Woman opens dyslexia school

7:38pm Sunday 4th November 2007

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A DYSLEXIC woman has achieved a lifelong dream by opening a school for children with the condition.

MBE Elaine Ferguson, of Cliviger, has spent £100,000 of her own cash opening the non-for-profit facility in a former school building in Todmorden Road, Burnley.

Springvale Dyslexia School will teach 50 children from across East Lancashire with referrals being made through the local education authorities.

The specialist facility for dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and dyspraxia will be opened on November 22 Mrs Ferguson, 39, who was barely literate when she left school at 16 and was taunted by other pupils for her condition, said her mission was to help dyslexic people improve their literacy and gain employment.

Ten years ago she set up Right to Write Ltd and later created Spark-Space, an educational computer prog-ramme that has been taken on by schools worldwide.

Mrs Ferguson, who plans to teach at the school with 10 other teachers, said: "Springvale is the fruition of a life long dream. My vocation was inspired through my own battle with dyslexia through-out my education. Since having been diagnosed I have tried to make the world a better place for those with Dyslexia.

"The funding has come from myself because I wanted to put something back into Burnley. It was a dreadful building and we have transformed it into a modern facility.

"I am broke, but this school will inspire thousands of people to reach for their best whatever area that may be.

"The school will combine multi sensory cross-curricular teaching, with a supportive approach to building self-esteem and developing per-sonal and academic potential."

Mrs Ferguson also worked with The Prince's Trust, the London Development Agency and HM Treasury, where officials saw her work and nominated her for the MBE last year.