Former pupil of specialist dyslexia school achieves 2:1 degree with dissertation on dyslexia and entrepreneurship

Alex Walker has graduated with a 2:1 from Bath Spa University

A former pupil of specialist dyslexia school Maple Hayes Hall who started with a reading age of just six-and-a-half years has achieved a 2:1 honours degree from Bath Spa University and completed a dissertation researching dyslexia and entrepreneurship.

Alex Walker joined Maple Hayes School in Lichfield in 2015 at age 11, having previously struggled in mainstream education with extremely low literacy levels.

Before joining Maple Hayes, Alex had been diagnosed with dyslexia, with his reading and spelling age of just six-and-a-half years and writing age of only five-and-a-half years. He struggled to decode written language and felt constantly out of place in mainstream classroom settings.

The now successful graduate has not only excelled in his university studies, achieving a final grade of 66.34%, but has also completed an innovative dissertation titled "How does dyslexia influence entrepreneurial traits such as risk-taking, innovation, and problem-solving?" He is now exploring opportunities in sales and advertising, with aspirations to work internationally in entrepreneurship and creativity.

Alex said: "Dyslexia doesn't define your limits – it's a different way of thinking, and that's valuable. None of this would have been possible without Maple Hayes. They gave me the structure and understanding I needed, but most importantly, they gave me confidence. Being surrounded by peers who were also dyslexic meant no one felt out of place."

Alex's transformation at Maple Hayes was remarkable, with his confidence and motivation receiving a drastic boost through the school's tailored teaching approach. His academic foundation enabled him to progress to Bath Spa University, where he chose to focus his research on celebrating dyslexia as a strength rather than a weakness.

Throughout his dissertation research, Alex drew on his personal experience and even interviewed former teachers from Maple Hayes, concluding that dyslexia often encourages the development of strong problem-solving skills, creativity, and adaptability – traits that contribute significantly to entrepreneurial success.

Alex as a pupil at Maple Hayes alongside Dr Daryl Brown

Dr Daryl Brown, Co-Principal at Maple Hayes Hall, said: "Alex's achievement exemplifies what we strive for at Maple Hayes. His journey from struggling with basic literacy to completing university-level research into dyslexia demonstrates how our unique teaching approach can transform lives. We're incredibly proud that he's chosen to champion neurodiversity and inspire other dyslexic students."

Maple Hayes teaches using their unique 'morphological approach', which uses icons to make visual links between meaning and spelling instead of traditional phonics methods. This specialist approach, combined with techniques such as cursive writing with fountain pens, helps dyslexic pupils develop strong literacy skills through kinaesthetic learning.

Alex is now back home in Birmingham, exploring career opportunities and considering further study, determined to continue developing his skills in areas where his dyslexic thinking style can be a genuine advantage.

For further details about Maple Hayes Hall School visit: www.dyslexia.school