More Support for Adults with Undiagnosed Dyslexia Needed – BBC News

Adults struggling with undiagnosed dyslexia are facing challenges, from the high cost of assessments to the difficulty of navigating word-heavy online resources.

Amanda Lightowler, Specialist Tutor for Children and Adults at Helen Arkell comments in today’s article on BBC News that many people seeking answers are deterred by costs. For those already grappling with literacy barriers, even finding reliable information online can feel like an impossible task.

Read the full article here.

At Helen Arkell, we offer a range of dyslexia assessments for adults and children. A dyslexia assessment will help someone understand their strengths, and why they may be experiencing difficulties in their learning or day-to-day life.

For enquiries about all types of assessments including adult assessments, please see our dyslexia assessments page here.

By Vicky Brighton|2025-12-10T14:39:00+00:00December 10th, 2025|Homepage featured, Latest news, Uncategorized|Comments Off

The Big Give #ChristmasChallenge

Your Donation Will Be DOUBLED This December !

We’re very excited to let you know that we have been selected to participate in this year’s Big Give #ChristmasChallenge.

That means that every donation made to our campaign via BigGive.org during the week of 2 – 9 December, will be doubled.

All donations to Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity will be matched £1 for £1 through the #ChristmasChallenge, helped by our group of incredible pledgers and our champion match funder, AKO Foundation.

Your donation of £10 turns into £20, your £50 into £100 – and so on!

So whatever you can give, no matter the size, every donation will make double the difference helping us to deliver specialist support for people with dyslexia.

What can you do now?

✅ Starting today at midday and running until 9 December, make a donation to the Big Give’s #ChristmasChallenge here. The donate button will appear on the Big Give Helen Arkell page when the campaign starts at 12pm (midday) today.

✅ Share the campaign with friends, family, or on social media – anyone who may want their donation doubled!

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at fundraising@helenarkell.org.uk

Thank you so much for your support – together, we can make twice the impact in 2026!

Watch the Big Give Video here!

Q & A’s

1) Online donations to participating Charities received during the live campaign will be matched initially by pledge funds. Once a Charity has used all of its pledge funds, donations will be matched by Champion funds until Champion funds are exhausted or until the campaign ends, whichever is sooner.

2) Once our Charity pledge funds and Champion funds have been exhausted, our donation page on the Big Give website will clearly state that any subsequent donations will not be matched. Donors will still be encouraged to make an unmatched donation.

3) All donations made during the campaign must be made online via Big Give’s website without exception. Donations must be made via a Charity’s donation page on Big Give’s website, for the project which has been accepted into the campaign.

4) The minimum single donation that can be made during the campaign is £1. The maximum donation made during the campaign using a credit or debit card is £25,000. The largest donation made using our donation funds feature is £500,000.

5) A donation is eligible to be matched if it is made through the Charities campaign when the campaign is live and if there is sufficient funding available in the match fund for the selected Charity.

6) Once matching funds are reserved, donors will have 25 minutes to complete their donation. If the donation is not completed within 25 minutes, the Donor will be notified, and the match funding will be released back into the match fund for said Charity.

A message from Mia ⭐

Mia tells us why this campaign will help more children like her.

By Vicky Brighton|2025-12-03T17:01:09+00:00November 28th, 2025|Fundraising news, Homepage featured, Latest news, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Research Participants Needed

Help Us Understand Reading and Anxiety in Adolescents.

Are you a parent of an adolescent aged 11–16 who has reading difficulties and is fluent in English? Researchers at the University of Surrey are inviting parent-child pairs to take part in an online research study exploring the connection between reading difficulties and anxiety.

Why participate?
Your insights will help us better support adolescents with reading difficulties in the future.

What’s involved?

Parents: Complete 3 short online surveys (approx. 20 mins total) and share child’s dyslexia assessment report via a secure link.
Adolescents: Complete 2 short online surveys (approx. 15 mins total).

🎁 Thank you gift: Each parent and adolescent will receive a £10 Amazon voucher for participating!

📌 Eligibility:

Adolescents aged 11–16.
In secondary school.
Have reading difficulties.
Had a dyslexia assessment in the last year.
Both parent and adolescent must be fluent in English.

🔗 Interested?
Follow the link to take part here or mail Jovana Durica at UnRAP@surrey.ac.uk to learn more and sign up.

Let’s work together to make a difference in how we support young people with reading challenges.

