Jamie Oliver, Dyslexia & the Education Crisis

When Jamie Oliver takes on a cause, he doesn’t do it half-heartedly. From transforming school dinners to his latest focus on dyslexia, he shines a spotlight on systems that are failing children. 

His recent programme on dyslexia was heartfelt, informative, and—frankly—another example of one man pushing for change against a seemingly immovable system.

Like his earlier campaign against processed junk food in schools, Jamie's message resonated with me. I’ve long believed that what children eat affects how they learn. Sugar is a neurotoxin—especially harmful to developing brains—and it has no place in school meals. I raised my children with this in mind, and I've cut it out of my own diet, too. So yes, Jamie—I'm right there with you.

A Welcome Focus on Dyslexia

Jamie shared that around 25% of children in classrooms are neurodiverse or dyslexic. It’s worth noting—he avoided using the term “neurodivergent,” and for that, I quietly cheered. While I understand the term’s purpose, it grates on me. It sounds like a brand of washing powder! 

Personally, I prefer “neurodiverse.” It celebrates the spectrum of human brains without implying deviation from a norm.

But here’s the thing: in my experience, that 25% figure barely scratches the surface.

The True Scale of Need

I’ve worked with hundreds of families and spoken with countless teachers and headteachers across the UK. One headteacher recently told me, “Mainstream schools aren’t really mainstream anymore. 

They’re additional needs schools.”According to her, around 80% of students aren't accessing the curriculum as it’s currently delivered.

This isn’t just anecdotal. The Department for Education’s latest SEN statistics (2024) show that 1.5 million pupils in England (17.3%) are identified as having special educational needs. 

However, many professionals estimate that actual need is much higher—possibly over 50%—when undiagnosed conditions like ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, and sensory processing differences are included. [Source: DfE SEN Statistics, 2024; SEND Review, 2022]

We’re underestimating the scale of need, and by doing so, we’re failing children.

Screening by Learning Style, Not Just Diagnosis

Jamie’s suggestion for regular dyslexia screening is vital—but I’d go further. Let’s screen all children for learning styles at different key stages. Children aren’t failing because they’re unintelligent; they’re failing because they’re not being taught in a way that fits their brain. Imagine the progress we’d see if children were grouped by how they learn rather than by age alone.

Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, and more recent findings in cognitive psychology, support this: visual-spatial learners, kinesthetic learners, verbal learners—each thrives in different environments. [Source: Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of Mind]

The School-to-Prison Pipeline

Jamie touched on something painfully familiar to those of us working in neurodiversity and justice: the school-to-prison pipeline. He cited that 50% of prisoners are dyslexic. But campaigner Sarah Templeton, who screens for ADHD in UK prisons, suggests the figure for ADHD alone is closer to 75%. And ADHD and dyslexia often go hand in hand.

What kind of education system do we have when the result for so many is incarceration instead of inspiration?

Underdiagnosis, Underfunding, and Undertraining.

Jamie reported 103,500 children have a dyslexia diagnosis. But those are only the diagnosed. What about the undiagnosed? What about the children being punished for “poor behaviour” when they’re simply overwhelmed and unsupported?

Shockingly, most teachers receive little or no training in key neurodiverse conditions. Some schools allocate only half a day every three years for SEN training. That’s unacceptable. If even 25% of a class has dyslexia (and we believe it's higher), how is that enough?

Government Responses: Empty Words?

Jamie’s interview with the Education Minister was frustrating. Her answers were vague and lacked real commitment. It felt like she was more concerned with budgets than with children.

SEN provision is expensive because the mainstream system isn’t fit for purpose. If we redesigned learning to work for all brains, we wouldn’t need such expensive “interventions” later on. Prevention is cheaper than crisis response—financially and emotionally.

Broken Systems and Empty Promises

I attended a “Call to Action” meeting around curriculum reform recently. Shockingly, no proper outreach had been done to SEN schools or settings. When I asked why, I was told: “That’s why you’re here, Kelly—to get the word out.” That’s not inclusion. That’s tokenism.

Even the form to give feedback was inaccessible—it required a high reading age and advanced language skills. This is systemic discrimination.

EHCP Reform: A Looming Crisis

There’s talk that the next government could scrap EHCPs or the tribunal service that helps families fight for them. If that happens, thousands of families will be plunged into crisis. We’re already at breaking point—how much more can parents take?

Where Do We Go From Here?

Jamie Oliver said, “We want children to thrive, not just survive.” That line stuck with me. Because right now, surviving is all many children are doing. 

Rejection sensitivity, shame, and burnout are shaping their futures. And those scars last a lifetime.

So yes, Jamie—thank you. 

Your programme was brilliant, heartfelt, and brave. But if even you can’t get the government to listen, where does that leave the rest of us?

If anyone out there wants to back a new model of schooling—one that puts neurodiversity, real learning, and child well-being at the centre—get in touch. Because reform isn’t just overdue. It’s urgent.