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Written question asked by Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK) on Wednesday, 25 March 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 13 April 2026. It was answered by Georgia Gould (Labour) on Friday, 17 April 2026 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Secondary Education: Dyslexia

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure that the experiences of children and young people with dyslexia are captured when measuring attainment at the end of secondary school.

Answer

The department is committed to ensuring the exams system is equitable for all students, and that students with disabilities, including dyslexia, can access exams and assessments without disadvantage.

Ofqual, the independent regulator of exams and assessments in England, has a statutory duty to ensure that assessments are a fair representation of a student’s knowledge and requires awarding organisations to put processes in place to ensure that all students can access assessments appropriately.

The Equality Act 2010 also requires awarding organisations to make reasonable adjustments where assessment arrangements could place a student, who is disabled within the meaning of the Act, at a substantial disadvantage in comparison to someone who is not disabled.

These adjustments can include, but are not limited to, extra time to complete assessments or assistance via a reader or a scribe, depending on the individual needs of the student.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
123587
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Children Dyslexia Young people Secondary education
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk