July 23, 2022, Wales Online: The children learning to cope with dyslexia and the school in Wales set up just to help them https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education/children-dyslexia-school-set-up-24558927.amp
Rachel Phillips said she knew there was something different about son Ollie when he was in year one at school.
He was aged five then - and showing many of the traits of dyslexia. But Rachel knew there was little chance of him being assessed until he was at least seven. As there is not enough specialist help available, even then, children like Ollie can fall behind even further.
But Rachel, from Newport, has now finally got Ollie, now aged 10, the specialist help he needs - although she's had to pay for it. Ollie is among the one in 10 children and adults who have dyslexia, a condition that causes problems with reading, writing, spelling and, sometimes, numeracy. ...
“Unfortunately, assessments aren’t carried out until a child is seven, primarily because children develop at different stages, even then schools won’t always do it. There isn’t enough knowledge of dyslexia in schools, to allow teachers to give dyslexic children adequate help to develop.”
Because of the pandemic and high demand for places Rachel only managed to get Ollie into sessions at a fee-paying specialist dyslexia school in Cardiff, last February. She said her son’s reading and writing had markedly improved after attending Tomorrow’s Generation Learning Centre (TG) in Lisvane just one day a week for the last six months.
Ollie, a year five pupil at primary in Newport, said he felt more confident learning with other children with dyslexia at TG: “I was diagnosed with dyslexia when I was about eight. I get help at school but coming here also helps. It’s nice here because no-one is better than me. I do understand more at school now and I like reading Harry Potter but struggle a bit.”

Ollie Phillips from Newport has dyslexia
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