Daisy’s dyslexia diagnosis was a lightbulb moment during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the real change came when she started specialist tuition with Sparks.
In the early days of lockdown, life changed dramatically for everyone. For Daisy, a bright and imaginative student, it marked the start of a journey to understanding the challenges she had been facing.
Her mum Trish, an experienced educator, noticed struggles while home learning. Daisy couldn’t pick up phonics, made slow progress in reading and writing, had poor coordination, and handwriting difficulties. Daisy would become frustrated and worked at a pace much slower than expected at age 8.
Trish reached out to Dyslexia Sparks for support and organised a dyslexia assessment.
”The dyslexia diagnosis was life-changing for Daisy”
The assessment provided clarity on why she had struggled and gave her the tools to move forward.
Daisy started tuition with Sparks in 2021 while in Year 3 at school, and began following our programme of learning. She started to feel more in control, and progress became both measurable and encouraging. Her specialist teacher Amy praised Daisy for her positive attitude and effort: “the commitment from Daisy and her family most definitely excelled her learning. She puts 100% into everything she does and has made huge progress.”
Trish said:
”Before Daisy started at Sparks I worried about her future and if there would ever be any support to help her - I no longer have those worries.”
Daisy’s mum saw what she describes as “unbelievable” progression as a result of her Sparks tuition, and also sees an impact on her well-being: “her co-lessons make Daisy feel normal, accepted and something to look forward to.”
Following the diagnosis, her school adopted the recommendations and adjustments from our report. They changed where she sat in the classroom, reduced expectations on volumes of writing, and introduced coloured filters and overlays, as well as books with coloured backgrounds.
Daisy also started using a Chromebook and enrolled in a touch-typing course to improve the speed of her writing. Suddenly, those barriers weren’t overwhelming; they were challenges she could navigate with the right strategies and support.
Daisy was able to get exam adjustments for the SATs, which included extra time and rest breaks. With this help and the tuition she received, her grades soared from below average standards to expected and greater depth. The impact on her even lead to her receiving a head teacher’s award.
As Daisy continues tuition and giving her all to achieving her goals, she is no longer worried about exams. After her GCSE’s Daisy would like to become a sheep farmer – something she is already making strides in and winning national awards.
Trish said “you have changed her into a confident girl who believes in herself and gives everything a go. I’m seeing my little girl with dreams and goals and experiencing success at school.”
Inspired by Daisy’s Journey?
If you would like to discuss specialist dyslexia tuition and have a free consultation with a teacher, please contact us today to see how we can support you and your child going forward.
Team Sparks