By Vicky Brighton|2025-11-28T15:22:06+00:00November 28th, 2025|Research news|Comments Off

Making Spirits Bright: Santa’s Grotto Launch Brings Joy and Support for Helen Arkell Students

Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity and children from surrounding local schools welcomed Santa and his team of elves to Squires Garden Centre, Badshot Lea, to help cut the ribbon and launch the opening of Santa’s Grotto for 2025!

Children who have benefited from the services of Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity joined from Potters Gate School in Farnham and William Cobbett School Farnham and were the first to meet Father Christmas and his helpers! Each child visited Santa and everyone came away with a special gift.

Squires Garden Centre, Badshot Lea, have chosen Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity as their Charity of the Year this year, and we are thrilled to have their support. As part of this, £1 from every ticket sold for Santa’s Grotto will be donated to Helen Arkell in the New Year. These funds will help us provide life-changing support to more people with dyslexia.

Santa’s Grotto is open until 4pm on Christmas Eve, so there’s lots of time to book your place and visit before Christmas!

To make a booking, please visit their website here.

By Vicky Brighton|2025-11-25T15:20:34+00:00November 25th, 2025|Fundraising news, Homepage featured, Latest news, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Learning Support Teacher (Years N – 8)

Part-time, permanent: 3 – 4 days a week

Start date: Summer 2026

St Andrew’s is looking to appoint an outstanding and inspirational Learning Support teacher to assist with the teaching of children with SEND; this member of staff will work in the Pre Prep and Prep School (Years N – 8) and join an LS department consisting of five other teachers.

St Andrew’s is a flourishing, forward thinking co-educational IAPS prep school preparing its 320 pupils for a range of senior schools, both locally and nationally. A number of children win scholarships to their senior schools, as they move on to the likes of Abingdon, Bradfield, St Edward’s, Pangbourne, Downe House, Marlborough, The Oratory and Radley College.

In addition, St Andrew’s is also a wonderful place to work, alongside a staff body who take their work seriously, but are less serious about themselves. The successful candidate can expect considerable employee benefits, including an excellent salary, a generous pension and a School fee remission scheme for eligible staff.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Learning Support teacher with at least Level 5. You will be hard-working, enthusiastic and dedicated professional who is passionate about helping to assist children in overcoming perceived barriers, and achieving the highest standards they can.

For further information and an application form please contact Mrs Amanda Sands (HR Advisor and Compliance Coordinator)

Email: sandsa@standrewsberkshire.co.uk

Tel: 0118 974 5513

The closing date is (noon) Monday 1 December 2025; early applications are encouraged. The School will look to interview and appoint earlier than the dates above, if the right candidate comes forward.

St Andrew’s School is an equal opportunities employer. The School operates a No Smoking policy. The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and subject to a successful enhanced DBS check with the Disclosure and Barring Services.

By Thea Andrews|2025-11-19T15:34:31+00:00November 19th, 2025|SEN vacancies|Comments Off

Temporary Learning Support Teacher

Start 5^th January 2026 to 27^th March 2026

Seaford College is recruiting for temporary, full time, Learning Support Teachers to start 5^th January 2026 for the term to 27^th March 2026. We would consider job shares for the right applicants. The role involve teaching students on a one-to-one basis and in small groups, in our Academic Access and Achievement department.

SpLD (Level 5 and higher), Helen Arkell and teaching qualifications are advantageous together with demonstrable experience of teaching Year 9 and above. This role is specifically aimed at working with students with dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, ADHD, Autism and Specific Learning Difficulties, across the 11-18 age range.

Seaford College is an HMC co-educational boarding and day school that nurtures academic excellence, sporting success and creative talent with enrolment of 970 students. The 400-acre campus on the edge of the South Downs, is an area of outstanding beauty.

To apply, please fill in the application form which can be found here: https://www.seaford.org/contact/vacancies

Further details and an application pack is available from: headmasterpa@seaford.org or phone: 01798 867870

Our website has a vast amount of information regarding the school and our community. Please check it out: www.seaford.org

We are keen to appoint as soon as possible, applications will be considered on a rolling basis when they are received with interviews planned thereafter.

Disclosure and Barring Service & Enhanced Checks

NB: This post is classed as having a high degree of contact with children and is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. An enhanced disclosure will be sought through the DBS as part of Seaford College’s pre-employment checks. All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory enhanced DBS checks, prohibition, media and other checks and references to our satisfaction.

By Thea Andrews|2025-11-19T10:07:44+00:00November 19th, 2025|SEN vacancies|Comments Off

THRIVE: Neurodivergence at Work Survey

Help the UK Young Academy improve workplaces for neurodivergent people

The UK Young Academy — a network of early-career professionals working for positive change — is running a survey on how UK workplaces can better support dyslexic and other neurodivergent people.

