Hereford & Worcester Dyslexia Association

HWDA Student Chloe Supports the Little Princess Trust

Eileen Boyd — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 09:44:40 +0000

In July 2026, Hereford student Chloe will be having a hair cut! This is a very special hair cut though – she is donating a huge section of her hair to the Little Princess Trust, a charity that makes hair pieces / wigs for children who have lost their own hair whilst going through cancer treatments.

We are very proud of her efforts to support other children and if you would like to make a donation there is a Just Giving link to the Little Princess Trust via the QR code on the poster below:

We will update you with Chloe’s new hairstyle in the autumn term…

Chloe before the ‘chop’…

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Dyslexia Awareness: ‘My Story’. As HWDA celebrates its 50th anniversary, we continue to share inspirational stories of students, friends and families past and present…

Eileen Boyd — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 08:56:13 +0000

The theme of the 2024 Dyslexia Awareness Week was What’s Your Story? HWDA believes that sharing the personal stories of our students, families, friends and members of the wider community is an effective and inspirational way of raising awareness of dyslexia. We have already compiled a great selection of ‘stories’ but we will continue to add to the interesting and varied accounts as an ongoing, long-term project. We look forward to sharing as many My Story accounts as possible during HWDA’s celebrations for its 50th anniversary year in 2026 so please share yours if you can. We were delighted to share the stories so far on a presentation at the 2025 AGM. Follow this link to watch it: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGpSmAVw5E/nP_srt-92wYA8dCSImvPHQ/edit?utm_content=DAGpSmAVw5E&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

My Story: You can share your own story by sending us a photo of yourself doing something you enjoy / are good at doing or a picture or a model which represents your strengths. The possibilities are endless: Lego model, cake making, painting, sports achievements… Add a few sentences to explain what your story is. Please share your story by sending it to media@hwda.org.uk

As well as your own story, you might like to share those of dyslexic family members and friends. You might like to ‘interview’ them. If you would like to make a short video that would also be great.

HWDA Students: Ask your Senior Tutor for a form that can be signed to give permission for us to share any stories on our social media platforms.

Have a look at some of the stories we have so far. These include those of current and former students, family and friends. There are also updates on what past students are doing now and how HWDA helped them achieve their goals.

At the 2026 AGM, tribute was paid to two former parents with long-term associations at Bromsgrove Workshop.

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Family Picnic and Treasure Hunt at the Worcester Workshop Site, Saturday 11th July at 2:30pm

Eileen Boyd — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 14:00:49 +0000

As part of the ongoing Golden Anniversary celebrations being held during HWDA’s 50th year, we are delighted to invite you to a Family Picnic and Treasure Hunt, suitable for all ages, which Worcester Workshop is holding on the last day of term.

Please join us on Saturday 11th July from 2:30pm at the workshop’s site at Worcester Woods Countryside Park, WR5 2LG.

Bring your own picnic or enjoy a snack at the Orchard Cafe which is in the grounds of the country park.

Parking is free and there are lots of lovely woodland walks as well as a children’s play area.

This is a free event – all are welcome!

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HWDA 2026 Annual General Meeting

Eileen Boyd — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 09:53:34 +0000

This year’s AGM celebrated our 50th Golden Anniversary and we were delighted to welcome Alice Hubbard and Bertie Ballinger as our very special guest speakers.

Alice was one of the early founders of HWDA in the late 1970s and gave a talk on the origins and history of our association.

Bertie has raised money for our charity through sponsored cycle rides and shared his family’s story on how dyslexia has impacted them – a story that will be very familiar to our families too.

There was a slideshow of some of the wonderful things HWDA has been up to since the last HWDA – a small snapshot of the work, fundraising and networking we do alongside the fun and learning! Click on the link to see the slideshow.

