F1 ace does honours

12:22pm Friday 10th October 2008

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A school that specialises in helping children with dyslexia has moved to new premises which have doubled the number of pupils that can attend.

The Unicorn School moved from its premises in Abingdon School, in The Crescent, to Marcham Road, Abingdon, at the beginning of last month.

It was officially opened by former world champion racing driver Sir Jackie Stewart, who is dyslexic himself, on Wednesday last week.

Parents, school governors and former pupils gathered to celebrate with a glass of champagne or orange juice.

Headteacher Jackie Voux said that the school, which previously helped pupils aged seven to 11, has been able to form a Year 7 class. Numbers have shot up from 32 to 63 children.

Ms Voux, who has been at the school for ten years, said: "They have all come from schools where they have had a bit of a hard time, despite the support, and it has been a struggle.

"Here, everybody is in the same boat, so you don't feel left out."

Teacher Lyn Sellwood, whose dyslexic daughter attended the school and now studies at Cambridge University, said: "This is all new for us as we have never had a Year 7 before — this is us expanding."

The school offers small classes where the children, who often suffer with other problems as well as dyslexia, such as dyscalculia and dyspraxia, can learn in an interactive way. Pupils are also given one-to-one time with the 22 members of staff.

The Unicorn School was set up 17 years ago with five children learning in a volunteer's sitting room.

Since then, it has moved to premises in Oxford and Abingdon.

The word dyslexia comes from the Greek, meaning difficulty with words. It is a specific learning difficulty which mainly affects the development of literacy and language-related skills. It is likely to be present at birth and have a lifelong effect.

 Sir Jackie, known as 'The Flying Scot', competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships in 1969, 1971 and 1973.