You don’t need a formal diagnosis to participate.

All neurotypes welcome.

Whether you’re dyslexic, autistic, have ADHD, Tourette’s, or another form of neurodivergence — your voice matters.

Help shape more inclusive, supportive workplaces across the UK by sharing your experience.

Take the survey:

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/THRIVEUKYA/

By Vicky Brighton|2025-11-18T10:22:05+00:00November 18th, 2025|Latest news, Research news, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Congratulations Caroline!

Congratulations to our amazing supporter Caroline who successfully completed the New York Marathon earlier this month, raising funds for dyslexia awareness.

This is the second time Caroline has run the marathon, both for ourselves and The Children’s Dyslexia Center of New Jersey.

Caroline completed the course in 4 hours and 47 minutes, inspired by her son George, who is thriving thanks to the support of specialist charities.

And as if one marathon wasn’t enough, Caroline is doing it all again (this side of the pond!) running the London Marathon in April 2026, for Helen Arkell.

She’s truly inspiring!

Read her full story and support her fundraising here

https://www.gofundme.com/…/running-the-london-nyc…

Inspired by Caroline’s story? Take on a challenge for dyslexia!

Visit our events page to find a challenge!

By Vicky Brighton|2025-11-14T15:07:36+00:00November 14th, 2025|Fundraising news, Homepage featured, Latest news, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Three CPD Courses for specialist assessors

Three fantastic courses for assessors are now available to book.

We have been developing our range of CPD training for specialist assessors. All courses are now available to book here: Courses for assessors | Helen Arkell

Introduction to the Intelligence and Development Scales 2^nd Edition (IDS-2)

This presentation includes an overview of how the test battery is constructed, its strengths for assessing the areas of cognition and attainment that are most relevant for dyslexia, and scoring. Sarah Sainty, the course presenter, is an Assessment Consultant for Hogrefe and a highly experienced assessor. She enjoys using the IDS-2 and will explain the wealth of information it yields. We give thanks to Hogrefe for this presentation. For more details and to book: Introduction to the Intelligence and Development Scales (IDS-2) | Helen Arkell

WIAT-III UK: A comparison with the WIAT-III UK-T

This course is for specialist assessors who are familiar with administering the WIAT-III UK-T and would like to understand the additional areas of testing offered by the WIAT-III UK. The course includes an overview of the WIAT-III UK, a comparison of the test materials in both versions, a comparison of the subtests offered in both versions, a recap of the administration of existing key subtests, and guidance on administration of the new subtests in the WIAT-III UK in areas of language, reading, spelling, writing and maths. Helen Barrett, an experienced assessor, presents this course. For more details and to book: WIAT-III UK: A Comparison with the WIAT-III UK-T | Helen Arkell

Alternative Tests of Underlying Ability

This course is for specialist assessors who are considering alternatives to the Wide Range Intelligence Test (WRIT) which will be withdrawn from the SASC list of approved tests at the start of January 2026. The course includes an overview of conceptualisations of intelligence, the structure and conceptualisation of intelligence of 5 test batteries: RIAS-2, IDS-2, WCJIV-Cog, TOD and CAS-2, the subtests in each battery that aim to measure intelligence and/or the ability to find ways to tackle learning tasks, and how these relate to the requirements of the current SASC report format, examples of the kinds of tasks an examinee would be asked to complete in these subtests, and basic test information including age range, approximate costs, administration time, standardisation, validity and reliability. Anita Haigh, an experienced assessor, presents this course. For more details and to book: Alternative Tests of Underlying Ability | Helen Arkell

By Vicky Brighton|2025-11-13T10:01:37+00:00November 13th, 2025|Course news, Latest news|Comments Off

Haslemere Charities Fair

Helen Arkell will be attending the much-loved Haslemere Charities Fair on Sunday 23rd November.

The event will run from 10am to 2pm at the Haslemere Hall.

This fun Christmas event is FREE to enter for the public, making it more accessible than ever.

Expect a festive atmosphere filled with handcrafted gifts, homemade cakes, and plenty of opportunities to support local charities, including ourselves. There will be the newly refurbished lounge annexe and café for visitors to enjoy a warm drink and light snacks while browsing.

We’re proud to be part of this community event and look forward to seeing you there!

Pop along and say hi!

By Vicky Brighton|2025-11-10T12:49:32+00:00November 10th, 2025|Fundraising news, Latest news, Shop news, Team blog|Comments Off

Learning Support Teacher (Years N – 8)

Temporary Learning Support Teacher

Sign up to our newsletter