Guide To Dyslexia Support In Schools
If your child has dyslexia, or you are a teacher looking to ensure you can give your students the very best education, it’s essential you understand how to provide effective dyslexia support in schools.
Dyslexia impacts students in vastly different ways. For some students, targeted literacy intervention is the best course of action, while for others, simple classroom adjustments, assistive technology or additional time to process information can be more beneficial.
In this latest guide, we explore the current situation in educational facilities, as well as SEN support, classroom strategies, and practical resources to help children access learning.
What is SEN support in schools?
So, what is SEN support in schools? SEN support is the additional help provided by an educational setting when a child has special educational needs that require support beyond what is normally available to other pupils of the same age. It is tailored to the individual child's needs and can include adapted teaching, targeted interventions, additional resources and specialist support.
A child does not need a formal diagnosis of dyslexia before receiving SEN support. Schools should first identify children's needs through observation, assessment, monitoring and discussions with parents and pupils, then respond appropriately.
It is also important to understand the difference between SEN support and an Education, Health and Care Plan, or EHCP. An EHCP is intended for children and young people whose needs require provision beyond what their school or other educational setting can ordinarily provide. This means that parents should not necessarily wait for a formal dyslexia assessment before asking what support can be provided, as a school can respond to an identified educational need while assessment or diagnosis is still being considered.
The graduated approach – Assess, Plan, Do, Review
A key part of SEN support in schools is the graduated approach of Assess, Plan, Do, Review. This process is designed to be repeated so that support can be adjusted as a child's needs and progress become clearer.
- Assess
The class teacher and SENCO gather information about the child's strengths, difficulties and progress. This may involve classroom observation, assessment results, examples of work and conversations with parents and the child. A formal diagnosis is not required.
- Plan
The school, parents and child should agree what support will be provided and what outcomes they are working towards. The plan should identify specific strategies, interventions, responsibilities and review dates.
- Do
The agreed support is implemented. The class teacher remains responsible for the child's education, with the SENCO providing advice and coordinating provision. Teaching assistants or specialists may provide additional targeted support where appropriate.
- Review
Progress is reviewed, normally at least termly. If a strategy is working, it can be continued or developed. If progress remains limited, the school should consider what needs to change.
The role of the SENCO
The Special Educational Needs Coordinator, or SENCO, coordinates SEN provision within a school. For parents, they are an important point of contact when a child is experiencing persistent difficulties, although responsibility for dyslexia support in schools does not sit with the SENCO alone. The SEND Code of Practice makes clear that teachers are responsible for the progress and development of the pupils in their class, including pupils with SEN. The SENCO provides advice, coordination and specialist knowledge, while classroom teachers remain central to putting appropriate strategies into practice.
Parents may find it useful to request a dedicated meeting with the SENCO rather than relying solely on a general parents' evening. This provides an opportunity to discuss the child's needs, existing SEN support, progress and possible next steps in more detail.
The SENCO also plays an important role in exam access arrangements, including coordinating the evidence required for eligible pupils.
Dyslexia support in schools
Effective dyslexia support in schools begins with identifying what a child is finding difficult. However, each student can experience difficulties differently, so remember that what works for one pupil may not suit another.
The SEND framework does not require a formal dyslexia diagnosis before a school can provide SEN support, so schools should begin by considering the child's educational needs and the barriers affecting their ability to access learning. The Equality Act 2010 also places duties on schools regarding disabled pupils, including making reasonable adjustments where the legal criteria are met.
For parents, it can be useful to focus conversations with the school on practical evidence. For example, what does the child find difficult? How does this affect their learning? How often does it happen? What has helped?
Dyslexia support in primary schools
Early identification is an important part of dyslexia support in schools, and the SEND Code of Practice emphasises identifying and meeting needs early. At primary age, possible signs of literacy difficulties can include:
- Slow or hesitant reading development
- Inconsistent spelling
- Difficulty blending sounds
- Weak phonological awareness
- Confusion between similar letters
- Difficulty remembering sequences
- Difficulty following several instructions at once
- A noticeable difference between verbal ability and written work.
While these signs do not automatically indicate dyslexia, they can give teachers and parents a reason to look more closely at a child's progress.