If you would like any further information please contact: media@hwda.org.uk

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HWDA, CELEBRATING 50 YEARS: 1976 – 2026. WELCOME TO THE LATEST NEWSLETTER, MAY 2026

Eileen Boyd — Wed, 13 May 2026 21:51:23 +0000

Current Newsletter: May 2026

In 2026 we are delighted to be celebrating our 50th year of supporting students and their families. The founders of HWDA back in 1976 were instrumental in bringing about change to the education system and SEND provision. In this edition, Katrina Kear-Wood outlines the importance of study skills to prepare students for exams and HWDA’s role in supporting young learners:

At the time of exams many pupils experience heightened anxiety, for neurodivergent children and young people this can be intensified. Processing speed differences, time constraints, and reading/writing challenges, creating intense “fight-or-flight” stress. Dyslexic learners may experience severe panic, brain fog, and fatigue, as they often face pressure to perform quickly in a format that does not suit their cognitive style. Exam anxiety can feel overwhelming.Difficulties with working memory and slower processing speeds can prevent dyslexic students from fully demonstrating their understanding under these constraints.

Explicit, direct teaching of study skills and exam techniques are critical for dyslexics because they help bridge the gap between intelligence and performance, transforming time-consuming, traditional learning methods into accessible, efficient strategies.The key is preparation, HWDA embeds study skills in our workshops sessions, with a greater emphasis in Key Stage 4. Targeted Support focuses on strengthening weak areas, including organisation, time management and revision techniques, alongside literacy intervention. HWDA have recently updated their study skills policy.

Exam access arrangements allow dyslexics to demonstrate their true knowledge and skills by aiming to remove barriers caused by literacy challenges. These are primarily organised by a school or college’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo), in collaboration with the Exams Officer. They gather evidence of a student’s “normal way of working” and apply for approval through the Joint Council for Qualifications ( JCQ) up to three months before exams. Reasonable adjustments for dyslexic students, such as extra time, readers, assisted technology or scribes are designed to remove barriers without providing an unfair advantage.

Alleviating anxiety through proper emotional support directly improves learning outcomes. Developing Self-Awareness by fostering an understanding of how dyslexia affects their emotions can help people develop resilience and build confidence. On our website, under the Parents’ Area there are lots of resources, including the presentation on The Emotional Impact of Dyslexia from the 2024 AGM. Signposting for emotional support can be found and promotion of wellbeing, including organisations and videos, which you might like to look at and share as appropriate with your children and young people.

The British Dyslexia Association offer a free study skills and revision skills webinar, training for professionals and advice sheets. https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk

While dyslexic individuals may have to work extra hard in exams, finding their passion, whilst utilising their learning preferences can offer the greatest rewards. Bill Gates (Microsoft Founder) acknowledged failing some subjects in exams while his friends passed, famously noting: “Now he is an engineer in Microsoft and I am the owner of Microsoft”. Many other famous dyslexics including Richard Branson and Jamie Oliver cite early school struggles, but frequently turned dyslexia into a strength by embracing alternative learning styles, such as creativity, visualisation, and hands-on experience.

Despite attending 13 different schools and facing challenges with undiagnosed dyslexia, Dr. Aderin-Pocock remained motivated by her fascination with space. Although teachers often underestimated her due to her difficulties with reading and writing, she eventually excelled by linking her passion for science to her education. She found that her ability to understand complex 3D systems and physics was a significant strength. Today, she describes her dyslexia as a “superpower” that allows her to think outside the box. This perspective helped her earn a degree in Physics and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College London.

Famous dyslexic, Tom Cruise: “Being dyslexic, I had to train myself to focus my attention. I became very visual and learned how to create mental images in order to comprehend what I read.”

We wish all our pupils the very best during the exam season, remember when it comes to UK entrepreneurs around 20% are dyslexic, so you’re in good company!

We look forward to welcoming you at our upcoming AGM on 6 th June, where we are delighted to have guest speakers Alice Hubbard who will talk us through the history of HWDA and Bertie Ballinger who will share his experience of being dyslexic.

