Dyslexia Awareness NI

14/08/2026

Hard truth: As a parent, this headline can either make your heart soar with pride or sink with sadness for your child, depending on his/her educational experience. Either way, what we hope it doesn’t do is make your child feel they are any less capable of success than others.

Congratulations to every student receiving their A level results yesterday, whether those results were A*s, As, Bs, or simply a level of personal achievement they were striving for. Every success deserves recognition. ❤️

The headlines are celebrating record results, with Northern Ireland described as the best performing UK nation, with 30.7% of grades at A or A*. Department of Education NI and Education Authority should feel proud.

But from a dyslexia advocacy perspective, we also need to ask: who is represented in these numbers, and who isn’t?

A level results measure the achievement of students who have reached and chosen an academic post 16 pathway. They don’t represent the educational experience or outcomes of every young person.

Northern Ireland’s own equality data show just how significant this caveat is. In the School Leavers Survey (2021), 60% of pupils not entitled to free school meals achieved three A levels, compared with 33% of those entitled to free school meals. For pupils without SEN, 58% achieved three A levels, compared with 25% of those with SEN at stages 1 to 2 and 17% at stage 3.

The Equality Commission also highlights concerns around children with specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia, and the barriers that can arise when identification and appropriate support are not available early enough.

So yes, let’s celebrate the students who worked hard and achieved the results they hoped for.

But let’s also think about equity of access to every pathway. Academic, vocational, technical, apprenticeship or employment. Every young person should have the literacy skills, support and confidence they need to access the route that is right for them.

For children with dyslexia (identified or not) and other learning differences, early identification of gaps in skills and appropriate support (not in competition for support with peers who are performing lower) can make a profound difference.

Literacy isn’t simply about achieving an A level grade. It is about being able to access learning, understand information, communicate, participate, and reach their potential.

The question shouldn’t only be “How many students got top grades?” It should also be:
“How many young people have been given the literacy skills, opportunity and support to access the route they choose?”

That is an education story we should be measuring too.

Let’s keep working towards an education system where every learner has genuine access to opportunity and the chance to discover what they can do.

Northern Ireland best performing with 30.7% of grades being As and A*s but Wales and England close behind

13/08/2026

Very good podcast episode with literacy expert Jennifer Buckingham about her time in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and ROI.

https://podtail.com/no/podcast/education-research-reading-room/errr-096-jennifer-buckingham-on-literacy-instructi

Here is her full report:https://fivefromfive.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/projectReport-BUCKINGHAMJenniferChurchillFellowshipReport-2.pdf

Northern Ireland starts on page 41.

In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Buckingham describes key instructional and policy differences between the UK, Ireland, and Australia, and how these contribute to differing literacy levels and achievemen... – Lytt til ERRR #096. Jennifer Buckingham on Literacy Instruction & Policy in the UK, Ireland ...

05/08/2026

Two important documents have recently been published about the future of specialist provision for children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in Northern Ireland.

The first is the Education Authority's Draft Refreshed SEN Framework for Specialist Provision, which sets out proposals to increase specialist provision in response to growing demand. The scale of that demand is clear, and it's encouraging to see recognition that more support is needed.

The second is the Children's Law Centre’s response, which raises important questions about both the proposals and the consultation process itself.

The response highlights concerns including:

💡Whether enough time was given to properly consider and respond to proposals that could have a significant impact on children and young people with SEN.

💡Whether holding much of the consultation during the final weeks of the school year and over the summer holidays limited meaningful engagement from schools, families and professionals.

💡Whether the consultation asks the right questions about the future of SEN provision.

💡Whether the proposals begin with the assumption that simply expanding specialist provision is the solution, rather than opening a broader conversation about what an inclusive education system should look like.

💡Whether children's rights, meaningful participation and long-term inclusion are being placed at the centre of decision-making.

Many children with literacy difficulties, dyslexia and other additional learning needs struggle because the right support is not available early enough. High-quality classroom teaching, timely intervention and access to specialist expertise all have an important role to play.

This has been a consistent message across reviews, reports and research over the past two decades. We are happy to provide them to anyone interested. ‼️

This is NOT just a conversation about creating more specialist places, which will inevitably involve decisions about funding, staffing, capacity and policy.

It's also a conversation about how early children's needs are recognised and supported, and whether more can be done before they reach the point of needing specialist provision.

The decisions made now will shape the educational experiences of children and young people across Northern Ireland for years to come, making the Education Authority and Department of Education NI’s meaningful engagement with children, families, educators and other key stakeholders essential.

https://www.eani.org.uk/publications/consultations/draft-refreshed-sen-framework-for-specialist-provision-public

https://childrenslawcentre.org.uk/consultation-responses/ (2026 Refreshed Framework for Specialist Provision).

Name Download Name Download Policy Submissions 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 Pre-2015

07/07/2026

Thank you, Georgia Ryan - Dyslexic Warrior for sharing this and for continuing to use your journey to help pave the way for a brighter future for children around the world. We’re proud to stand with you.

Not being able to read is NEVER a child’s fault!
It is our policy makers, universities and education systems that need to ensure every teacher has the training, resources and tools to teach EVERY child how to read.
We have the knowledge.
NO child should be left behind!

