

Broadly, there are two levels of support:

SEN Support, provided to a child or young person in their pre-school, school, or college.
Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plans which provide a formal basis for support for children and young people who need more support than is available through SEN Support.

Every school is required to identify and address the SEN of the pupils that they support – the Code of Practice says they must “use their best endeavours to make sure that a child with SEN gets the support they need – this means doing everything they can to meet children and young people’s SEN.” (p92)

In the first instance, therefore, it is for a school to support the child’s needs as best they can. Where more formalised support may be necessary, parents may request an EHC needs assessment from their local authority. Schools, and other professionals such as doctors, can also request EHC needs assessments.

A formal diagnosis of dyslexia is not necessary either for support to be provided at school, or for an EHCP – and equally, a diagnosis would not guarantee that an EHC plan will be issued. However, a diagnosis may help the school in providing support, or be important in shaping the type of support a child might receive if they were eligible for an EHC plan.

Policy reform

SEND

The government is currently carrying out a review of the SEND system in England, amid concern it is not delivering consistent outcomes for children and young people, and about overall financial sustainability. It expects to publish plans for reform in a white paper in 2026.

Curriculum and assessment

On 5 November 2025, an independent panel chaired by Professor Becky Francis published its final report following a government-commissioned review of the curriculum and assessments in England. Recommendations relating to learners with SEND included that:

The government should work toward developing evidence-led guidance on curriculum and pedagogical adaptation for those with SEND.
The government and its agencies should explore new access arrangements for those unable to take the Multiplication Tables Check in year four, as well as finding a way to assess the progress of the small number of learners with specific SEND needs who can’t access the Phonics Screening Check (in year one).
The government should also ensure Ofqual, awarding organisations and the DfE work together to consider how awarding organisations can build accessibility into the design of new specifications for GCSEs, AS and A Levels.

Outcomes for pupils with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (SpLDs)

Although the Department for Education (DfE) does not publish attainment data just for dyslexic pupils, it does for the wider category of pupils with SpLDs. SpLD includes other conditions such as dysgraphia, dyscalculia and developmental co-ordination disorder (dyspraxia).

In summer 2025:

At the end of key stage two (end of primary phase), 21% of pupils with a primary SEND need of an SpLD reached the expected standard in all of English reading, writing and mathematics. This compared to 74% of pupils without identified SEND.
3% of end-of key stage four (GCSE phase) pupils with a primary SEND need of a SpLD achieved grade four or above in both of English and maths GCSEs. This compared to 72.3% of those with no identified primary SEND need. A grade four is considered a standard pass, and is broadly equivalent to an ‘old’ low C/ high D grade.
The average Attainment 8 score for pupils with a primary need of SpLD was 34.5, compared to 50.1 for pupils with no identified SEND. Attainment 8 measures performance across a student’s best eight qualifications (with English and maths double-weighted). The maximum any individual pupil could score is 90.

Commentary on current provision

In an October 2025, a report from the charity, the British Dyslexia Association, found:

More than a third of young people said the support they received in school was ‘poor’ or ‘fair’
Nearly 80% believed people assumed they were not clever because they had dyslexia
Children and young people in wealthier households were more likely to have a formal diagnosis: 90% in households with annual income over £100,000 had a diagnosis, compared to 43% of those in households with an income of under £30,000.

The report calls on the Department for Education (DfE) to:

Make children with dyslexia a national priority with a clear strategy and dedicated policy lead.
Ensure early identification and fair access to support with universal assessment and in-classroom screening tools.
Create ‘dyslexia-friendly’ classrooms with a national standard for Special Educational Needs (SEN) support.
Widen the curriculum and assessments, including teaching assistive technology and adapting GCSEs to reflect all learners’ skills.

Parliamentary material

Debates

Educational Assessment System Reform
Westminster Hall | 15 October 2025 | 773 cc149-176WH

Children with SEND: Assessments and Support
Westminster Hall | 15 September 2025 | 772 cc473-526WH

Special Educational Needs: Dyscalculia
House of Lords | 4 June 2025 | 846 cc816-838

Parliamentary questions

Dyslexia: Further Education
22 May 2025 | UIN 52469

Asked by: Caroline Voaden

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support adults with dyslexia to access further education.

Answering member: Janet Daby | Department: Department for Education

All education and training providers, including further education colleges and other related service providers, have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, including those with dyslexia, so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled students. This duty is set out under section 20 of the Equality Act 2010.

There is a range of support on offer for dyslexic students. Students should discuss their needs with the college or education provider before the course begins. The college must explain what support they will provide to meet the person’s individual learning needs, and this support will be reviewed on a regular basis. Support can include assistive technology, coloured overlays or question papers printed on coloured paper note-takers, specialist tuition or additional time in exams.

Disability Rights UK have information available which describes how reasonable adjustments can be provided for students with disabilities.

Government Mission on Opportunity: Equality
07 May 2025 | 766 c664

Asked by: Juliet Campbell

Under the previous Government, there was an increase in inequality and in the attainment gap, and lower performance in core subjects such as maths and science. Dyslexic students and students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in my constituency of Broxtowe have been further disadvantaged by delays and misdiagnosis. What steps is the Minister taking to support young people with dyslexia and ADHD to ensure that they succeed?

Answered by: Bridget Phillipson | Department: Women and Equalities

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising that important issue, which I know will be of concern to Members across the House. The Government know that all too often, children with special educational needs and disabilities do not have the good educational outcomes that we would all want for them. It is really important that we do more to support neurodivergent children and young people, including those with dyslexia and ADHD. That is why we have established a neuro-divergence taskforce—an expert group that will support us to deliver better mainstream inclusion, while ensuring that we have more specialist provision for children who need it. In order to strengthen the evidence base, we have commissioned work from University College London on the most effective tools and strategies to support children with a wide range of needs.