‘I couldn’t read or write until I was 13 – but I made it to university thanks to Kemnay teachers who believed in me’

An ex-Kemnay pupil has spoken out about the impact her school had on teaching her how to read and write.

Abbie Freeman, 22, revisited Kemnay Academy to find out how the school is working to help people with dyslexia after their teachers helped her gain confidence to go to university.

Despite not knowing how to read and write until she was 13, Abbie went to Kemnay Academy after previously being home schooled.

At first, she struggled in exams but it was the teachers who then helped her receive her dyslexia diagnosis.

In a documentary for BBC Disclosure, the 22-year-old spoke to scholars and an author among others with dyslexia before heading to her old school.

Abbie said: “At Kemnay Academy, I was diagnosed with dyslexia and got the help I needed with reading and writing.

“If you told me I was going to university when I first joined the academy, it really wouldn’t have been believable.

“But I just wanted to get the basics, and I ended up doing more than that.”

Abbie has now graduated from the University of Stirling with a degree in film, media and journalism.

School helped Abbie receive diagnosis

She spoke about how the help from teachers in her secondary school led to her receiving her dyslexia diagnosis.

Abbie said: “It’s all down to the teachers and staff there that believed in me and took the time to see the value in my work and made me feel more confident about going into exams.

“And especially having the dyslexia diagnosis from them, as much as it was hard when I first got it, it was a reason for why I was struggling so much.

“Then it felt like it wasn’t my fault anymore and that it [dyslexia] was just a part of me.”

In the documentary, Abbie visited Ms Murray who previously taught her English class.

She was originally her teacher in additional support classes, but also taught Abbie as she moved through the school and went into mainstream classes.

“Ms Murray played an important role in my journey through school and onto passing my exams,” Abbie added.

“She was super encouraging to me. I remember just always feeling comfortable in her class.”