Jamie Oliver reveals how cooking saved him from prison and calls for urgent Dyslexia screening and teacher training reform

Daily Mail​

12 hours ago

Jamie Oliver has revealed that if he had not discovered cooking, he might have ended up in prison.
Speaking at the British Library ahead of the premiere of his Channel 4 documentary Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution, the chef, 50, said: 'Statistically, if you follow the data, I might have ended up in jail. The stats are really clear.
'There's a paper trail showing that dyslexic kids are three and a half times more likely to be expelled.'
The documentary marks the latest step in Mr Oliver's two-decade-long advocacy, which began with his influential 2004 series Jamie's School Dinners that sought to raise standards in school meals.
In this new film, he urges the government to introduce earlier screening for neurodiversity in children and enhance teacher training to better support their needs.
The father-of-five added: 'That often leads to a pathway from expulsion to violent crime. It's linked to lower educational attainment, lower-paying jobs, and over 50% of inmates in prison are dyslexic.
'I wasn't one of the kids who suffered. I found cooking, and it totally saved me.'
Jamie Oliver has revealed that if he had not discovered cooking, he might have ended up in prison. Speaking at the British Library ahead of the premiere of his Channel 4 documentary Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution, the chef, 50, said: 'Statistically, if you follow the data, I might have ended up in jail. The stats are really clear'
'10 to 15% of every class in the country is dyslexic. If you're adding on other neurodiversities, we're talking 25% of every class don't really fit into the man-made system, which is education,' Mr Oliver said.
He also revealed a personal struggle in the documentary: 'I knew things were bad when my own six and seven-year-olds were reading better than me. As the dad reading them their night-night story, I'm the second biggest author in the country.
'It's bonkers, but I really struggled to read at primary school. I read my first book when I was 33 or something like that, and it was all those feelings of just feeling sh** and that you had nothing to offer the world, and like everyone else seems to be getting it, and you don't.'
Mr Oliver explained: 'Dyslexia is a learning difference that affects the ability to read, spell, write, process and remember information.'
Speaking to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson at the screening last night, Oliver said: 'We need new systems and ways of allowing these [children], up to 25% of every class, to have the ability to show their genius.'
Ms Phillipson acknowledged the problem: 'One in four children being left behind by the education system is a sign that change is needed.'
She committed to reforming teacher training on neurodiversity for all new teachers starting this September.
She also promised a 'really big upskilling of the workforce' to better support pupils with special needs.
Mr Oliver urged the public to 'bash the door down' of Phillipson's office to push for reform.
He said: 'I am not the kid that suffered. I found cooking, and it totally saved me. And I've always been positive, but there's definitely something going on right… I'm a lucky one, but clearly there's issues.'
Mr Oliver added: 'We know what needs to change, and we know it's possible. Last night Secretary of State Phillipson agreed that one in four kids being left out of education is a sign the system needs to change and has committed to reform teacher training around neurodiversity for all new teachers from this September.
'With no news yet on supporting existing teachers or vital early screening - the fight continues.'
Mr Oliver pressed Phillipson further, saying: 'May I ask one, Bridget, one last thing that I just don't know if it's within your permission or power, but I'm disgusted of my county of Essex. I come from Essex. I was born and bred in Essex, and within education in Essex, and there's a handful of other counties, they've decided to not recognize dyslexia. They don't recognise it. They don't see it.'
He went on: 'My instinct is, because once you recognize it and once you have a diagnosis on it, then because of the 2010 Human Rights Act, you have to deploy resource as a human right, and I believe that Essex are not wanting to spend the money and therefore changing science.
'We have scientists in the room that will say that dyslexia does exist. Essex, my county, disgusting, have decided to say that it doesn't exist...'
Kate Griggs, founder of the global charity Made By Dyslexia, praised Oliver's efforts: 'It's fantastic to see Jamie shining a spotlight on dyslexia - too many children aren't getting the chance to thrive.
'We must shift attitudes across society, because the very skills dyslexic pupils possess are now the most sought-after in every workplace.'
She added: 'We welcome the Education Secretary's comments that we can make fast progress by learning from great practice. This is exactly the knowledge our free training provides.
'Our Empowering Dyslexic Thinking in Schools course, created in partnership with The Open University, is now available online.'