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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 announce our Dyslexia Guild Annual Online Conference, which will be held on Wednesday 1 July 2026.

The conference offers the opportunity a to hear expert views and examine current topical issues relating to dyslexia and other SpLDs.

You’ll have the chance to listen to our four keynote speakers, who will be providing a range of different presentations to suit all of us. 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 of us 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. We will also find out about current research at King’s College, London, where attitudes towards ADHD have been measured and where we 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 we are keen to explore further to help us in our assessment processes. 

Why not benefit from taking time out of your daily schedule to learn and reflect on cutting-edge practice.

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

Our online conference is open to everyone, however, you can attend at a discounted rate if you are a Dyslexia Guild member. Our membership body is open to all those with a professional or general interest in dyslexia and specific learning difficulties (SpLD).

Don’t worry if you cannot watch the live event, still book and you will receive access to the presentations, recordings and a CPD Certificate.

To find out more or to book a place, visit our annual conference web page here.

Since becoming part of Real Group in 2017, The Dyslexia Guild has continued to serve as a leading membership organisation and professional body for SpLD professionals. 

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.

This ownership structure will allow Real Group to:

• Focus on its values and impact: Being owned by an Employee Ownership Trust (Real Group EOT Ltd) allows Real Group to maintain the core values and principles upon which the company was founded (inclusivity, integrity, positivity, curiosity, growth and sustainability). Our mission to transform lives and societies by delivering outstanding and inclusive professional development and services to educational settings will remain central to our strategic business plan.
• Maintain independence: This route ensures Real Group retains its independence, allowing us to continue the transformative work in schools across the UK and internationally that we have been known for over the last two decades.
• Continue to attract employees who share the company’s commitment and passion for inclusion: This will enable us to retain and recruit employees committed to carrying-on our work to support inclusive communities and promote positive mental health.
• Strengthen the existing company culture: Becoming employee owned will empower our teams to shape the future of the successful (and expanding) organisation they are contributing to.

Be sustainable, stronger and future-ready: The change sets the company up to tackle the challenges of the future and establish long-term sustainability. Being employee owned provides a robust succession plan, securing the company’s future in the long-term.

What does this mean?

The EOT model is a change in ownership, but not a change in operation. The Trust will be governed by the newly formed board of trustees including long-standing company employees, one of the former owners – Dr Siobhan Mellor, and an independent trustee.

For the foreseeable future, nothing substantial will change. Dr Mark Turner remains as Managing Director and will continue to lead the company. This transition is about putting the building blocks in place so Real Group can flourish and continue its mission long into the future. Our delegates and partners should continue to expect high-quality course delivery, support and collaboration.

Dr Mark Turner, Managing Director, commented:

“We’re proud of the growth we’ve achieved and the significant positive impact we’ve had in the lives of children and young people with SEND over the last 20+ years. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our members and partners as we enter this exciting next stage of the company’s evolution.”

Dr Anna Smith, Head of The Dyslexia Guild added:

“The Dyslexia Guild has always been dedicated to supporting professionals involved in the tutoring and assessing of those with dyslexia and other learning differences. We welcome Real Group’s transition to employee ownership: this move means stability for the future, and as such, guarantees the continuity and quality of the resources and support our valued members have come to rely on.”

We are excited about this transition which secures our independence and commitment to supporting educational professionals and settings. Please feel free to contact us directly with any questions about what this new stage means for our valued partners and stakeholders.

We are delighted to be exhibiting 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, Dyslexia Action 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 meeting you.

If you’d like to chat in-person about our membership benefits, and more, please stop by for a brochure and some freebies!

Register HERE for this free event.

We are pleased to let you know that the Test of Retrieval Efficiency (TORE) is now available to order exclusively from the Dyslexia Action Shop!

What does the test allow you to do?

