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# Lichfield dyslexia expert uses 90th birthday to call for a more inclusive approach to education
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/lichfield-dyslexia-expert-uses-90th-birthday-to-call-for-a-more-inclusive-approach-to-education/
- Published: 2025-01-06T12:33:44.000Z
- Updated: 2025-01-06T12:34:05.000Z
- Description: A pioneering Lichfield dyslexia expert has used his 90th birthday to call for change in the education system.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Education, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 18:49, News

A PIONEERING Lichfield dyslexia expert has used his 90th birthday to call for change in the education system.

Dr Neville Brown, founder of Maple Hayes Dyslexia School, says a review of the UK’s reliance on phonics-based literacy teaching is needed.

He said the time has come to adopt a more inclusive approach that recognises the diverse needs of learners having spent more than six decades in the classroom.

Dr Brown developed a morphological approach which focuses on word structure and meaning. It has been credited with helping students with dyslexia achieve when other educational approaches had failed them.

He said:

> “For too long, education in the UK has adhered to a one-size-fits-all phonics system.  
>  
> “While phonics works for many, it fails dyslexic learners who require alternative strategies. The success of our morphological approach at Maple Hayes proves there is no single path to literacy, and we owe it to children everywhere to offer methods that meet their unique needs.”

Dyslexia affects around 10% of the UK population, including over one million school-aged children.

Maple Hayes Dyslexia School, co-founded by Dr Brown in 1982, has welcomed over 1,000 pupils.

His work to support learners has seen him receive numerous accolades during his career, including a lifetime achievement award from the British Dyslexia Association and the Independent Schools Award for Innovation.

Dr Brown’s 90th birthday celebration included the unveiling of a portrait painted by his grandson, artist Alastair Brown.

However, the educator says his focus remains firmly on the future and improving the lives of young people with dyslexia.

> “I’m proud of what we’ve achieved, but there is still much work to be done.  
>  
> “The next generation of learners deserves better than a system that leaves so many behind.”