Vicky Brighton, Author at Helen Arkell

Free Dyslexia Training for Teachers, TAs & SEN Staff

Build your skills, earn 18 hours of CPD and make a greater impact on the learners you support.

Are you a Teaching Assistant, Teacher, SENCO or Learning Support Assistant looking to build your confidence in supporting learners with dyslexia?

We’re offering fully funded places on our highly regarded Supporting Learners with Dyslexia course to staff working in state-funded schools across the UK.

The course consists of six 3-hour online sessions, held on Fridays from November 2026.

Bursary-funded places are limited, so we encourage early applications.

Some places are still available – contact us to find out more: courses@helenarkell.org.uk

Supporting Learners with Dyslexia/SpLDs (6 Nov – 11 Dec 2026) | Helen Arkell

By Vicky Brighton|2026-10-16T14:30:33+01:00October 16th, 2026|Course news, Homepage featured, Latest news|Comments Off

Royal Parks Half Marathon Runners Raise Over £2,000

Our fantastic team of runners took on the Royal Parks Half Marathon on Sunday 11th October, enjoying perfect Autumnal running conditions as they made their way through London’s beautiful parks.

We were incredibly proud to support Pete, Jenna and Daniel, who all completed the challenge in an impressive time of under two hours. Their hard work, determination and commitment to supporting Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity made for a truly memorable day.

Together, they have raised more than £2,000 to help us continue supporting people with dyslexia and their families. Every mile they ran and every pound they raised will help make a real difference.

A huge congratulations and thank you to Pete, Jenna and Daniel for this fantastic achievement. We are so grateful for their support.

There’s still time to support their fundraising efforts and help boost their total here!

Think you could take on a challenge?

We’ve got lots of events and races to sign up to on our fundraising page here!

Contact us to find out more: fundraising@helenarkell.org.uk

By Vicky Brighton|2026-10-13T16:15:32+01:00October 13th, 2026|Fundraising news, Homepage featured, Latest news|Comments Off

Opening Our Doors for Dyslexia Awareness Week

Our Dyslexia Awareness Week Open Day brought together families, educators, supporters and community members for an afternoon of conversation, connection and discovery.

With this year’s theme, Dyslexia in Real Life, visitors explored the everyday experiences of people with dyslexia and learned more about the support, services and opportunities available through Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity.

We were delighted to welcome Susan Stewart, author of Dog-Lexius, Anne-Lise Kadri from Voices For Impact, and Spike’s Sight Words, whose insights, stories and activities helped make the afternoon both inspiring and engaging.

The event was about celebrating dyslexic people, recognising their strengths, sharing experiences and building understanding. It was wonderful to see so many people coming together with a shared passion for creating positive change.

Together, we’re helping to create a future where people with dyslexia feel understood, valued and empowered to thrive. 💜

By Vicky Brighton|2026-10-08T16:58:12+01:00October 8th, 2026|Homepage featured, Latest news, Team blog|Comments Off

Dyslexia Assessment Offer

For a limited time only, and to celebrate Dyslexia Awareness Week, save £35 on a dyslexia assessment at Helen Arkell.

Use code DA35* when you make a new booking enquiry between 9am 5 October and 5pm 16 October 2026.

*Offer applies to new assessment booking enquiries only received between 9:00am on 5 October and 5:00pm on 16 October. Quote DA35 when enquiring.

Make a booking enquiry here.

By Vicky Brighton|2026-10-01T15:46:25+01:00October 1st, 2026|Homepage featured, Latest news, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity Open Day – Monday 5 October 2026

Announcing our fun, free and friendly in-person open afternoon during Dyslexia Awareness Week 2026.

Meet amazing people, discover helpful resources, and learn more about how Helen Arkell helps those with dyslexia thrive.

Whether you’re a curious teacher, TA or member of the public, are a parent, young person or adult with dyslexia, or just want to see what we’re about, this open day is the perfect chance to connect and get involved.

Don’t miss out on an afternoon of community, learning, and inspiration!

Meet the Helen Arkell services team and special guest and dyslexia advocate Susan Stewart, author of Dog-Lexius, A Tail of Two Friends.

Come and see why Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity is the leading specialist in support advice for people with dyslexia. Help us celebrate dyslexia during Dyslexia Awareness Week 2026. Everyone welcome – pop in after school! Monday 5th October, 2pm-5pm at 24, West Street, Farnham.

Please register your interest if you would like to attend. Tickets are free. Click this link to register!

Any questions? Please contact enquiries@helenarkell.org.uk

By Vicky Brighton|2026-09-25T16:24:32+01:00September 25th, 2026|Homepage featured, Latest news, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Frank Takes on Ironman 70.3 and Raises Funds for Helen Arkell

What started as a daunting challenge became an extraordinary achievement as our supporter Frank has completed an Ironman 70.3 Austria in support of Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity.

In August, Frank and his son took on the Zell am See-Kaprun Ironman 70.3, tackling a 1.9km swim, a 90km cycle ride and a half marathon. After three knee operations, six years with very little running, and more than three decades since his last triathlon, Frank described the challenge as “especially daunting”.

The toughest part? A gruelling 13km mountain climb on the bike course that made the rest of the race even more demanding.

Frank chose to support Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity because of his connection to our work through a friend, and because he has seen first-hand how dyslexia affects people he knows.

We’re incredibly grateful to Frank for taking on this remarkable challenge and helping us continue to support children, young people and adults with dyslexia to achieve their potential. 💙

Congratulations, Frank.

Help support Frank’s fundraiser here!

By Vicky Brighton|2026-09-17T11:09:21+01:00September 17th, 2026|Fundraising news, Homepage featured, Latest news|Comments Off

Gain Accredited CPD Through Flexible Online Learning Supporting Learners Course

Gain Accredited CPD Certificate on our Supporting Learners with Dyslexia Course

Our specialist Supporting Learners course offers educators and professionals the flexibility to learn live or on demand, with each session providing 3 hours of accredited CPD. Participants can book the full 18-hour programme or select individual sessions to suit their interests and professional development needs.

Missed a live session? Simply book the session as usual and you’ll receive access to the recording. Upon completion, attendees will be awarded CPD accreditation through the CPD Standards Office and receive a certificate, whether they have participated live or viewed sessions on demand.

The Theo Paphitis Bursary Fund continues to support access to high-quality training by offering one free place on this course starting this November.

We have funded places for dyslexia support training available to state schools across the UK.

If you work in a state-funded school, this is a fantastic opportunity to access expert-led dyslexia training, at no cost to your school.

This course is ideal for teaching assistants and teachers looking for practical advice.

For full details and bursary applications, visit the course booking page.

By Vicky Brighton|2026-09-11T14:31:28+01:00September 11th, 2026|Uncategorized|Comments Off

Parents Invited to Discover Practical Ways to Support Children with Dyslexia at Home

How to Help at Home Course 16 October 2026

Parents and carers looking for effective ways to help their child thrive with dyslexia are encouraged to sign up for an informative and supportive face-to-face workshop presented by dyslexia specialist Helen Barrett.

Our workshop, How to Help at Home – Supporting Your Child with Dyslexia at Home, is designed to give parents a deeper understanding of dyslexia and provide practical strategies they can use immediately to support their child’s learning, confidence and well-being.

Led by Helen Barrett, Specialist Assessor and Level 7 Course Tutor, the session will explore what dyslexia is, the common characteristics associated with it, and the impact it can have on literacy and numeracy development. Attendees will also learn about the benefits of a multi-sensory approach to learning and discover practical techniques for supporting reading, reading comprehension, writing and spelling at home.

Importantly, the workshop recognises that dyslexia affects far more than academic skills. Parents will gain valuable insights into supporting memory, organisation and self-esteem, helping their children build confidence and reach their full potential.

Learn more here.

By Vicky Brighton|2026-09-10T11:22:17+01:00September 10th, 2026|Course news, Homepage featured, Latest news|Comments Off

Dyslexia Assessment Research Participants Needed!

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.

Your insights will help them better support adolescents with reading difficulties in the future.

As a thank you, both you and your child will receive a £10 Amazon voucher for participating!

To take part please email Jovana Durica at: UnRAP@surrey.ac.uk

More information is available in the invitation letter below.

Thank you.

UnRAP Invitation Email

By Vicky Brighton|2026-09-02T09:50:55+01:00September 2nd, 2026|Homepage featured, Latest news, Research news|Comments Off

Bursary Applications Reopen on 4 September

We will be open for bursary applications from 9am Friday 4^th September until 5pm Friday 25^th September.

We have limited bursary funds, and therefore apply further criteria in addition to financial hardship when making our decisions on bursary applications.

Please note that we will also be unable to consider requests for bursary supported assessments where:

The same household has already received bursary support for a previous assessment within the last 12 months
Multiple applications for siblings /family are submitted at the same time; only the first application which is ready to proceed will be considered for bursary support
The child/young person has an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP), as their individual needs will be under regular review by appropriate professionals

These restrictions are so that we can extend our support to as many families as possible.

Please see each individual dyslexia service page for more information.

By Vicky Brighton|2026-08-27T16:23:02+01:00August 26th, 2026|Homepage featured, Latest news, Uncategorized|Comments Off

About Vicky Brighton

Sign up to our newsletter