• The test allows you to assess a group of learners at the same time in their ability to retrieve simple data at speed. This group-based approach enhances efficiency, allowing up to ten individuals to be assessed simultaneously, saving valuable time
• This product can also be used as an initial screener to identify groups of pupils who may benefit from a more in-depth access arrangements assessment.
• It is also extremely useful for those who are eligible to carry out exam access arrangements

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Every year, Dyslexia Action Training (a fellow Real Group company), helps hundreds of education professionals realise their dream of becoming qualified specialist Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) teachers or practitioners who focus on literacy difficulties.

This enables them to provide one-to-one tuition for primary, secondary or adult learners with dyslexia and other literacy-related difficulties. Many delegates go on to further study with us in order to become fully qualified dyslexia/literacy assessors.

Becoming qualified with Dyslexia Action Training means you join a community of professionals making a real impact in the lives of dyslexic children, young people and adults. You will also gain full training on our highly regarded structured cumulative multi-sensory literacy intervention – the Dyslexia Action Literacy Programme (DALP). This can be tailored to fit each learner’s profile and age, and provides scripted, interactive activities that can be carried out on a one-to-one basis or in small groups.

DALP has a unique pre-intervention assessment process, creating a literacy profile for each learner. Teachers are then guided to tackle strengths and weaknesses systematically. Read more

We are excited to announce our Dyslexia Guild Annual Online Conference, which will be held on Wednesday 2 July 2025.
The conference offers the opportunity a to hear expert views and examine current topical issues relating to dyslexia and other SpLDs.

You’ll have the chance to listen to our four keynote speakers, who will be providing presentations about morphology, understanding and supporting dyslexia and ADHD, assessing language in adults, and guidance about gathering and interpreting qualitative data during assessments! You will also have the opportunity to attend some add-on sessions, including a talk from a behavioural optometrist, Dyslexia Action’s Shop 30th anniversary, new products for 2025 and funded apprenticeships!

Why not benefit from taking time out of your daily schedule to learn and reflect on cutting-edge practice. Read more

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our newest membership grade: Practitioner of The Dyslexia Guild Assessor of Access Arrangements (PDG3A).

This grade is designed for professionals holding Real Training’s Certificate in Psychometric Testing, Assessment and Access Arrangements (CPT3A) qualification.

Why join?

This new grade will allow members to:

• Gain formal recognition for their expertise in access arrangements assessment
• Connect with a network of like-minded professionals dedicated to supporting individuals with dyslexia or literacy-related difficulties and those that require access arrangements
• Borrow selected assessment tests for free through our library*
• Opportunities for professional development and up to 10% discount through the Dyslexia Action Shop
• Enhance their professional standing and demonstrate your commitment to best practices.

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Date and time: Thursday, January 9th 2025, 9:30 AM — 1:00 PM GMT
Reserve your place: Book a place at this online event here

  
Key Speakers:

Professor Brahm Norwich, Professor Emeritus of Educational Psychology and Special Education at the University of Exeter
Amanda Allard, Director of the Council for Disabled Children
Josie Grainger-Francova, Principal of Dorton College of Further Education & Director of Education at the Royal Society for Blind Children
Dr Susana Castro-Kemp, Associate Professor in Psychology and Human Development & Director of the Centre for Inclusive Education at University College London
Rob Jennings, Co-Founder of the Dyscalculia Network
Lynn Greenwold OBE, Advisor on Policy and Education Development at Patoss & Chair of the SpLD Assessment Standards Committee (SASC)

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We had a fantastic day yesterday at The Dyslexia Guild Online Conference! 

This event provided a valuable platform to explore current trends and expert insights in literacy and dyslexia/SpLD. We would like to express our gratitude to the speakers and panellists for their insightful presentations and engaging discussions and a huge thank you to everyone who attended and helped make this event such a success!

A quick recap:

The conference kicked off with a warm welcome and introduction by Dr. Anna Smith, Head of The Dyslexia Guild, followed by four excellent main speakers:

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