Primary school SEN support may include structured reading or phonics intervention, multisensory teaching, additional processing time, access to a teaching assistant and adapted classroom resources. Practical tools can also form part of a broader support strategy. For example, coloured overlays can be trialled with children who experience visual discomfort or visual stress, while reading rulers can help some pupils keep their place when reading. A dyslexia-friendly classroom can benefit all pupils as well. Clear fonts, sensible spacing, uncluttered displays, visual prompts and short instructions can all make classroom information easier to process.
Dyslexia support in secondary schools
The move to secondary school can bring significant changes for dyslexic pupils. Instead of working mainly with one class teacher, students have several subject teachers, move between classrooms and become increasingly responsible for homework, equipment, deadlines and organisation.
The volume and complexity of written information can also increase, with students expected to read lengthy texts, take notes while listening, produce extended written answers and organise coursework across several subjects. This makes consistent dyslexia support in schools particularly important during the transition to secondary education.
SEN support in secondary schools can include a combination of classroom adaptations, targeted intervention, assistive technology and regular monitoring, and students may also benefit from having a named member of staff they can approach when they need help. Consistency is also important, and if the SENCO recommends that a pupil receive instructions in smaller steps, use specific technology, or access particular resources, subject teachers need to understand how and when to use those strategies.
Exam access arrangements are also an important part of SEN support in secondary schools. Depending on the student's individual needs and the relevant examination regulations, arrangements may include extra time, a reader, a computer reader, a scribe or the use of a word processor. However, these arrangements are not automatically granted because a student has dyslexia. Schools and examination centres must establish evidence of need and consider the student's normal way of working.
For that reason, parents should raise the subject well before important examinations, giving schools enough time to understand the student's needs, gather appropriate evidence and ensure that any approved arrangements reflect how the student normally works.
Dyslexia support in mainstream schools
Most children with dyslexia attend mainstream schools, and appropriate dyslexia support helps many pupils access the curriculum successfully. Mainstream schools have responsibilities around identifying and supporting pupils with SEN, and they must also meet their duties under equality legislation where a pupil is disabled.
For parents trying to understand the school's approach, a good place to start is the SEN information report. Schools and academies are required to publish information explaining their approach to identifying, assessing and supporting pupils with SEN; however, you can also ask questions, such as:
- How does the school identify literacy difficulties?
- Who is the SENCO?
- What SEN support is available?
- Which reading interventions are used?
- How are teachers informed about individual pupils' needs?
- What assistive technology is available?
- How are exam access arrangements considered?
If a child's needs cannot be adequately met through the school's existing provision despite appropriate and sustained SEN support, parents may wish to explore whether an EHC needs assessment is appropriate. This can provide a more detailed and legally enforceable description of a child's educational, health and social care needs and the provision required to support them.
Classroom support strategies for dyslexia
Good dyslexia support in schools does not necessarily require teachers to completely change the way they teach. In fact, many useful strategies are simple adjustments that can improve accessibility for a wide range of learners.
How to support dyslexia in the classroom?
There are several practical ways teachers can support dyslexic pupils, including:
1) Break instructions into smaller steps
Long verbal instructions can be difficult to remember. Giving one or two instructions at a time and backing them up with written or visual prompts can make tasks easier to follow.
2) Allow processing time
A child may understand a question but need longer to process it and formulate a response. Allowing additional thinking time can reduce unnecessary pressure.
3) Provide lesson information in advance
Where practical, sharing key vocabulary, reading material, or a brief lesson outline before a lesson can help pupils become familiar with new information.
4) Use accessible presentation
Clear fonts, appropriate spacing, good contrast and uncluttered pages can make written information easier to access. Some children also find cream or buff backgrounds more comfortable.
5) Use multisensory teaching
Combining visual, auditory and kinaesthetic approaches can reinforce learning. For example, pupils might see a letter, hear its sound and trace its shape.
6) Check understanding
Rather than asking "Do you understand?", ask the child to explain what they need to do first. This can reveal misunderstandings without putting them on the spot.
7) Build in movement
Short brain breaks or opportunities to move can help some pupils manage attention and cognitive fatigue.
Reading support for dyslexia
Reading support should reflect the child's specific needs. Structured literacy approaches use explicit, systematic instruction in reading skills, including phonics and sound-letter relationships, while multisensory learning can also be incorporated into literacy teaching, allowing pupils to engage with sounds, letters, and words in different ways.
For some pupils, practical reading aids can make every day reading more comfortable. As mentioned, coloured overlays and reading rulers are great tools for boosting comprehension, while audiobooks and supported reading can also help children engage with age-appropriate stories and information while continuing to develop their reading skills.
