Quick answer: Freedom of Information data sent to all 151 local authorities in England exposes a patchy, inconsistent system: fewer than half of councils employ specialist staff to assess dyslexia, around one third provide no guidance at all, and the attainment gap between pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties and their peers is stark at every key stage. Inclusive classroom environments, including low-distraction surfaces and high-contrast writing tools, are one practical lever schools can pull while waiting for systemic change.
What the FOI data shows about dyslexia provision in England
FOI requests were sent to all 151 local authorities in England. Of the 82% that responded, fewer than 10% were able to answer all questions in full, which itself signals a meaningful gap in oversight and record-keeping at local level.
The headline findings are stark:
- Fewer than half of local authorities employ specialists, such as Educational Psychologists or Specialist Teachers, to assess dyslexia in schools.
- Around one third of local authorities provide no guidance on identifying or supporting dyslexia or wider literacy difficulties.
Where specialist expertise is absent and guidance is non-existent, the burden falls entirely on classroom teachers, many of whom have received little or no dyslexia-specific training during their initial teacher education. The result is delayed identification, inconsistent support and missed interventions at the age when they matter most.
The attainment gap: what the numbers say
The knock-on effect shows clearly in national attainment data.
At the end of Key Stage 2 (2025):
- Only 21% of pupils with a Specific Learning Difficulty met the expected standard in English, reading, writing and maths.
- By comparison, 74% of pupils with no recorded Special Educational Needs reached the same standard.
At GCSE level (2023-2024):
- Only one in five pupils with an SpLD achieved a Grade 5 or above in English and Maths, compared with over half of pupils without SEN.
- Just 39.5% of pupils with an SpLD achieved a Grade 4 pass, compared with 72.3% of pupils without SEN.
These figures are not a marginal divergence. They represent a generation of pupils whose difficulties went unidentified or unsupported during the years when intervention delivers the greatest return.
Why early identification changes outcomes
Dyslexia is common and well understood. When identified early and supported consistently, pupils with dyslexia can achieve strong educational outcomes. The research consensus is not in doubt. What the FOI data reveals is a system that is failing to act on what it already knows.
Effective dyslexia support depends on three conditions being in place simultaneously:
- Access to specialist assessment. Without Educational Psychologists or Specialist Teachers with a caseload that covers local schools, many pupils will not be formally assessed until secondary school, or at all.
- Clear guidance for schools. When a third of local authorities issue no guidance, class teachers are left to identify dyslexia by intuition. Inconsistency is inevitable.
- Inclusive physical learning environments. Classroom conditions affect every lesson, every day. Noisy, visually cluttered or poorly contrasted environments increase cognitive load specifically for pupils with SpLD, compounding difficulties that are already present.
How the classroom environment supports dyslexic learners
The third condition above is where schools can act immediately, without waiting for local authority policy to change.
Dyslexic learners often process information more effectively when the environment reduces extraneous cognitive load. Practical considerations include:
- High-contrast writing surfaces. Coloured glassboards, particularly in softer tones such as sage or ivory, offer a lower-glare alternative to the bright-white reflective boards that can cause visual stress. The Premier Coloured Magnetic Glass Wipe Board is available in a range of tones and takes standard dry-wipe markers with precision.
- Matte, non-reflective walls. Acoustic wall panels do double duty: they reduce reverberant noise, which is itself a significant stressor for pupils with literacy difficulties, and replace hard reflective surfaces with a softer visual field. The Silk Wall acoustic panel is popular in primary classrooms for exactly this reason.
- Reduced visual clutter. Dedicated display and writing zones help pupils understand where to focus attention. Dedicated glassboards as writing surfaces, kept separate from pinned displays, make the visual hierarchy of the room clearer.
- Sound management. Background noise is disproportionately disruptive to pupils with SpLD. Schools addressing acoustics at the same time as display provision will find that both interventions reinforce each other. The full range of acoustic solutions for education is available to browse online.
These are not superficial adjustments. They reflect what the evidence on environmental design for neurodiverse learners consistently recommends.
Browse dyslexia-friendly classroom surfaces → View the full glassboard range
What needs to change at a systemic level
The FOI findings point to a structural problem. Voluntary guidance and patchy specialist provision will not close an attainment gap of the scale the 2025 KS2 data describes. Campaigning organisations, including the British Dyslexia Association, have argued for a statutory entitlement to dyslexia screening in primary schools and for ringfenced training for teaching staff.
Until systemic change arrives, the responsibility for creating supportive conditions falls to individual schools and the professionals working within them. Evidence-based classroom design is one of the few levers they can operate independently.
If you are specifying or refurbishing a learning environment and want to understand which surfaces and acoustic treatments are most effective for neurodiverse learners, get in touch with the Presentation Spaces team. We work with schools, MATs and local authorities across the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How many local authorities in England provide specialist dyslexia support in schools?
Fewer than half of local authorities in England employ specialists such as Educational Psychologists or Specialist Teachers to assess dyslexia in schools, according to FOI data submitted to all 151 councils. Around one third provide no guidance on identifying or supporting dyslexia at all.
What is the attainment gap for pupils with dyslexia at Key Stage 2?
At the end of Key Stage 2 in 2025, only 21% of pupils with a Specific Learning Difficulty met the expected standard in English, reading, writing and maths, compared with 74% of pupils with no recorded SEN. This represents a gap of 53 percentage points.
How does dyslexia affect GCSE results?
At GCSE level in 2023-2024, just 39.5% of pupils with an SpLD achieved a Grade 4 pass in English and Maths, compared with 72.3% of pupils without SEN. Only one in five pupils with SpLD achieved a Grade 5 or above, compared with over half of pupils without SEN.
How can classroom design help pupils with dyslexia?
Reducing visual clutter, using lower-glare writing surfaces, managing background noise and providing clear visual hierarchy in the room all reduce the cognitive load placed on dyslexic learners during lessons. Coloured glassboards and acoustic wall panels are two practical options that address these factors directly.
What writing surfaces are most suitable for dyslexic learners?
Coloured glassboards in softer tones, such as sage, ivory or light grey, are widely recommended for pupils with visual stress. They offer a high-contrast, non-reflective writing surface that reduces glare without sacrificing legibility. The Premier Coloured Magnetic Glass Wipe Board is available in multiple colour options.
Where can I get advice on creating a dyslexia-friendly classroom environment?
The Presentation Spaces team works with schools and multi-academy trusts across the UK on classroom specification. Contact us via the contact page or browse our glassboard range and acoustic solutions for education environments.