Special Educational Needs: Dyscalculia

Lord Mott Excerpts

Wednesday 4th June 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Mott (Con)]

My Lords, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the noble Baroness, Lady Bull, for securing this important debate but, more importantly, for making me aware of the many challenges that thousands of schoolchildren suffer from every single day.

I am taking part in this debate not only as a parent but as someone who has dyslexia. I was pondering whether I should make a confession after the noble Baroness, Lady Thornton, made hers a little earlier. I only managed to take my GCSE maths exam three times. I never quite managed to get to the fourth occasion—but, who knows, in later life I might decide to take GCSE maths for a fourth time.

The challenges that I faced in my early days at school, when I spent time in what was described then as a special class, were a bewildering and confusing experience. I am very pleased to say that, since then, special educational needs provision has changed for the better. The experience I faced growing up helped me understand my eldest daughter’s journey, as she is dyslexic. I was able to see the early signs—the confusion, frustration and the quiet resilience needed to thrive in an education system that was not built with her in mind—and help to support her.

But I have also seen what happens when support is in place. Her confidence grew, her ability shone through and the label of difficulty became a gateway to understanding. Much of the support came from her parents, who are often forgotten in the journey but are, in my view, fundamental. That journey taught me something deeply personal: if it is recognised and supported, difference does not need to mean disadvantage.

Today I want to turn to a specific learning difficulty that affects the ability to understand numbers and carry out basic arithmetic. It is often described as the mathematical equivalent of dyslexia, yet in terms of awareness and support, it lags far behind, as we have heard this evening, and that is what I want to focus on. I can say to the Minister that I will not be asking for huge amounts of extra money, but I have one or two suggestions that may start to make a difference to children, families and our communities.

Up to 6% of the population may be affected by this learning difficulty—roughly one child in every classroom—but it remains underidentified, misunderstood and rarely provided for. Although the SEND code of practice recognises it, in practice many teachers are not trained to spot it, as we have already heard. We must ensure that initial teacher training and ongoing professional development include strategies for recognising and supporting children.

The awareness now common with dyslexia must be extended to mathematical learning difficulties. Parents often face lengthy delays accessing assessments, or they are told that their child’s struggles are not severe enough to qualify. In some areas, no assessment is available at all. That is totally unacceptable.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting a company based in west London, delivering its EHCP tool to local authorities in the SEND and education space. The tool brings together insights from professional reports, analyses them using AI and drafts personalised high-quality EHC plans, cutting down the time spent on manual writing and giving SEND teams more capacity to focus on children and families. Educational technology can play a key role. Tools now exist to help detect related problems and tailor learning to each child. These platforms can flag up issues early before a child reaches crisis point, and offer multi-sensory, scaffolded approaches proven to help. But schools need access to these tools and training to use them effectively.

Sadly, many parents are left to navigate the system alone, with inconsistent advice and little clarity. We need better signposting, clearer communication from schools and consistent local support. Parents must be seen as partners, not obstacles, in the process of identifying and meeting children’s needs. In supporting parents with more information, I believe that we can start to make a real difference. It was my own experience that helped me support my daughter, but many others were able to understand. Awareness takes the pressure away from our schools and our teachers. They must play a key role, but I want parents and grandparents to understand how they can not only provide support but understand the signs and start the early intervention that is required at home.

Awareness is the foundation of change. Without it, this problem remains invisible to educators, policymakers and, too often, the children themselves. A survey in 2023 of UK teachers highlights the problem, with over 40% not being familiar or slightly familiar with it. Let us compare that with dyslexia, where just 15% were in the same position. This is not a surprise, as awareness around dyslexia is strong. I am looking forward to attending an event tomorrow evening that Channel 4 is hosting to hear more about Jamie Oliver’s struggle with dyslexia. I also look forward to the noble Baroness, Lady Bull, perhaps hosting an event next year with Channel 4, to which we could invite Bill Gates, Robbie Williams or perhaps even Cher.

I urge the Government to support a national awareness campaign, in partnership with educational charities and neurodiverse advocates. This could include training for all school staff, public information materials and visibility at leadership level. Let us give teachers the tools, parents the clarity and young people the confidence they deserve. With understanding comes opportunity—let us offer both, to every child in every classroom.