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Raising nearly £1,200 by dancing for 6.5 hours can create real opportunities for children. I am super excited to have kick-started the fundraising efforts for Beyond Spelling. I return to school this week and am super excited to start setting up some extra curricular opportunities for children who struggle academically in school. The power of fundraising through passion Spending over six hours dancing was tough as it was a little boring. Ultimately having it filmed was prett

On Saturday, I had the privilege of attending the premiere of What is Dyslexia?—and I left feeling inspired to continue on Beyond Spelling's mission. What “What is Dyslexia?” Got Exactly Right Because this film captures something I see every single day as a teacher, and something that sits at the very heart of why I started Beyond Spelling. Dyslexia is not a deficit. It is not a lack of intelligence. It is not something to be “fixed.” It is a different way of thinking and oft

Embracing Dyslexic Thinking for Career Success In a world that increasingly values diverse ways of thinking, dyslexic individuals are proving to be a unique asset in the workplace. I have been recently talking to Kate Griggs from Made by Dyslexia who has campained to show dyslexia as a strength. She highlights how dyslexic thinking can not only enhance personal growth but also future-proof careers in an ever-evolving job market. The Strengths of Dyslexic Thinking Dyslexic

The report An Unequal Playing Field highlights a powerful and uncomfortable truth: children’s access to opportunities beyond the classroom clubs, music, sport, tutoring remains deeply unequal. And those opportunities matter more than we often acknowledge. This government report is from 2019; yet what has changed in 7 years? The hidden curriculum: opportunity The report highlights why extra-curricular activities are not just “nice to have.” They build confidence, social skill

Phonics is great! As a Year 1 teacher I love teaching phonics and I'm successful at it. I find the lessons fun to plan and think the short 30 minute fast paced format keeps the lesson engaging for children. It is a really successful way of teaching children to read. Breaking down words into sounds (phonemes) and how they are written (graphemes) and teaching children to break down words into little pieces. I teach using letters and sounds and find the lessons well planned ou

The department of Education have noted this yet nothing is done to help children! https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmeduc/342/34205.htm I just had a fantastic call with Kay Carter from the Dyslexia Association about how the focus is phonics phonics phonics yet nothing is done to boost children's confidence in schools otherwise. She pointed me towards some other methods which we know help children to read, feel like they matter and are valued in the e