Jamie's serving up truth on strengths of dyslexic thinking

JAMIE Oliver is getting his teeth into schools again. But this time he's not taking aim at Turkey Twizzlers. In his documentary for Channel 4, Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution, he reveals he struggled at school.

- Kate Griggs

He says he felt "worthless and thick". He was called a "stupid dunce". I know Jamie. He is none of those things. He is brilliant. And he is dyslexic. But his documentary is a national wake-up call.

One in five children have dyslexia, yet research finds as many as 80% leave school without even knowing they're dyslexic.

Our system rewards a narrow skill set, fast reading, perfect spelling and the ability to memorise facts. Meanwhile, dyslexic children muddle through, without their potential being recognised. The film also hears from a young person going through the same challenge: "It feels like I have no opportunities. I don't see any hope." It's heartbreaking I was in tears. Because I was one of those children.

My early school years in the 1970s were awful. I was failing miserably and hated school. Then when I was nine, I went to a new school. Teachers recognised I was dyslexic they saw past my test scores and helped me discover my "dyslexic thinking" skills.

But what exactly does that mean? Jamie says the kitchen saved him. Some might argue he saved cooking. But his success is an example of how dyslexics have skills like creative thinking, complex problem-solving and leadership.