Writing support for dyslexia
From generating ideas, organising their thoughts, and remembering to spell and physically produce the text, writing can place several demands on a child at once. Allowing laptops or tablets for longer writing tasks can reduce some of these demands, while speech-to-text tools and spellcheckers can provide further assistance where appropriate.
Writing frames, sentence starters and mind maps can help pupils organise their ideas before beginning a task. Reducing unnecessary copying from the board is another simple adjustment, and providing printed or digital notes allows the pupil to concentrate on the lesson rather than copying information accurately while keeping up with the teaching. A structure such as the Think, Plan, Write, Review model can also help children develop an organised approach to extended writing.
Spelling support for dyslexia
Spelling instruction should focus on patterns rather than simply asking children to memorise unrelated lists, and teaching common prefixes, suffixes, and word structures can help pupils understand how words are constructed. The Look, Cover, Write, Check approach provides a consistent routine, and a personal spelling journal can let a child record commonly misspelt words and the strategies they use to remember them.
It can also help to separate spelling from composition. When a child is writing creatively or answering a longer question, correcting every spelling mistake as they work can interrupt the development of their ideas. Assistive technology can also provide additional support. Built-in spellcheckers, writing software, and speech-to-text tools can help pupils show what they know without spelling or transcription becoming an unnecessary barrier.
General classroom adjustments
Simple environmental changes can form an important part of SEN support. For example, a pupil may benefit from sitting where they can see the board clearly and where distractions are limited, while teachers can further support spoken instructions with written or visual prompts and give children time to process questions before expecting an answer.
It is equally important to recognise a child's strengths. Dyslexia affects particular areas of learning, but it does not determine a child's intelligence, creativity, interests or future potential.
SEN support plans and implementation
A good SEN support plan should make clear what a child needs, what the school will provide, and how progress will be assessed.
What should a SEN support plan include?
Each plan is unique to each child, but most commonly includes:
- The child's name, class and date of the plan
- The child's strengths as well as areas of difficulty
- Specific and measurable outcomes
- Interventions and classroom strategies
- Who is responsible for each element of support
- How often support will be provided
- Where support will take place
- How progress will be measured
- The views of the child and parents
- A date for review.
How parents can support the process
Parents can contribute valuable information about what happens outside school, and a simple record can identify when a child finds reading or homework particularly difficult, what causes frustration, what strategies appear to help and whether certain tasks result in unusual levels of tiredness.
Keeping copies of relevant school correspondence can also be useful. Parents can record meeting dates, agreed actions, and review dates so everyone understands what was discussed. It is also worth reading the school's SEN information report before meeting with the SENCO. It explains the school's approach to SEN support and can help parents prepare specific questions.
Resources and tools for dyslexia support
There are many organisations, resources and practical tools available to support children with dyslexia.
Key organisations
The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) provides information, resources and guidance for dyslexic people, parents and education professionals. It also runs the Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark for schools.
IPSEA, the Independent Provider of Special Education Advice, provides free and independent information about special educational needs and disability law in England.
SENDIASS, the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service, provides free, impartial support to families through services run by local authorities.
NASEN, the National Association for Special Educational Needs, provides training and resources for teachers and other education professionals.
Recommended assistive technology
Assistive technology can give children alternative ways to read, write and demonstrate their knowledge. Reader pens and scanning pens can support children who have difficulty reading individual words or passages, while speech-to-text tools can allow pupils to dictate ideas rather than relying entirely on handwriting or keyboarding.
For teachers
Teachers have access to a growing range of professional resources to support dyslexia in schools. The Department for Education and other education organisations provide SEND training resources, while the British Dyslexia Association offers practical guidance around dyslexia-friendly teaching and resources.
Schools can also develop a whole-school approach rather than relying entirely on individual interventions. Consistent classroom practices can make a significant difference to how accessible learning feels for dyslexic pupils. Our Schools Hub brings together resources for schools, including reading aids, writing tools and classroom resources.
Final thoughts
Good dyslexia support in schools starts with understanding the individual child. Although a diagnosis can provide useful information, schools can identify educational needs and provide SEN support without waiting for a formal diagnosis.
At The Dyslexia Shop, we provide practical resources and tools for parents, teachers, and SENCOs supporting children with dyslexia and other learning differences. Check out the full range today or contact our team who will be happy to help!