Previous Newsletters

Previous Newsletters:

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Tutor Vacancies at Bromsgrove and Worcester Workshops

Eileen Boyd — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 22:09:01 +0000

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Dyscalculia Day: Parent Webinar 4th March 2026

Eileen Boyd — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 13:21:26 +0000

The Dyscalculia Network are holding many events over the week including this webinar for parents. There is a small cost – tickets can be bought via the link below:

Understanding Maths Learning Difficulties: Supporting Secondary Learners Tickets, Wednesday, Mar 4 from 7 pm to 8 pm GMT | Eventbrite

Further information about the Dyscalculia Network can be found here:

Dyscalculia Network | Leading Support Network for Dyscalculia

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Dyscalculia Day Tuesday 3rd March 2026: Dyscalculia Network Offers Courses and Seminars 2nd – 6th March

Eileen Boyd — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 15:59:51 +0000

Dyscalculia Day (3^rd March) aims to raise awareness of dyscalculia and other specific learning difficulties in maths, highlight the challenges faced by those with dyscalculia and provide educational resources and promote understanding in schools, homes, and workplaces. It aims to increase awareness, reduce stigma and advocate for better support and accommodations for people with dyscalculia.

People with dyscalculia may struggle with number sense, arithmetic, understanding patterns, dealing with money and telling the time.

Get ready to join our campaign by writing to your MP using our template letters, raising funds for us and learn more by joining our excellent educator conference and webinars for parents, adults with dyscalculia and employers.

This day is part of a broader effort to improve access to learning and support for people with various learning differences. This is an opportunity to support our dyscalculia community and make a difference to millions of adults and children with this underdiagnosed and underrepresented learning difficulty.

For information about Dyscalculia Network 2026 courses and seminars follow the link below:

https://dyscalculianetwork.com/dyscalculia-day-2026/

In 2025, the BDA put together lots of free resources and information to support young learners with dyscalculia or who generally find maths tricky: these are still available on their website:

https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/news/dyscalculia-day-3rd-march

https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/dyscalculia

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Free SEND Advice and Careers Guidance Drop In

Eileen Boyd — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 20:52:25 +0000

https://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/news/sendiass-launches-new-community-initiative-connect-wychavon

SENDIASS, the county’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service, is launching a new community programme designed to make SEND support easier to reach for local families.

SENDIASS is an impartial service delivered jointly on behalf of Worcestershire County Council and Herefordshire Council, providing free, confidential information, advice and support to families of children and young people aged 0–25 with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).

Although funded by both councils, the service operates independently to ensure families receive neutral and trustworthy guidance.

The new initiative, SENDIASS Connects, will see the service visiting communities across the region to bring SEND advice, guidance and training directly into local venues, helping families discover the breadth of support available where they live.

The first area to receive SENDIASS Connects is Wychavon, with activity taking place from January to March 2026. Developed in partnership with Wychavon District Council, the programme responds to the needs of parent carers who may have limited access to SEND information or find it difficult to travel to central locations.

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IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice) E-Learning Courses and Free Template Letters

Eileen Boyd — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 21:33:39 +0000

IPSEA offer both in-depth and bite-sized online E-learning courses to help parents and professionals understand and access all aspects of SEND. Whilst there is a charge for the courses, which varies depending on length, there is very useful guidance on how to complete applications for assessments and free templates of letters you can use to correspond with education and support agencies. Explore their website for details:

https://www.ipsea.org.uk/online-learning-for-parents-and-carers?fbclid=iwdgrzaapmcexjbgnra8xx22v4dg4dywvtajexahnydgmgyxbwx2lkddm1mdy4ntuzmtcyoaabhj4qpw059f3jvgq9nebcbpou8054zju4d9nps1a7fwzxc23gckh_l1qudnwy_aem_3av6yfajvfkycavdhp5jza&sfnsn=scwspwa

All of our e-learning is based on the law as it applies in England.

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