The Long Fight for Dyslexia Recognition in the UK

At the same time, in the UK, a group of ophthalmologists was investigating similar cases. One of their most well-documented patients was a 10-year-old boy who excelled in all school subjects except reading. His vision was perfect, yet he struggled with recognising written words. British physician W. Pringle Morgan published the first English medical case of dyslexia in 1896, describing a 14-year-old boy with severe reading difficulties despite high intelligence. Researchers soon realised that dyslexia was not caused by visual impairments but by a deficit in the brain’s ability to process written language. 

 

By the 1920s, research on dyslexia stalled in the UK while it expanded significantly in America and Germany. In the 1940s, researchers formally identified Developmental Dyslexia, defining it as an unexpected difficulty in reading among otherwise intelligent children and adults. This shifted the study of dyslexia from ophthalmologists to psychologists, focusing on how the brain processes written language. 

 

Meanwhile, the UK remained 40 years behind in dyslexia research. It wasn’t until the 1960s that British researchers began to take interest again. However, by this time, the UK had missed out on decades of progress made in other countries. 

 

By 1970, several dyslexia organisations and support centres had been established in the UK, but the Department of Education and Science (DES) refused to provide any funding for dyslexia support. This meant that only families who could afford private assessments and interventions could access help. 

 

Despite overwhelming international research proving that developmental dyslexia was real, the UK government refused to acknowledge its existence. They commissioned an investigation into dyslexia in schools, leading to the Tizard Report—a study that dismissed dyslexia as a distinct condition, effectively reinforcing the government’s position. 

 

It is widely believed that the findings of this report were politically motivated, designed to avoid committing resources to dyslexia support. As a result, thousands of British children continued to struggle without recognition or intervention. 

 

In 1978, Baroness Mary Warnock led a major review of special educational needs (SEN) in England, Scotland, and Wales. Her Warnock Report was the first comprehensive review of SEN in the UK. However, before publishing her findings, a senior government official warned her against identifying dyslexia as a distinct learning difficulty. 

 

The report recommended that only children with the most severe and complex needs should attend special schools, while all other children should be supported within mainstream schools. Although this was a step forward for inclusive education, the government still refused to recognise dyslexia as a specific condition and ignored the need for targeted interventions. 

 

After 60 years of denial, the UK government finally accepted dyslexia as a real condition in 1987. The Department of Education and Science acknowledged that dyslexia could affect a child’s progress, long-term well-being, and success in adulthood. They agreed that dyslexia should be identified early and that children should receive appropriate interventions. 

 

However, by this point, generations of children had already been failed due to government inaction. 

 

By the 2000s, it was clear that the education system was still failing children with dyslexia. In 2006, the Labour government commissioned the Rose Report to review how dyslexia was identified and taught in schools. 

 

The final report, published in 2009, provided the first official definition of dyslexia in UK education: 

 

“Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. Characteristic features of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory, and verbal processing speed.” 

 

The report left no doubt that developmental dyslexia was real and needed structured intervention. Yet, despite this recognition, the UK education system continued to fail dyslexic children. 

 

Even today, tens of thousands of children leave school unable to read properly. In 2024, reports revealed that 200,000 children were finishing primary school without basic literacy skills. 

 

For over a century, dyslexia research has been ignored, denied, and underfunded in the UK. The fight for proper recognition and support is still ongoing—despite decades of evidence, children with dyslexia are still being left behind. 

 

The history of dyslexia recognition in the UK is a shocking example of government inaction. It took over 100 years for the UK to accept dyslexia as a real condition, and we are still battling for proper support today.