What teachers really think about dyslexia support and SEND reforms

Category: SEND & inclusion

Published: 16 September 2026

Author: Only for Teachers editorial team

Reading time: 5 min read

Topic: Dyslexia support, teacher confidence.

This report is based on original survey data collected directly from UK teachers through the Only for Teachers platform. All insights and findings are unique to our community.

Only 20% of UK teachers feel very confident identifying and supporting pupils with dyslexia. That's the takeaway that should worry schools right now, especially as the government's SEND reforms begin to reshape how support gets delivered in the classroom.

Key findings at a glance:

• Only 20% of teachers feel very confident supporting pupils with dyslexia or other literacy-related learning needs.
• 63% feel only fairly confident, while 15% admit they're not very confident at all.
• 47% of teachers say dyslexia and cognition and learning needs aren't getting enough attention in SEND reform proposals.
• 31% somewhat agree that replacing EHC plans with Individual Support Plans will improve support, but 29% aren't sure and need more information.
• Mandatory dyslexia-specific training and smaller class sizes are the top two improvements teachers want, and SEND reform concerns

Confidence gaps in the classroom

83% of teachers surveyed (combining 'very confident' and 'fairly confident' responses) feel at least reasonably confident supporting dyslexic pupils. That might sound solid on paper, but dig deeper and the picture becomes less reassuring.

Only 20% say they feel very confident. The rest occupy the 'fairly confident' category, which in plain English means 'I'm getting by, but I'm not fully equipped'. That's a gap the government needs to notice, especially with dyslexia affecting roughly 10% of the school population.

Teachers have told us repeatedly over the past three months that they want more dyslexia training. A June survey found 83% wanted better resources and training for literacy support. This latest data shows confidence hasn't shifted significantly since then, suggesting training provision has either stalled or hasn't reached enough classrooms yet.

The SEND reforms gamble

Here's where things get genuinely uncertain. The government is replacing Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans with 'Individual Support Plans' (ISPs) for many pupils with SEND. In theory, it's meant to streamline bureaucracy. Teachers are far from convinced it'll work.

Take a step back. 34% of teachers either strongly or somewhat disagree that this change will improve support. Another 29% haven't got enough information to make a proper judgment. Only 37% think it might actually help. That's not a ringing endorsement for a major reform.

What worries teachers most is that cognition and learning needs like dyslexia might get lost in the shuffle. When we asked directly, 47% said these needs aren't being given enough attention in the reform proposals. Another 37% said they're unsure because they haven't followed the detail closely enough. That's 84% of teachers either worried or in the dark about whether dyslexia support will survive this restructuring.

What would actually help

When we asked teachers what would most improve their ability to support dyslexic pupils, the answers were clear and consistent. Mandatory dyslexia-specific training kept cropping up in almost every combination of responses. Smaller class sizes and specialist teaching assistant support were the other two pillars that teachers kept choosing.

Aggregating the raw data, the most-requested improvements were:

• Mandatory dyslexia-specific training for all teachers
• More specialist teaching assistant support
• Smaller class sizes and more planning time
• Easier access to educational psychologists (programmes like 'Experts at Hand')
• Access to in-class screening tools for early identification

None of this is news to school leaders. But the fact that teachers are still asking for training is significant. We're nearly a decade on from the government's first big push on literacy interventions, and confidence in the classroom hasn't budged. That's a policy problem, not a teacher problem.

The elephant in the room: time and resources

In the free-text responses, teachers were blunt. Class sizes of 31 to 32 pupils with no teaching assistant. Planning time measured in hours per week rather than days. SENDCo burnout. Funding gaps that force schools to pick and choose which pupils get extra support.

One teacher summed it up: 'Time. We need time after we meet pupils to plan for them.' Another mentioned the simple reality of 'class numbers, wide range of abilities and behavioural issues', all in one room.

This isn't a confidence problem. It's a resource problem. Teachers know what dyslexia looks like. They know what works. They don't have the time, money, or staffing to deliver it consistently.

What happens next

The ISP reforms are rolling out. Dyslexia awareness hasn't improved. Teacher confidence is stuck at 'fairly confident'. And schools are expected to do more with less.

If you recognise yourself in these numbers, you're not alone. Your next survey is live this week. Tell us what's actually happening in your classroom right now: what support are you managing to give, and where are you struggling most? The more schools and teachers speak up, the harder it is for policymakers to ignore the reality on the ground.