He's spent more than 20 years campaigning for change and now Jamie Oliver is taking on the education system in an important new Channel 4 documentary. In Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution, which airs tonight (Monday 9 June), the chef and campaigner explores the impact of the schooling system on those growing up with dyslexia - and the remarkable show will hit a nerve with everyone.
In a poignant Instagram post to promote the documentary, he argued that it isn't our children who are broken, it's the system. "The kid isn't broken, the system is broken," he says. Jamie has been open about his own challenges growing up with dyslexia and now he's on a mission to uncover "the challenges and issues faced by thousands of school children who have dyslexia and are left behind in an archaic education system". With dyslexia affecting so many of us and those we know, his important documentary should strike a chord with all of us.
"Out of 100 kids, at least 10 are dyslexic, but only 2 are diagnosed at school...early identification changes lives," Jamie wrote on Instagram. He said he "can't just sit back and watch this continue", referring to the struggles with "confidence, self-esteem and anxiety," which he says can occur in children with dyslexia, especially if not identified as having the condition early.
To tackle these issues, Jamie revealed he's pushing for three specific changes: "I want every child to have a universal dyslexia screening check within their first two years of school. I want every educator to have the training to teach every child, not just the 75% of kids who fit the current system." He added that, to make these goals a reality, he was going right to the top and challenging the government to do more.
Other recognisable faces featuring in the programme include presenter Holly Willoughby, who shares her own experiences with dyslexia. Jamie also revealed he's even created a special piece of music inspired by the topic. Working with musician Tobie Tripp and an orchestra, Jamie put together some music which conveys "the emotions I felt from some of the kids I met struggling with dyslexia," which will appear in the documentary.
Want to tune in? The hour-long documentary, Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution, airs on Channel 4 at 9pm on Monday 9 June.
