Five Wiltshire schools achieve dyslexia award

It’s widely understood that children with dyslexia often struggle at school and five schools in Wiltshire have been recognised for their work in addressing the challenges it presents. The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) has awarded the schools its Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark. The mark provides schools with a framework to improve their understanding of dyslexia and other literacy difficulties and helps the schools and organisations to develop strategies that support dyslexic children.

The three primary schools that achieved the mark, King’s Lodge School, Chippenham, St. Mark’s CofE Junior School (pictured), Salisbury, and Zouch Academy, Tidworth demonstrated that they provided excellent education and practice for dyslexic individuals.

Wiltshire Council’s Specialist Special Educational Needs Service (SSENS) is working alongside eighteen schools across the county to help them achieve the Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark and hopes to help a further 10 schools to achieve its standards. Local councillor Jane Davies says, “Wiltshire Council is committed to ensuring that young people get the best start in life and the dyslexia-friendly schools project supports this aim.”

Two secondary schools have also been awarded the mark The Clarendon Academy, Trowbridge, and The Trafalgar School, Downton. The Clarendon Academy is a co-educational comprehensive school teaching children aged 11-18 that has consistently received good Ofsted. The Trafalgar School is a non-selective school that currently educates over 770 children, which received a “good” rating from Ofsted in Mar 2020.

King’s Lodge School www.kingslodge.wilts.sch.uk/

St. Mark’s CofE Junior School www.st-marks.wilts.sch.uk/

Zouch Academy  www.zouch-academy.twhf.org.uk/ 

The Clarendon Academy www.clarendonacademy.com/

The Trafalgar School www.trafalgarschool.com/