Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of teachers have completed continuing professional development relating specifically to dyslexia in each of the last five academic years.

The department does not hold data on all professional development completed by teachers. Decisions relating to teachers’ professional development rest with schools, headteachers and teachers themselves, as they are in the best position to judge their own requirements.

The department does deliver professional development for teachers to support children and young people with reading difficulties, for which we have information on take up.

For example, ‘Reading Ambition for All’ is a continuous professional development programme delivered by our regional improvement for standards and excellence English Hubs, which is primarily aimed at reading leaders, special educational needs co-ordinators and senior leaders. The programme draws on the latest research on how children learn to read and explores the appropriate teaching, support and provision for the lowest attaining children in reading, with a particular focus on those with special educational needs and disabilities. So far, 1,181 schools have taken part in this programme.

Additionally, the national professional qualification (NPQ) for leading literacy supports leaders of literacy to develop all pupils’ language capability and word reading skills, as well as how to contribute to effective professional development linked to literacy in their own setting. The latest published data shows that over 7000 teachers have taken this NPQ since it was introduced.