Quote is from the awesome Jodi Snowdon and the team at Dyslexia Awareness NI (DANI)

17/06/2026

At Dyslexia Awareness NI, we see the children and young people who may face challenges in education, receive little recognition for their efforts, or sometimes feel that their achievements go unnoticed.

We know that academic success is just one part of your story.

We see the resilience behind every challenge faced, the courage it takes to keep going when learning is difficult, and the determination shown every single day.

We believe that creativity, kindness, problem-solving, innovation and perseverance are just as valuable as any achievement.

To every young person who has struggled, doubted themselves, or felt overlooked: we see you, we believe in you, and we know your worth cannot be measured by certificates, awards, or grades.

Your story is bigger than any result, and your future is bigger than any grade.

Wishing you a summer filled with relaxation, adventure, and time spent exploring the interests, talents and passions that may one day become your superpower.

31/05/2026

Another event with excellent presentations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLXprgavAJA&feature=youtu.be

Reflections on Carl Hendrick's presentation and TransformEdI:

Access to Knowledge

One of the most powerful themes from Carl Hendrick’s discussion was the idea that access to knowledge is a matter of equity.

Great Teaching and the Science of Learning

Across Northern Ireland, teachers are making a difference to pupils every day. Carl suggested that the Science of Learning helps explain and articulate many of the practices that effective teachers have long used.

Long Before TransformEd NI

Long before the Department of Education NI began promoting evidence-aligned practices informed by the Science of Learning, great teachers were building knowledge-rich classrooms, checking for understanding, addressing misconceptions, and ensuring important learning was revisited and retained.

The Science of Learning does not diminish this expertise. It helps explain it, strengthen it, and make it more accessible across the profession.

Northern Ireland's Opportunity

Carl highlighted Northern Ireland’s opportunity to become an international model for evidence-aligned practice through collaboration, reflective practice, and subject-specific pedagogy. Success would be measured not simply by the proportion of high-performing pupils, but by the system’s ability to improve outcomes for all learners.

Key points from Dyslexia Awareness NI:

Neurodiversity and Equity

For neurodivergent learners in particular, this is a social justice issue. For many pupils with dyslexia, difficulties with reading, spelling, and written language can limit access to learning long before their intelligence, creativity, and potential are recognised. Structured Literacy provides an evidence-aligned approach that is beneficial for all learners, but essential for those with dyslexia. Through explicit, systematic, cumulative, and diagnostic instruction, it helps pupils develop the foundational skills needed for successful reading and writing. By ensuring that support is guided by an understanding of each learner’s strengths and areas of need, rather than their background, circumstances, or ability to compensate for difficulties, Structured Literacy helps create more equitable access to education and opportunity.

The Capacity Challenge

Meaningful change requires more than evidence alone. Many teachers are already navigating significant workloads, including extensive paperwork to access support for pupils with additional needs. The challenge is not recognising the value of evidence-aligned practices, but finding the capacity to engage with them.

The Cost of Unmet Need

When literacy difficulties are not identified and addressed effectively, attainment gaps widen, access to the curriculum narrows, and learners are prevented from demonstrating what they know and can do. Much of the discussion centres on the cost of support, but far less attention is given to why those costs continue to rise. A system that relies on creating policies with strict criteria for identifying failure, producing reports, and triaging need will always be more expensive than one that consistently implements evidence-aligned practices to prevent difficulties from becoming entrenched. As inequalities deepen, Northern Ireland bears the long-term social and economic costs of low attainment. Evidence-aligned practices offer a different path, one that focuses on strengths, removes barriers, and helps more young people participate fully in education, employment, and community life while unlocking untapped potential. the challenge now is not whether we know what works, but whether Department of Education NI is willing to create the conditions to implement it consistently and at scale.

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16/05/2026

It's incredible to reflect on this lineup of international thought leaders and local educators who came together to present at this event.

The Department of Education NI still have an incredibly long way to go in building capacity in schools and creating inclusive policies that ensure literacy and numeracy attainment for all students, including those with dyslexia, dyscalculia, and other neurodiversities, as well as students in low socioeconomic communities, but it's worth pausing to celebrate this milestone.

12/05/2026

Dr. Jennifer Buckingham (Australia) has contributed to important literacy reform conversations in Northern Ireland, including through the Department of Education NI's TransformED initiative, though her engagement with literacy policy and practice across the region began earlier through her Churchill Fellowship research.

She was appointed to the International Ministerial Advisory Panel on curriculum and assessment reform in Northern Ireland.

As part of her Churchill Fellowship, she conducted a major investigation into literacy instruction and policy across Ireland. Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. https://www.churchilltrust.com.au/fellow/jennifer-buckingham-nsw-2022/

Here is Dr. Buckingham's presentation from December 2025 at the first literacy conference: https://youtu.be/ZsPqRjeKA1s?si=ZWBQ-nSBbeGDPcOg

12/05/2026

Go, Michelle! We are so very proud of your dedication to evidence aligned literacy practices and dyslexia awareness! 🌟

12/05/2026

What lucky attendees! Jodi Snowdon from DANI had the pleasure of representing DANI alongside Maria in this Science of Reading webinar at St. Marys in 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvz96xoDDks