Meet CEO: Katie Nelson

I extend a warm and heartfelt welcome to you all as we embark on a new chapter together here at the Dyslexia and Dyscalculia Academy

The academy has a very special place in my heart, and it all started with a remarkable journey, one that my daughter, Alice, undertook with courage and resilience. She faced the challenges of severe dyslexia and emerged on the path to success. But the road was not always so smooth......

It began back approximately 15 years ago when I was working as a Primary School Teacher. Alice was a young girl and was really struggling with sequencing, learning phonics and seemed to have some processing speed and working memory challenges. I raised my concerns with school; however, I did not feel heard and decided to take her for a diagnostic dyslexia assessment. It was then that we found out that Alice was dyslexic. Furthermore, our family's journey took an unexpected turn when my son, Archie, was later diagnosed with dyscalculia.

Me, being me, I knew that I could help my little girl- but I just wasn't sure how! I loved my job as a Teacher and whilst still teaching, I went back to university evenings and weekends to retrain as a dyslexia and then later as dyscalculia specialist teacher and assessor- just so that I can help my own children and of course the students that I worked with in school. 

Seeing the impact of Specialist Assessment and Support for my own children and my students filled me with pride and in 2012, I set up the Dyslexia Centre North West, which is our base in the North West of England where Myself and my amazing team of specialists have assessed and supported thousands of Students, Parents and Teachers. 

HOWEVER, many people needed access to our support from all over the world and we began to get requests for online assessments , parent and teacher training courses, Student Masterclasses and Specialist Support no matter someone's location. That is when the Dyslexia & Dyscalculia Academy was born into the family at the Neurodiversity Trust. 

This journey has allowed us to touch the lives of numerous students, parents and teachers providing them with the support and tools they need to overcome obstacles and thrive. 

So, as we celebrate this milestone together, I invite you to reflect on your own journey and the journeys of those you hold dear. Let's remember that our worth isn't solely measured by results but by the love we invest in every step, the resilience we display in the face of challenges, and the inspiration we draw from those we care about to help them be the very best version of their true selves. 

Katie x