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Adrian is a dedicated learning support specialist at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. He recently completed the Level 5 CPD Certificate in Supporting Adults with Dyslexia and Co-occurring Difficulties, which also qualified him for ADG FE/HE membership with The Dyslexia Guild.

We caught up with him as he shared his journey from higher education lecturer to becoming a specialised study skills tutor. Adrian shared what he finds so rewarding about supporting dyslexic students and why he prefers being a “guide on the side” to “sage on the stage”.

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After twenty years in the classroom and a successful tenure as a Headteacher at a school with enhanced specialist provision for autism, Shelley England left her role in leadership to train as a psychoanalyst.

While training, she wanted to take on a position that would allow her to continue supporting young adults with additional needs. Her search led her to the role of a Specialist One-to-one Study Skills and Strategy Support – Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD), also known as Non-Medical Helper or Study Skills SpLD tutor in Higher Education.

Shelley chose Dyslexia Action’s Level 5 CPD Certificate in Supporting Adults with Dyslexia and Co-occurring Difficulties as it would qualify her to practice as a Study Skills SpLD tutor by awarding her Associate FE/HE of The Dyslexia Guild membership after completing just three online CPD Units of the six Unit Certificate.

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We were encouraged by the proposals in the Schools White Paper to support more children with special educational needs within mainstream settings. The announcement of a £1.6bn fund to be made directly available to schools to become more inclusive is a welcome step forward.

You can read a summary of the major changes on our sister company, Real Training’s website here.

Notably, however, there was little direct mention of specialist literacy teachers or dyslexia per se in the proposals. The continual shortage of highly trained dyslexia and other special learning difficulty (SpLD) professionals is an ongoing concern, and for the Experts at Hand service to be successful, it is our view that this should include improved early access to specialist literacy teachers. Many of these were trained with funding from the Labour Government 17 years ago in the wake of the Rose Review (2009) and constitute a large resource. Findings from the No to Failure (2009) study indicate that literacy interventions designed and supervised by dyslexia specialists effectively mitigate long-term reading and writing challenges. Furthermore, the research highlights that early intervention offers the best outcomes for pupils as well as representing the most cost-efficient strategy for schools.

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We are excited to share that our affiliated SpLD membership body –  The Dyslexia Guild have announced their Annual Conference. 

The conference will be held online on Wednesday 1 July 2026, and offers the opportunity to hear expert views and examine current topical issues relating to dyslexia and other SpLDs.

You’ll have the chance to listen to four keynote speakers, who will be providing a range of different presentations to suit all. You will learn about current work at the University of Edinburgh, focussing on the heritability of dyslexia and how genetics interact with our environment. For those who carry out assessments for disabled student allowance, or work to support students in further and higher education, you will also hear about changes in how students with SpLDs are supported in this setting. You will also find out about current research at King’s College, London, where attitudes towards ADHD have been measured and learn more about the link between positive self-views in adults with ADHD and general mental health. The day will end with a presentation about orthographic processing, a feature of dyslexia that has been the focus of recent attention, and a factor that the Guild are keen to explore further to help in assessment processes. 

Attendees will gain a 5-hour CPD attendance certificate (1.5 of which is SASC accredited) when attending this event.

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Since becoming part of Real Group in 2017, Dyslexia Action Training has continued to grow and deliver high-quality CPD and qualifications to educational professionals that specialise in working with pupils with literacy, and numeracy-related difficulties. 

Today, we’re pleased to announce that Real Group Ltd has transitioned from private ownership to being 100% employee owned.

Why transition to employee ownership?

This decision has been made after careful consideration of potential options, and is driven by the board of directors’ commitment to securing the long-term future and independence of Real Group Ltd. 

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It’s Dyslexia Awareness Week 2025! This year we’re particularly focussing on our dyslexic learners aged sixteen and above. With this in mind, we asked our network of learners and experts with dyslexia to send in some of their favourite study hacks. 

We hope these top tips can help anyone who is engaged in any kind of further or higher education; whether it’s an apprenticeship, undergraduate/postgraduate-level study or CPD.

Congratulations go to Helen, an inclusion leader and dyslexia assessor and Elizabeth, a secondary school teacher, who have won our prizes for the best study tips! 

You can watch all the tips in the post below.

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Send your videos to imogen.barber@realgroup.co.uk  by Monday 29th September!

The best study hacks for dyslexic learners – send in your videos!

Dyslexia Awareness Week is coming up in October and we want to hear from learners who have dyslexia about their top study hacks! The best three will receive a £50 voucher each – but more than that you’ll also be helping our wider learning community.

Are you dyslexic or do you work with a dyslexic student (16+) at college, university or in another higher education or FE setting? Have you come across a smart way to make learning more efficient?

If so, we’d love to hear from you! Send us a short selfie video (1 min max) and tell us more. We’ll be sharing your videos on our social media channels. 

Send your videos to imogen.barber@realgroup.co.uk  by Monday 29th September. Full terms and conditions are below. Read more

We are delighted to be exhibiting once again at the Tes SEND Show!

We will be at stand D39 at the Business Design Centre, London on 10-11 October alongside our sister companies Real Training, ESF Apprenticeships, The Dyslexia Guild and the Dyslexia Action Shop.

The Tes SEND Show is the UK’s leading SEND event and an annual must-see. We are looking forward to returning and meeting you.

If you’d like to chat in-person about our opportunities for specialist dyslexia teaching, assessment, and more, please stop by for a brochure and some new freebies!

Register HERE for this free event.

We are excited to share that accessing our Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes is now even easier. You can now book your CPD Certificate as a complete package online, allowing you to benefit from a more streamlined booking experience and a smoother experience. This means less hassle and more focus on what matters: enhancing your skills to support learners with dyslexia.

There are three CPD Certificates for you to choose from, each comprising six Units: Supporting Literacy in Learners with Dyslexia (primary/secondary), Supporting Adults with Dyslexia and Co-occurring Difficulties and Supporting International Learners with Dyslexia (primary/secondary).

Delivered entirely online, our CPD Certificates have been created by experts with real-world educational experience and will provide you with practical and actionable skills, allowing you not only to engage with students with increased confidence, but also join a professional pathway for progression onto the Level 5 Diploma in Specialist Teaching for Literacy-Related Difficulties-DIST CPD Pathway Route (available to a wide range of delegates, including those who do not hold a degree).

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We were delighted to celebrate our 2025 graduates yesterday at Middlesex University, together with our sister company Real Training. Delegates were invited to don their caps and gowns in recognition of achieving their Postgraduate certificates, Diplomas and Masters of Education.

This graduation event is more than just a ceremony; it’s an opportunity for our graduates to celebrate their incredible hard work and connect with their peers.

We extend our warmest congratulations to all of this year’s graduates and for those delegates currently enrolled in our programmes, we can’t wait to celebrate your achievements with you in the future!

Feeling inspired? Why not take a look at our courses to see how you could further your career.

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